CleanMyMac 1 deleted lots of my apps like photobooth, terminal, mac app store, preview, etc. I use Mac OS X Mavericks. What can I do?

Remove CleanMyMac2. Do not reinstall it, or anything like it.

Reinstall OS X using OS X Recovery: Hold ⌘ and r (two fingers) while you start your Mac.

According to its web siteCleanMyMac2 is supposed to uninstall itself:

"The easiest way to completely uninstall CleanMyMac 2 is by using CleanMyMac 2 on itself.

To remove CleanMyMac 2 from your Mac:

1. Open CleanMyMac 2.
2. Proceed to the Uninstaller module.
3. Find CleanMyMac 2 in the list of apps found by the module.
4. Click Complete Removal in the Smart Selector panel to mark the application file and all it related items for removal.
5. Click Uninstall.
6. Confirm that you are going to remove the app in the newly appeared message.

That's it!"

Apparently it may not be that simple though, as at least one user reported that it did not work, and required manual removal: Extreme Battery Drainage

Whatever damage CleanMyMac2 inflicted beyond OS X itself may require more work to correct. If reinstalling OS X does not resolve the problem, an "erase and install" followed by laboriously migrating individual apps and files may be the most expedient solution.

This same exact thing just happened to me! Preview doesn't work and everything...really frustrating! I went ahead and uninstalled CleanMyMac, it worked as the website says it did. I just had a question regarding the OS X Recovery, does that uninstall all my files as well? Will I need to start over with all my documents, pictures, music, etc.? I just don't want to do anything until I back up my files on Time Machine yet, although I need my programs for work right now so I was going to do it while at work. Thanks!

HI,

Using the Restore option replaces the OS and the apps that come with that version of the OS.

It does not touch your User folder (or any other User's folders if you have more)

8:56 pm Wednesday; February 5, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

A reinstallation should not remove any files, but instead only replace existing ones or restore those that are missing. At most, the installer may move some applications to an "Unsupported Applications" directory. I would be sure to back up everything thoroughly before proceeding with any OS restoration procedure.

Thanks for the information! I will do my best, I hope I don't ruin everything...

E

ezuzugonz wrote:

... I went ahead and uninstalled CleanMyMac, it worked as the website says it did.

Actually, it doesn't. Following its developer's instructions leaves an active User Launch Agent com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.diskSpaceWatcher.plist.

/private/var/run/com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2.Agent.socket also remains.

~/Library/Application Support/CleanMyMac 2/CleanMyMac 2 Helper.app is not deleted either, nor is app.com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2.playlist, nor a cache file in com.plausiblelabs.crashreporter.data - which is probably harmless.

Only its developer can know what the above files do. There may be others that I did not find. The reason their programmers chose to leave them behind is known only to them.

The following illustrates the contents of diskSpaceWatcher.plist and /private/var/run after following its uninstallation instructions and subsequently rebooting:

Johns-iMac:run john$ cd /private/var/run

Johns-iMac:run john$ ls -la

total 80

drwxrwxr-x 29 root daemon 986 Jan 13 21:10 .

drwxr-xr-x 24 root wheel 816 Jan 1 01:45 ..

-rw------- 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 19:29 automount.initialized

---------- 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 19:29 com.apple.WindowServer.didRunThisBoot

-r-------- 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 19:29 com.apple.loginwindow.didRunThisBoot

-rw-r--r-- 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 20:18 com.apple.softwareupdate.availableupdatesupdated

drwx------ 3 root daemon 102 Jan 13 20:32 com.apple.xpcproxy.RoleAccount.staging

srw-rw-rw- 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 20:24 com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2.Agent.socket

srwxrwxrwx 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 19:29 cupsd

-rw-r--r-- 1 root daemon 3 Jan 13 19:29 diskarbitrationd.pid

-rw-r--r-- 1 root daemon 4 Jan 13 19:33 hdiejectd.pid

-rw-r--r-- 1 root daemon 2 Jan 13 19:29 kdc.pid

srw-rw-rw- 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 19:29 mDNSResponder

drwx------ 3 root daemon 102 Jan 13 19:40 mds

-rw-r--r-- 1 root daemon 3 Jan 13 19:29 mds.pid

-rw-r--r-- 1 root daemon 3 Jan 13 19:29 ntpd.pid

srwxrwxrwx 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 19:29 portmap.socket

srwxrwxrwx 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 19:29 pppconfd

drwxr-xr-x 4 root daemon 136 Jan 13 19:30 racoon

-rw-r--r-- 1 root daemon 4 Jan 13 19:29 racoon.pid

-rw-r--r-- 1 root daemon 238 Jan 13 21:10 resolv.conf

-rw-r--r-- 1 root daemon 56 Jan 13 19:29 sntp.log

srw-rw-rw- 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 19:29 syslog

-rw-r--r--@ 1 root daemon 3 Jan 13 19:29 syslog.pid

-r--r--r-- 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 19:29 systemkeychaincheck.done

srw-rw-rw- 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 19:29 systemkeychaincheck.socket

srwxrwxrwx 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 19:29 usbmuxd

-rw-r--r--@ 1 root daemon 2512 Jan 13 20:41 utmpx

srw------- 1 root daemon 0 Jan 13 19:29 vpncontrol.sock

Johns-iMac:run john$

EtreCheck excerpt, after uninstalling CMM, rebooting, and reinstalling Mavericks:

User Launch Agents:

[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.diskSpaceWatcher.plist

I just had a question regarding the OS X Recovery, does that uninstall all my files as well?

No. Reinstalling OS X leaves all your files intact. Unfortunately it also leaves system modifications such as those installed by CleanMyMac intact as well. Eradicating them is up to you.