5 Ways to Run Windows Software on a Mac Chris Hoffman @chrisbhoffman June 19, 2017, 6:40am EDT Macs have a thriving ecosystem of software, but some programs still only support Windows. To delete unwanted programs from mac, you need a mac uninstaller - EaseUS CleanGenius. It's different to uninstall app comparing with Windows. Unlike Windows-based systems, Mac OS does not come with an Add/Remove Programs feature that will help you uninstall programs on Mac.
Uninstalling software under Mac OS X is generally a straightforward procedure — just delete the program from the Applications folder. Few vendors offer uninstallers on the Mac, and generally they’re not necessary. Most programs don’t run background components or alter system settings files (like the Registry on Windows), and leaving old preferences and support files on the hard drive generally doesn’t do much harm.
But if you are trying to remove an old or corrupt component, reinstall software to change a serial number, or just free up disk space, removing all components of the old application can be important. These components include the application itself, preferences and support items, and sometimes hidden files or kernel extensions. Anyone who’s had problems installing an Adobe CS application or removing Symantec AntiVirus will appreciate how hard it can be to fully remove old software.
Speed up your Mac with a few clicks
You can do it the easy way or the hard way. In this post you will find detailed information on how to speed up your Mac. You can do all these steps on your own. Or you can save yourself some time and some headaches by downloading a free trial of CleanMyMac. The software offers “all the tools to optimize your Mac, in one app.”
This post is sponsored by MacPaw, maker of CleanMyMac.
Applications
Be default, Mac OS X software is stored in the Applications folder on your hard drive. Most programs are single icons (iTunes, Firefox), while others contain one or more folders full of items (Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Office). You can also occasionally find applications on the desktop, if dragged there during installation or moved from the Applications folder.
Drag the program’s icon or folder to the Trash to begin the uninstall process. If you are not the user who originally installed the software, or your are not an admin user on your Macintosh, you will need to enter an administrator’s name and password to continue.
Note: the icon for most programs is actually a bit of an illusion. What you’re seeing on the hard drive is an application package, a folder full of items including the executable program code and supporting files. When a package is labelled with the .app extension, it appears as a single, launchable icon in the Finder. If you’re curious whats inside, right-click (or control-click) on the icon and select Show Package Contents.
Preferences and Application Support Files
There are two locations on your hard drive, both named Library, where programs store their preferences and supporting files. The first Library is at the top level of your hard drive, the second is inside your Home Folder. Removing items from both these locations is necessary to completely uninstall software.
Start with the Top Level Library on your hard drive /Library. You are looking to remove any files or folders which contain the name of the program (Acrobat, Word) or the vendor (Adobe, Microsoft) in their names. Search the following locations:
Next, remove any similarly named items you find inside the User Library inside your Home Folder ~/Library in the same set of folders:
For the vast majority of applications that’s all you need to remove. 3d drawing software for mac. Empty the Trash to complete the process. If you get a message that an item is “in use and can’t be deleted” reboot the Mac, then try again.
Kernel Extensions and Hidden Files
If you’ve deleted everything from the Applications and Library folders and some vestiges of old software still remain, you may be dealing with a kernel extension or hidden file. These items will not be obvious to find, doing a Google search about the components for your specific software situation is highly recommended.
Free program for editing pdf files mac. Software that uses background processing – anti-virus and security programs, printers, device sync software – often install one or more kernel extensions. If your old installation of Symantec Utilities keeps telling you it’s out of date six years after you’ve deleted the program, chances are there’s still an old kernel extension loading up.
Warning: kernel extensions are necessary for correct operation of your system. Do not move or delete any items unless you have the ability to redo changes made by booting from a second Macintosh or drive and restoring changes made to the first hard drive.
Kernel extensions are located in /System/Library/Extensions and end with the extension .kext. Again you are looking for items with the name of the program or vendor in the name. For example, with old copies of troublesome Symantec software you might find SymEvent.kext and SymOSXKernelUtilities.kext lurking on your system.
Drag any probable items to the desktop first to make a copy, then move the original to the trash. Don’t empty the trash yet – reboot and see if the issue is fixed. If not, restore the item and try another.
Hidden files are items whose name starts with a period (.) They don’t display in the Finder by default. Programs sometimes use hidden files for authentication purposes, many are located in your home folder. You can use Terminal (inside Applications/Utilities) to list the contents of the directory in question and delete the offending item.
For example, the following set of commands will navigate to the home folder (~), list all contents, then delete a hidden file named .parallels_settings:
%> cd ~
%> ls -al %> sudo rm .parallels_settings How Do You Search For A Program On Netflix
Using sudo to do the deletion will require you to enter an admin password when prompted.
--
Updated April 2014: added info about LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons
Files you download from the Internet are often compressed or zipped so that they take up less space and arrive much faster than files that haven’t been compressed. You can easily identify compressed files by their extensions, such as .zip (a common standard used in OS X and Windows) and .sit. Before you can use these files, you must learn how to unzip files on mac computers for proper access – luckily the process isn’t that complicated!
How to unzip files on mac computers
Unzipping a file on a mac computer is user-friendly and intuitive. To unzip files on a mac, simply follow the steps below:
Alternatively, if the method above does not work, you can right-click on the .zip package, and select Open With > Archive Utility (default).
How To Find Program Files On A MacApple and third party software![]()
Apple used to include a program called StuffIt Expander to decompress zipped files, but doesn’t now that OS X lets you unzip files (but not .sit files). However, StuffIt from SmithMicro Software still comes in handy for opening other types of compressed files, notably the .sit or .sitx compressed types. Go to www.stuffit-expander.com or www.stuffit.com/mac/index.html to download a free version of the software or to splurge for the Deluxe version. In addition to compressing files, StuffIt Deluxe lets you encrypt and back up files.
Meanwhile, you can archive or create your own .zip files through OS X, which is useful if you’re e-mailing a number of meaty files to a friend. Right-click (or Ctrl-click) files you want to compress inside Finder and choose Compress Filename. The newly compressed files carry the .zip extension. The archive is created in the same location as the original file and is named originalfilename.zip. You can also choose File→Compress. If you compress a lot of files at once, the archive takes the name Archive.zip.
How Do You Search For A Program On Windows 10
By default, compressed files are opened with the Archive Utility. It appears in the Dock (in Leopard) while the files are being unsqueezed, unless you choose to open them with Stuffit Expander or some other program.
How to zip files on a mac
On the flip side, you can also archive or create your own .zip files through OS X, which is useful if you’re e-mailing a number of meaty files to a client or friend. Follow the step-by-step instructions below to easily zip files on a mac:
How To Search For A Program On The Hopper
On some Apple computers, you can also compress a file by simply choosing File→Compress. If you compress a lot of files at once, the archive takes the name Archive.zip.
Comments are closed.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |