How can I uninstall and then reinstall Safari?

This worked for me. Mac OS 10.12.6 iMac 27" Safari 10.1.2. For information for other users.

I got an Adware related virus (MacKeeper - stuff!) from an Adobe Flash download I suspect. I removed the Adware using Malwarebytes but was still unable to properly use Safari. I followed Dominic23's recommendations from No.2 to No.6. I didn't do a Safe start, nor did I run EtreCheck, as prior actions seemed to fix the problem.

In No.6. I removed 3x Library > Preferences > com.apple.Safari.plist files, 2 of which which had random alphanumeric sequences. No obvious harm yet!

Many thanks for the information.

"One other thing you can try is Safari/Reset Safari." Sounds great. A little light on the details as in what is it and how do I find it? My Safari screen went transluscent months ago and I switched to Chrome but it's getting up my nose. I tried resetting the Safari defaults.

Is this something a local Mac store can look at gratis or would there be a fee?

Thanks

Go step by step by step and test.

1. Power off the router. Unplug it from the wall. Wait a while.

Plug it back to the wall. Power the router on. Wait until all the lights are lit properly. It will take a while.

Restart the computer.

Start up in Safe Mode.

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14204

2. Delete Caches.db

Close all windows and quit all applications.

Hold "option" key down and click "Go" menu in the Finder menu bar.

Select "Library" from the dropdown.

Library > Caches > com.apple.Safari > Caches.db

Right click the Caches.db file and select "Move To Trash.

Close windows and relaunch Safari.

3. Empty Caches

Safari > Preference > Advanced

Checkmark the box for "Show Develop menu in menu bar".

Develop menu will appear in the Safari menu bar.

Click Develop and select "Empty Caches" from the dropdown.

4. Delete Cookies

Safari > Preferences > Privacy > Cookies and other website data:

Click the “Details” button.

Remove all cookies except ones from Apple, your internet service provider and banks.

5. Safari > Preferences > Extensions

Turn off Extensions if any and launch Safari again to test.

Turn on those one by one and test.

6. Delete safari .plist file.

Quit all applications.

Option click the "Go" menu in the Finder menu bar.

Select "Library" from the drop down.

Library > Preferences > com.apple.Safari.plist

Right click on it and select "Move it to Trash".

Restart. Relaunch Safari.

If this doesn’t help, "Put back" the com.apple.Safari.plist

Right click the Trash icon in the Dock and select “Open”.

Right click the com.apple.Safari.plist and select “Put Back”.

7. Run EtreCheck and post the report here please.

EtreCheck: https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6173

Try Dominic's suggestions first. Normally this doesn't require an uninstall.reinstall. To uninstall/reinstall, you would have to reinstall the OS. One other thing you can try is Safari/Reset Safari.

Look under the Safari menu for Reset Safari. When you get the option called up it is fairly self explanatory.

Hi Dominic23,

I am having issues with my Safari as well. Every time I click on anything, it results in an ad, a pop-up, or the page is already littered with ads where it wasnt before. Are you able to make any suggestions based on my report below? Prior to running this, I followed the 7 steps you described to someone else (deleting caches, cookies, etc.), but I am still having the same problems. I also, downloaded the ClamXav app and found 1 Trojan, and disposed of it. im out of ideas. Please help!

EtreCheck version: 2.2 (132)

Report generated 5/20/15, 11:59 AM

Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.

Hardware Information: ℹ️

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2011) (Verified)

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,1

1 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2-core

4 GB RAM Upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Battery: Health = Normal - Cycle count = 398 - SN = W0148416KD3BA

Video Information: ℹ️

Intel HD Graphics 3000

Color LCD 1280 x 800

System Software: ℹ️

OS X 10.10.3 (14D136) - Time since boot: 0:24:36

Disk Information: ℹ️

ST9500325ASG disk0 : (500.11 GB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

Macintosh HD (disk1) / : 498.88 GB (383.71 GB free)

Core Storage: disk0s2 499.25 GB Online

HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS31N

USB Information: ℹ️

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Gatekeeper: ℹ️

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.ZTE.driver.ZTEUSBCDCACMData (1.3.14) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.ZTE.driver.ZTEUSBMassStorageFilter (1.3.14) [Click for support]

Startup Items: ℹ️

iCoreService: Path: /Library/StartupItems/iCoreService

MobileBrServ: Path: /Library/StartupItems/MobileBrServ

Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite

Problem System Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[failed] com.apple.ucupdate.plist

[failed] com.apple.watchdogd.plist [Click for details]

Launch Agents: ℹ️

[not loaded] cn.com.zte.usbswapper.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.trendmicro.itis.loginmgr.agent.plist [Click for support]

Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[not loaded] cn.com.zte.PPPMonitor.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.trendmicro.itis.icore.agent.plist [Click for support]

User Launch Agents: ℹ️

[not loaded] com.facebook.videochat.[redacted].plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: ℹ️

iTunesHelper Application Hidden (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)

TomTomHOMERunner Application Hidden (/Users/[redacted]/Library/Application Support/TomTom HOME/TomTomHOMERunner.app)

TmLoginMgr Application (/Library/Application Support/TrendMicro/TmccMac/TmLoginMgr.app)

TmLoginMgr Application (/Library/Application Support/TrendMicro/TmccMac/TmLoginMgr.app)

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 3.2.0.16 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 17.0.0.169 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

Flash Player: Version: 17.0.0.169 - SDK 10.6 Outdated! Update

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 8 Update 45 Check version

User internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.0 [Click for support]

Safari Extensions: ℹ️

extension

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

Flash Player [Click for support]

Flip4Mac WMV [Click for support]

Java [Click for support]

Tuxera NTFS [Click for support]

Time Machine: ℹ️

Time Machine not configured!

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

4% launchd

3% WindowServer

0% taskgated

0% fontd

0% notifyd

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

344 MB kernel_task

123 MB Safari

115 MB Finder

82 MB UserEventAgent(2)

66 MB CalendarAgent

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

412 MB Free RAM

3.60 GB Used RAM

0 B Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

May 20, 2015, 11:56:10 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/???_2015-05-20-115610_[redacted].cpu_resource.d iag [Click for details]

May 20, 2015, 11:51:23 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-05-20-115123_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

May 20, 2015, 11:48:10 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-05-20-114810_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

May 20, 2015, 11:38:14 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-05-20-113814_[redac ted].crash

May 20, 2015, 11:38:07 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-05-20-113807_[redac ted].crash

May 20, 2015, 11:37:11 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-05-20-113711_[redac ted].crash

May 20, 2015, 11:36:59 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-05-20-113659_[redac ted].crash

May 20, 2015, 11:36:49 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-05-20-113649_[redac ted].crash

May 20, 2015, 11:36:39 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-05-20-113639_[redac ted].crash

May 20, 2015, 11:36:29 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-05-20-113629_[redac ted].crash

May 20, 2015, 11:32:34 AM Self test - passed

May 20, 2015, 11:14:17 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-05-20-111417_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

May 20, 2015, 11:11:28 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-05-20-111128_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

May 20, 2015, 07:46:42 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-05-20-074642_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

May 19, 2015, 07:06:45 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-05-19-070645_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

May 18, 2015, 05:10:53 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-05-18-051053_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

May 18, 2015, 03:47:23 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-05-18-034723_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

May 20, 2015, 11:36:24 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fontd_2015-05-20-113624_[redac ted].crash

May 19, 2015, 10:17:09 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-05-19-101709_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

May 19, 2015, 07:02:19 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-05-19-070219_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

You could create another user account on your machine and see if the problem exists with that account.

Try checking foe adware.

Malware – Adware removal – Apple Support

Or download this program which was written by Thomas Reed, a long time poster. The program will do the work for you which makes it easy. If you are uncertain about downloading programs, try the manual method.

Malware Guide – AdwareMedic – 10.7 and higher

Thank you, Eric! The manual method worked like a charm! Back to cruising and no more copying friends hard drives :/ Thanks, again!

Glad you got rid of those pop-ups, but I see there are some other issue you might want to deal with.

Looks like you have ZTE software that is not working for you. Either you did completely remove it or it needs an update. Follow the developer's instruction for removing or updating it.

Startup Items: ℹ️

iCoreService: Path: /Library/StartupItems/iCoreService

MobileBrServ: Path: /Library/StartupItems/MobileBrServ

Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite

As the note says, whatever these are they no longer work with Yosemite. If it's something you need then find an update. They won't hurt anything where they are but if you want to save space you will probably want to uninstall whatever it is. Those two items are located in /Library/StartupItems/.

FlashPlayer is out of date with a security issue. Apple may disable it in the future. Use System Preferences->Flash Player->Updates tab to "Check Now" and consider allowing Adobe to install updates or at least Notify you.

Time Machine: ℹ️

Time Machine not configured!

I hope you have some other backup strategy in place as all hard drives will eventually fail, usually around the three year point and without warning, so yours is probably overdue.

You are welcome.

i'm having a problem with safari 6.8.2 on mountain lion in full screen mode on facebook if i try to exit full screen spinning ball appear and i have to force quit safari don't have this issue with Firefox any solution ?

Safari 6.8.2 is at least 3 years out of date, which may be why you are having the problem. Is Facebook the only website where you experience this behavior?

Thank you