Uninstalling Stubborn Adobe Apps

Sometimes Adobe installers just donit work right. Uninstalling the Adobe applications that are already on your hard drive usually lets the installer work its magic, but there are times when the things Adobe leaves behind mean you still canit perform an installation. If thatis you, and now you canit get your Adobe CS3 package to install, itis time to break out Adobeis CS3Clean utility.

Adobeis Installer application includes an uninstall feature that removes some, but not all, Adobe components from your Mac. The CS3Clean utility sweeps away most of what the Adobe Installer leaves behind. Hereis how to use CS3Clean:

Download CS3Clean from the Adobe Web site.
If the maccs3clean.dmg disk image didnit automatically open, double-click it to mount the MacCS3Clean volume.
Launch the CS3Clean application. Itis in the MacCS3Clean volume you just mounted.
MacCS3Clean opens a Terminal window that asks for your administrator password. Enter your password and press the Return key.
Now youill be asked if you want to view the remaining steps in English or Japanese. Type the appropriate letter for your language and press the Return key again.
Press y at the license screen if you want to continue, or n if you want to stop the uninstall process.
The uninstaller now warns you that you should first run the Adobe Installeris uninstall option before using CS3Clean. Since you already did, and it didnit help, go ahead and press n, and then press Return.

Be sure to uninstall with Adobe Installer first.

Now you can choose just how thorough you want CS3Clean to be. Level 1 removes all Adobe applications except for Acrobat 8. Level 2 removes all Adobe applications including Acrobat 8. Adobe recommends starting with Level 1, and if you still canit install Creative Suite 3, try Level 2.

Choose how much you want CS3Clean to uninstall.

If you installed your Adobe applications in non-standard locations, youill have to tell CS3Clean where the apps are. If your Adobe apps are in their default locations, press n and then press Return.
CS3Clean asks if you want to see a preview of what it will uninstall. Press n and press Return.
Finally, to start the uninstall process, type GO and press Return.
Once the process completes, press Return to exit CS3Clean, and restart your Mac.

Check your options, and then type GO to uninstall the Adobe apps.

CS3Clean is a last resort tool and should be used only if Adobeis Installer application fails to properly uninstall your existing Adobe apps. If you arenit sure how to use the Adobe Installer application to uninstall programs, be sure to check out my Quick Tip that walks you through the process.