How do I completely uninstall the Mac Nextcloud client? I tried just throwing away the app, but I was unable to do so â I got the following error message:
So apparently system extensions have been installed; remarkably, the installer package doesnât have an âuninstallâ option, so right now I literally cannot get rid of the mac NC client from my machine. Even if I could delete the main client app, I donât know where the support files and extensions have been placed.
Can someone provide instructions on how to COMPLETELY uninstall the mac client from my machine? Iâm running the latest macOS, 10.13 âHigh Sierraâ.
Hi @stratacast, thanks for the responseâŠand sorry for taking so long to get back to this (Iâve been offline for a while).
Actually, this happens when the app ISNâT running (i.e., even after Iâve quit), and that means thereâs a larger issue here. It suggests that just throwing away the nextcloud.app doesnât uninstall the program, and that the client installer has installed multiple files in multiple locations, without telling me where theyâre located, what theyâre called, or even how many there are. And as far as I can tell, the installer hasnât provided any means of uninstalling the application, nor directions on how to do so.
I could go in and kill what appear to be related processes from the command line or from the Activity Monitor app, but even then I canât be sure that Iâve removed all trace of the program. And of course, the vast majority of users will not know anything of this. What they will see is that theyâve installed a program that they cannot delete. At all.
As it happens, I want to completely (i.e. no trace) uninstall the client app so I can re-install it, as Iâm getting some odd behavior.
So if thereâs anyone out there who can tell me how to completely uninstall the mac client, I would really appreciate it!!
Perhaps a different user is logged in? You could to delete manually stuff via terminal but I wouldnât do that. Iâd first try to see if macOS logs more details what running process is blocking the deinstallation. Did you install other software related to Nextcloud (there was an app called File-Drop or something like that, where you have a symbol on your task manager and you can just drop files there for an immediate upload, such a program could need some elements of the normal client).
Hi @tflidd, thanks for the response. Sorry about the late reply here, but Iâve been on the road for the past week or two, with limited opportunity to get back to this.
Iâm definitely the only user logged in, but I donât see how that would/should affect anything. I havenât installed any additional software other than the NC client.
In any event, none of this still answers my fundamental question: how do I completely uninstall the Mac Nextcloud client? This is not the same as asking âhow do I throw away the nextcloud client app?â As you suggested, Iâm sure I could go through and selectively kill processes until I could get control of nextcloud.app, but my bigger point is that the error message is telling me that the original installation consisted of additional filesâŠand I donât know what they are or where theyâre located on my computer. Surely somebody out there knows what files have been installed, and where, and what support/pref/config files get created by the app so that I can completely remove all traces of the softwareâŠ?? Elaborately reverse engineering the running processes just to find out whatâs been installed where seems unnecessary and unreliable.
I would end the program and then kill Nextcloud processes via activity monitor. It only ends processes. Then perhaps the deinstallation process (moving the app to the trash-bin) should work. If that doesnât work, I donât know if there are tools on OS X that can show you which file is blocking the deinstallation and then you could check which process is using this file.
For a complete manual removal, you better ask the developers directly (https://github.com/owncloud/client/issues) where all the files can be found to remove the client completely.
I think you are right â itâs time to formally log an issue for the uninstall issue. I notice that you have the âowncloudâ project site listed as where I should go; is that preferred over the presumably more recent nextcloud site?
After searching the internet extensively, posting the issue on GitHub, and submitting a message via the âContact Usâ form of NextCloud, I finally came across this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEHkK4r7_ks. I followed the steps outlined in the video and successfully uninstalled the NextCloud client from my Mac.
Iâll mark @ethan2717âs reply a âtemporaryâ solution for now, though encourage the issue to be commented on and publicised here (link to it please) for continued discussion.
Open System Preferences from the Apple icon or the Launcher then click on Extensions. In the Finder extensions, uncheck Nextcloud. Exit System Preferences then restart to make sure the extension isnât loaded. Now you should be able to remove the app. Youâll still want to clean up Application Support and Preferences as shown in the video.
Actually it does. The video may be a little bit confused and concerns the predecessor of Nextcloud - but if you understand what the guy is doing â it works.
My process was even easier:
Open system prefs, choose extensions, deselect Nextcloud, quit.
Strike cmd-shift-U, or open the âutilities folderâ, choose âactivity monitorâ, look for nextcloud, get info or double click.
If you use AppCleaner.app, you may skip this step and jump to 4.
if not, look for âopen files and portsâ in the info window, copy its content and save it in a note or text file. It helps you to find the components later
Force quit the process.
Throw the Nextcloud.app to the trash bin (giving permission if you are an administrator)
5 a. AppCleaner will do the rest for you, showing the related files, which you can all thow into the bin.
5 b. without AppCleaner - find the mentioned in the note or saved text file extensions and files, which you can all put in the bin.
empty the bin and restart - apart from the Nextcloud storage folder with your own files, your Nextcloud instance should now be deleted.
Ready for reinstallation or not using it further.
This worked for me.
Macbook Pro 15â retina 2012, Mojave OS 10.14.6
I just encountered this same problem. I had âexitedâ the program, moved the app to the recycle-bin, unselected the option in Settings â Extensions, rebooted the machine --did everything else I could think of. Every time I re-installed, the same broken connections from my previous installation were there again waiting for me. I miss the simpler times when uninstalling something actually removed it.
The thing that finally solved it: open terminal and go to the directory âLibraryâ in âHOMEâ. From ~/Library/ type: find ./ -iname *nextcloud*. This will list a whole bunch of files and directories related to nextcloud. I manually deleted every such item using rm <file> and rm -r <directory> , then when I re-installed again, finally I had a fresh, clean installation, and the new installation was free of the problems I had in the previous instance.
Doing this was tedious and frustrating, but it did work (for those of you desperate for a solution). To the Nextcloud people though: there really needs to be a way to cleanly uninstall the program. Uninstalling should mean that there is absolutely no trace or memory of the program ever having been there.
Interesting with which OS it happened.
My iMac is now on MacOS 13.6.1 Ventura and I cannot find anything alike in System Settings.
Since MacOS 12 the System Settings are cryptic, finding anything is a gamble.
Also the commands in Terminal cannot find anything (maybe I donât use the proper spaces and terms - I donât know Unix speak).
After a self initiated update âThere is an update for you: 3.10.2git. Your version is 3.10, do you want to update?â Nextcloud doesnât do anything.
Another try: restart with extensions off - holding the SHIFT key: Start in safe mode.
This way I managed to pull Nextcloud out of the Program folder, but still couldnât delete the ârunning programâ.
I renamed Nextcloud (I wonât repeat the ugly name I gave)
restart in safe mode again, now Nextcloud doesnât start anymore extensions
put it in the trash bin
normal restart
SUCCESS!
But you still have to delete hundreds of related bits!!!
The app âUninstallPKGâ helped.
I got an âupdateâ which changed the formerly free program into a trial version, leaving me 5 deletions. OK, for now it works.
restart â Iâll be back! â hasta la vista, babe!
That was dirty work. But - 2hs and many restarts later - the freshly installed, connected and synced Nextcloud doesnât work in the Finder! No sharing. Thatâs what started the whole problem!
I miss the simpler times when uninstalling something actually removed it.