Tons of leftover files from iLife...

[Dreambird]

On a previous computer... can't remember the last one or the one before came with all these iLife apps. That version of iLife expired and I never got another as I didn't use any of the apps. I've long since deleted the apps, like iMovie, iPhoto, iLife Media Browser...  There's "ProApps" stuff around too... appears to be iLife stuff.
Now I've got a boatload of left over files... support files I suppose... spread all over the computer. A few are in the Contents of some files I still use... EasyFind shows that so one can avoid them. It isn't "always" easy to know though.

Are all these files OK just hanging around? Do they interfere with anything?

I've never stored my artwork and photos in any Apple provided app anyway... not in iPhoto and not in what I have now, Photos. I preferred to store them all in a folder and sub folders created by myself... it works fine. To get what I want on my iPad I just navigate to the folder and select what I want put on my iPad and it all shows up in Photos there.

[Xairbusdriver]

I think the only question in your post is:

Are all these files OK just hanging around? Do they interfere with anything?

OK, I guess there are two...
As far as I know, the answers are yes and no, respectively.

[Dreambird]

OK Jim...
Fair enough.... I'd agree with that more or less.

Assuming that you don't want them hanging around:
They can be removed, remembering however that some are in the System folder with all perils associated with removal attached to them. I don't recall any of those apps ever having a proper uninstaller, other than the advice to drag the app to the trash.
Conveniently it seems no installer app I've tried ever suggests removing that stuff... no... it picks on "old large files" like all your photos, artwork etc. which you certainly do not want to remove. I'm not sure they don't cause issues, at least some of them.

[Dreambird]

Has anyone used or considered any of these:
https://nektony.com/blog/top-5-applications-for-uninstalling-programs-on-a-mac

They explain why just dragging an app icon to the trash isn't good enough, it leaves behind a lot of junk. The one I've most about myself is AppZapper.

[Xairbusdriver]

No need for any of them. You could have a 1,000+ files left over and never know it, except for the first time you make the first complete backup. I never trust any app to always know exactly what every file for every other app needs. Therefore, I consider these kinds of apps to be of no real help, at best, but a cause of problem when they remove files incorrectly. A search should bring up plenty of sites/posts pointing out the dangers outweighing any ‘advantages’.

Of course a great app will have its own un-installer!

[Xairbusdriver]

Frankly, I avoid any “5”/“10 Best” anything sites. They are too often shills for what purports to be number one.

[Dreambird]

I've noticed that a lot of new apps do have their own uninstaller or at least they don't leave a lot of stuff behind.

Laugh all you want... if I were sure all these leftover files did not interfere with anything, OK however "something" made that security updater trip... maybe a piece of something left over? I haven't seen a good excuse for that one yet.

[Dreambird]

Actually if you search for deleted or uninstalled apps with EasyFind you WILL see all the stuff left behind. It shows everything...  you don't need to backup anything to find it all.

[Xairbusdriver]

My reference to “backups” was for the first one with any method. Those backs, which occur only once, will back up all files, including those no longer in use. The point is that a “first backup” will take longer than any other (generally). After that it s irrelevant as to how many useless files you might have. Of course, they do take up space, but with the sizes of drives these days, finding all those files is generally a waste of time as you would be lucky to save 1% or drive space.

Easy Find, like most of the Finder replacements/add-ons merely accesses the Spotlight index and displays things with a different UI. In other words they simply display things the OS already knows about. Of course, if Apple was really wanting to help us find things they would have maintained the File Tyle and Creator system that was unique to the computer world. The bottom line is that it would be extremely rare to ever have a problem with these extraneous files. Most crashes come from the corruption of the Systems file directory which is the primary benefit and use for Diskwarrior; rebuilding that directory. Enjoy your slugging.

[Paddy]

Actually, Jim, EasyFind (as well as a few other apps that search one's Mac) does NOT access the Spotlight index.

See: https://www.devontechnologies.com/products/freeware.html

For a discussion/review of 4 apps that don't use Spotlight - 2 create their own indices - see: http://www.macdrifter.com/2015/01/searching-without-spotlight.html

I tend to like to get rid of the cruft - if it's not being used, out it goes. That goes for all the leftovers too, when I find them. I "only" have 1TB on my SSD on my iMac and 750GB on my MBP, so once I start adding in zillions of client files/photos etc. things can fill up fast. So I can sympathize with DB's desire to do a thorough cleanup, even if the "leftovers" cause no issues.

Generally - if an app requires an installer, it often puts things in various places in system files during the install process. Adobe apps are scattered here, there and everywhere (for instance). That's why an uninstaller is helpful/necessary. Apps that install via drag and drop, generally do not do this - and can be easily uninstalled via dragging to the trash. They may leave a .plist behind, but that's quite often the only thing you have to go look for. So it's helpful to figure out which sort of app you're looking at before you uninstall it - and for that you'll either have to know or remember or look it up...there is no magical list, unless you've done what this guy does (which I never considered doing - though it makes sense, especially if you're the sole user of your computer: https://www.engadget.com/2010/12/03/mac-101-the-two-applications-folders/)

[Dreambird]

Apologies Jim, I didn't realize you were referring to only a first backup...  Personally I liked the old File Type and Creator system too... I never had an issue cleaning out my Mac running a Classic OS.  As soon as Spotlight debuted yeah, I banged my head and went looking for something else... enter EasyFind. The one and maybe only thing I liked on my PC way back when about a dozen years was the easier way to snuff out system stuff that wasn't needed anymore. "Registry" diving was facilitated by an app called "Regedit.exe". You looked up what you wanted... it showed you all the related keys... you checked them out and figured out easily enough which could go... and punt the thing. Does MacOS have an app like that for the System Folder? Nope.

Paddy, I don't have a problem with lack of space... my MBP has a 500GB SSD with around half left... however I detest clutter! Of course since it's just hanging around in some sensitive places it's my suspicion they can do no good there... but that may well be only me. It drives me insane some of things I've found really just sitting there.
Like Paddy I generally find that drag and drop installed apps don't usually leave nearly what an installer run app leaves around. It would be most helpful if those apps also provided an uninstaller... some do, but not all. Also if you are trying to uninstall Adobe STUFF like Adobe App Manager, Creative Suite stuff and so on, it will let you... in order to repair issues but you MUST reinstall the stupid things... for instance PSCS6 won't run unless it can access AAM to verify your license. OK, fair enough but I don't need it to uninstall or install PSCS6... there's a separate thing to do that. In the meantime all the thing is... is an insidious, overbearing marketing tool. Likewise iLife... I've deleted most of the apps... I have Photos along with it's library but I ignore that. I've never used that particular item... my graphic files, artwork and photos live in a folder I created. I direct iPad to look there for what to copy and no problem. The Music, Movies and Photos folders have only a few things in a self created folder labeled "MY... whatever stuff" Of course iTunes uses Music but you can put your library elsewhere if you like.
Anyway, thank you Paddy for the links... I'm off to read them!

[Dreambird]

You might find this useful if you've got a file say... claiming to be a launch daemon... to see if it's running:

if ps aux | grep "ureck" | grep -v grep > /dev/null
then
echo "Running"
else
echo "Not running"
fi

... copy and paste that into Terminal and hit enter... in the case of the above it is "Not running"

How to keep Adobe Application Manager from launching:
http://osxdaily.com/2010/06/21/stop-adobe-update-manager-launching/

It will tell you how to easily write a .plist file with Terminal that it will stash in your home library>preferences.
Handy if it only needs to update itself one more time to saddle you with all the Creative Suite stuff.
My AAM doesn't even ask... it just starts to update itself... I've quickly quit the thing a few times so went looking for a more permanent solution. It will still verify your PS license or fetch updates if launched under the PS help menu and then it's off again.
Can be done with TextEdit... just follow directions.

Some info on Creative Suite:
https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1303287
After the latest update to AAM it becomes Creative Suite.

Personally I'd create a .plist for that too. No need to worry about an in-app preference messing up.
That should stop it from launching but you'll still have files and icons all over in Finder and on LaunchPad.

If you install an app that comes in a package type installer before you install it... have a peek under the find menu and see what all and are it puts things.

[Dreambird]

So... you're absolutely right, Jim... 
My new Seagate is doing it's first backup as Time Machine and it is taking FOREVER! Nice machine though... good looks and quiet as the proverbial mouse... much better than my old OWC Mercury Elite. 
I suspect the increasing noise level on that one though is one of the reasons I might think it's not long for this world.

Still backing up... and it's not hot at all, just warm.

[Dreambird]

OK... along the way of reading links I found this re: uninstalling iLife:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2682038

in which is says re: iPhoto...

reinstall iPhoto - go to your receipts folder ("Your hard drive" ==> library ==> receipts) and remove any iPhoto receipts and reinstall from the restore disks that came with your computer - do a custom install of bundled software only

In that location I have only a huge .plist file called InstallHistory.plist. There is much in there, I believe any app from the store or OS install. There are no separates there to delete... one would need to edit the file in TextEdit. Which can be done... just being careful not to mess up the syntax... I used to write these things all the time when I worked with HandBrake. I see my failed security update is in there too... so??? I think I'd make a duplicate and zip up the original, edit the duplicate making sure the file has the same name so if anything goes sideways, you can restore it.
Of course there are no more OS disks to custom install from etc.

[Dreambird]

Maybe helpful:

https://mac-how-to.gadgethacks.com/how-to/youre-uninstalling-mac-apps-wrong-heres-remove-them-completely-0162513/

You can specify EasyFind to search for something in say your HD's Library Folder... your home Library folder etc. Where ever, I think that may avoid stuff in the System Library folder and just live with what's in there. It's just "some" of it and no risk of trashing the computer from messing in that folder. I have deleted things in there with no problem but nothing major. There's also a hidden folder whatever... Private>Var something like that where there are .playlists, receipts and such... I've offed them too with no problem. Not saying to go ahead and do it though... I happen to be insane about trash but make sure I have a current backup.

/private/var/db/receipts is where all your .bom files live among other things. I don't know that one can't just leave them alone as they don't take up much room but I've seen online that some things may need some to be deleted in certain circumstances. I think I'll go after the two Library folders and that's probably most of it. EasyFind is very flexible... I'm glad all the time I found it...