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Posted By: jaybass dropbox - 02/10/21 04:30 PM
OS 10.12.6

I'm trying to uninstall dropbox from my computer but I find it difficult. One method is to click on dropbox in the MENU bar, Click ALL files in the sidebar, locate the shared file you want to delete permanently, Click "Share" next to folder,

Click the dropdown menu next to your name, Click remove my access.

The problem is, I can't find a way to put dropbox in the menu bar. I was told to reinstall dropbox and that it should then appear in the menu bar. But it didn't.

Any ideas anyone?

jaybass
Posted By: MartyByrde Re: dropbox - 02/10/21 06:27 PM
Originally Posted by jaybass
OS 10.12.6

I'm trying to uninstall dropbox from my computer but I find it difficult. One method is to click on dropbox in the MENU bar, Click ALL files in the sidebar, locate the shared file you want to delete permanently, Click "Share" next to folder,

Click the dropdown menu next to your name, Click remove my access.

The problem is, I can't find a way to put dropbox in the menu bar. I was told to reinstall dropbox and that it should then appear in the menu bar. But it didn't.

Any ideas anyone?

jaybass

I have never used Dropbox, but I assume it is an application that is located in your Applications folder. The best way to do it (and get most of the files associated with Dropbox) is to use the excellent freeware application AppCleaner:

https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/

Since you are on OS 10.12.6, you'll need V3.4 of AppCleaner. I have been using it for the past few years, and it is a gem! However, in most cases, it does not get exactly 100% of all files associated with the application you are removing (most of the time well over 90% of the files). Myself, what I do after using AppCleaner is to launch another excellent freeware program called EasyFind (I much prefer it over Spotlight), and in the Search term, either put in the full name of the app, or a portion of it. EasyFind typically finds more files associated with the application. If you are interested, you can get EasyFind from here:

https://www.devontechnologies.com/apps/freeware

Just like AppCleaner, I've been using EasyFind for a number of years, and would not be without it!
Posted By: jaybass Re: dropbox - 02/10/21 08:59 PM
Marty,

I had to trash the app cleaner because it said the allotted time had expired so I downloaded it again but dropbox is greyed out and it says it is a protected app

I have EasyFind but that will not remove it.

Q. Why is it protected? I assume that is why it is greyed out.

I can buy AppCleaner update for about $18 or so...hardly worth it for one app. I think the developers of dropbox have made hard to uninstall.

Thanks.

jaybass
Posted By: Ira L Re: dropbox - 02/10/21 09:17 PM
Originally Posted by jaybass
OS 10.12.6

I'm trying to uninstall dropbox from my computer but I find it difficult. One method is to click on dropbox in the MENU bar, Click ALL files in the sidebar, locate the shared file you want to delete permanently, Click "Share" next to folder,

Click the dropdown menu next to your name, Click remove my access.

The problem is, I can't find a way to put dropbox in the menu bar. I was told to reinstall dropbox and that it should then appear in the menu bar. But it didn't.

Any ideas anyone?

jaybass

After reinstalling Dropbox you may need to restart it. Find it in your Applications Folder, double-click it and see if that puts it in the Menu Bar (not Dock; that requires a different procedure).
Posted By: MartyByrde Re: dropbox - 02/10/21 09:20 PM
Originally Posted by jaybass
Marty,

I had to trash the app cleaner because it said the allotted time had expired so I downloaded it again but dropbox is greyed out and it says it is a protected app

I have EasyFind but that will not remove it.

Q. Why is it protected? I assume that is why it is greyed out.

I can buy AppCleaner update for about $18 or so...hardly worth it for one app. I think the developers of dropbox have made hard to uninstall.

Thanks.

jaybass

Never encountered an app that was protected. Sorry you encountered difficulties.
Posted By: artie505 Re: dropbox - 02/11/21 11:31 AM
Originally Posted by jaybass
Why is it protected? I assume that is why it is greyed out.
I'm only guessing about the current version of EasyFind (which is probably at least 5 years removed from the previous version, which I used before I discovered Find Any File), but the earlier version, by developer intent, did not allow for the deletion of items that require authentication, and that may be what you've run into.

I suggest that you go through EF's documentation and see if the devs have added a "root" option, and if they haven't, you can try Find Any File, which has one. ("Find Any File is Shareware: You may try it out without buying first. Simply download it. If you keep using it you are expected to pay for it, though.")

(I had Dropbox years ago, and as I recall, there were some issues involved with uninstalling it.)
Posted By: jaybass Re: dropbox - 02/11/21 05:44 PM
Artie, I opened Find any File and after I entered the name dropbox, over 200 dropbox files appeared which I highlighted and selected all, which I deleted from my keyboard. They all disappeared. The dropbox icon in applications has gone.

There is one folder left which is named Folder.h which when I tried to delete, said Mac needs it. The dropbox icon in the top menu bar is still there. I'm not sure what has happened. Enlighten me.

jaybass
Posted By: joemikeb Re: dropbox - 02/11/21 05:44 PM
The issue in deleting DropBox is caused by the DropBox folder on your local computer being linked to a mirrored folder on the DropBox server. IIRC I had to go through the DropBox app to discontinue the service and unlink the local folder before I could delete it, but that was a year or so back and my memory is really vague on the details.
Posted By: artie505 Re: dropbox - 02/11/21 06:06 PM
joemike's experience is much more recent than mine, so I suspect that his input is relevant.

All I can offer is that I had some sort of issue, but it was so long ago that I don't remember what it was.

I guess your best approach is to take joemike at face value, reinstall Dropbox, follow its internal instructions to remove as much of it as you can, and use EasyFind to rid yourself of the rest.
Posted By: jaybass Re: dropbox - 02/11/21 06:32 PM
artie/Joe

I managed to remove the dropbox icon from the menu bar. I checked the library/system folder, there is nothing there. I also re-ran Find any File and there is nothing there either so I'm thinking dropbox is toast.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

jaybass
Posted By: MartyByrde Re: dropbox - 02/11/21 06:40 PM
Originally Posted by artie505
Originally Posted by jaybass
Why is it protected? I assume that is why it is greyed out.
I'm only guessing about the current version of EasyFind (which is probably at least 5 years removed from the previous version, which I used before I discovered Find Any File), but the earlier version, by developer intent, did not allow for the deletion of items that require authentication, and that may be what you've run into.

I suggest that you go through EF's documentation and see if the devs have added a "root" option, and if they haven't, you can try Find Any File, which has one. ("Find Any File is Shareware: You may try it out without buying first. Simply download it. If you keep using it you are expected to pay for it, though.")

(I had Dropbox years ago, and as I recall, there were some issues involved with uninstalling it.)

Interesting about EasyFind. I've always have used the latest version, and never encountered the situation the op did. OTOH, can't remember if I've encountered a "protected" application like DropBox. However, as I mentioned, I use AppCleaner first to remove as much as possible (again, always using the latest version "applicable" with the Mac OS I am running), including the application itself. Again, though, never encountered a protected app.

But yeah, sounds like joemike's explanation is accurate.

I will say, though, that after successfully using AppCleaner to remove both the application and most associated files, when I run EasyFind, sometimes it does find files associated with that app which cannot be removed. They seem rather obscure to me, so I don't let it bother me. So such "prohibitive" removal can happen with non-protected applications (ie, at least ones which AppCleaner can remove).
Posted By: artie505 Re: dropbox - 02/11/21 06:46 PM
Originally Posted by jaybass
I managed to remove the dropbox icon from the menu bar. I checked the library/system folder, there is nothing there. I also re-ran Find any File and there is nothing there either so I'm thinking dropbox is toast.

Correct me if I'm wrong.
Sounds good to me, but how did you get rid of the icon? Is Folder.h gone, and did it have anything to do with it?
Posted By: jaybass Re: dropbox - 02/12/21 12:45 AM
I Don't know if deleting all those files removed the icon in the menu bar as I didn't notice it for until later on. The Folder.h has also gone and when I checked with spotlight, it only mentioned FTM and the developer.

Thanks for your responses.

jaybass
Posted By: artie505 Re: dropbox - 02/12/21 01:32 AM
Originally Posted by jaybass
...when I checked with spotlight, it only mentioned FTM and the developer.
FTM and the dev in what respect, FTM in particular?

I don't understand why spotlight should have found either.
Posted By: jaybass Re: dropbox - 02/12/21 03:52 PM
I guess my computer picked up on the fact that FTM & the dev was discussed in this forum. Who knows?

jaybass
Posted By: artie505 Re: dropbox - 02/12/21 07:12 PM
I thought about it a bit, and I'll guess that Spotlight found FTM's and the dev's URLs in Safari's history.
Posted By: jaybass Re: dropbox - 02/13/21 04:18 PM
I use DuckDuckGo, does that affect safari's history? not that I understand it anyway.

jaybass
Posted By: jchuzi Re: dropbox - 02/13/21 04:23 PM
DuckDuckGo is, indeed, listed in Safari History. I see it all the time when I use it. Sometimes, however, History does not show a site if I open it in a separate tab.
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