Uninstall FAH on a mac

[hermann50]

Hi,
I am sorry. I think your efforts to use the public to solve problems concerning Covid19 is great. This is why I downloaded and installed Folding@Home on my iMac from 2014 (running on Catalina 10.15.5).
But then I experienced, that my mac is running slow and the CPU is getting hot. Although I support the aim I want to uninstall the programme but don`t know how.
I tried to stop the programme from running by using the stop via the activity window. No thing.
I looked at the support pages on Folding@Home. There is a page "Uninstall" in the Mac menu on. It says that there is supposed to be a third party tool at the bottom of the page. There is no link or anything else. I looked at the forum, nothing that helped me.
I threw the programmes into the Bin, no effect. I restarted my Mac. The programme started again and uses 290% of the CPU.
How can I uninstall the programme and its components?

Thank you very much.
Hermann

[Joe_H]

The uninstall directions on the site are an old version, it reverted to an old edit during a site move. Updating the site is in progress, not sure when that will roll out.

The tool mentioned was incorporated into the installer package several versions ago. Go to the Folding@home folder the was installed into your Applications folder. Inside that you will find the Uninstall package along with the other client apps. You can use FHAControl to configure the client to use fewer CPU threads as well. But if you do want to Uninstall that option is there for you.

After doing the Uninstall, if you want to remove the remaining data files connected to the F@h client, remove this folder - /Library/Application Support/FAHClient.

P.S. Putting applications into the Trash only works for some, many are not contained in a single bundle. Also,I have given these instructions often a simple search on "Uninstall Mac" would find several topics within the first page of results.

[hermann50]

Thanks.

[miristry]

I have the same problem, I installed FAH and used it for a while since I thought it was a great cause. But my macbook is going crazy and FAH is taking up all the CPU and more, and since I want to prevent it from breaking down, I need to uninstall FAH as soon as possible. I have already deleted the application from my Applications folder and emptied the trash, and only then realized that this was not enough. So I no longer have the package (and can hence not run the uninstaller). Do I need to install FAH again, in order to then uninstall it? Or will I then risk getting a duplicate of the application and only uninstall the latest version I downloaded? I would really appreciate an answer since currently the FAH is preventing me from doing any work on the computer. Also, until you have a solution for this, I really think it would be decent not to recommend macbook users to download FAH. Thank you

[Joe_H]

At the least you will need to install the Uninstall package using a Custom install. Running the Uninstall should then remove the remaining elements of the software.

As for recommendations, we leave that up to the individual user. In addition, the software is configurable to use less resources , and in any case it runs at the lowest priority releasing CPU resources to any other process running. So it should not be preventing you for doing work unless there is another issue.

As an example, I have been running the software on my MacBook Pro for over 4 years with it active much of the time It has not kept me from doing anything. Before that I ran the software on a MacBook for more than 5 years.

[BradS]

I had the same problem. As soon as I killed the process it started right back up again. Basically rendered my computer unusable. I went to the "uninstall" page only to find a message saying there is a third-party uninstaller and to follow the link below... there is no link below! I finally found this post, downloaded the software, and uninstalled it. The uninstall instructions on the web site really need to be updated. Not to do so is just irresponsible. I know it's a good cause but I'm so pissed off by my experience I definitely will not be reinstalling the software.

[PantherX]

Welcome to the F@H Forum BradS,

Apologies to hear that you didn't have a pleasant experience with the client I am aware that the updating of the website is something that is being looked at, there's no ETA. There is very limited resources and funding which makes this very tricky.

Maybe when new versions of the client is released along with a better web page layout, you can consider to give it another shot and provide your feedback

[bruce]

There is very limited resources and funding which makes this very tricky.

I'm not sure if the following information is still accurate, but it probably is.

Before COVID, FAH has spent 19+ years doing research. Almost everything was paid for from Government science grants. That money is RESTRICTED to doing research. FAH has to generate enough money from other sources to pay a website developer and professionally programmers to support software development. Typically that means they have to depend on volunteers.

Yes, I'm exaggerating slightly, but not really that much. It's essentially true. Government policies for research grants don't allow for website maintenance since that's truly not research. Who needs a website and why should it ever be updated?