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How To Manually Remove Microsoft Office 2008

Article ID = 21
Article Title = How To Manually Remove Microsoft Office 2008
Article Author(s) = Graham Needham (BH)
Article Created On = 4th July 2011
Article Last Updated = 10th September 2014
Article URL = https://www.macstrategy.com/article.php?21

Article Brief Description:
Instructions for removing Microsoft Office 2008

How to Manually Remove Microsoft Office 2008

Some important points to note before proceeding:
  • Although the Microsoft supplied "Remove Office" application may work it does not fully remove Microsoft Office.
  • These instructions will help you manually remove all the Microsoft Office software (including Microsoft Messenger and Entourage Web Services Edition), system items, preferences and email data.
  • Due to the sheer number of files and folders to be deleted we recommend you print this document first and tick off each line as you follow it.
  • The instructions below will delete some of your Office personal preferences and fonts plus your Office data such as email data/accounts/signatures/rules/schedules/attachments, calendar, tasks, notes and projects. If you want to backup/archive this data before deleting it, follow the instruction under "Backup/Archive Personal Data" first.
  • The instructions below include emptying the Trash so make sure you check the Trash for anything you may not want to actually delete.
  • These instructions will remove items for a specific version of Microsoft Office. However, some items are the same across different versions of Microsoft Office so if you are removing an older version but have a newer version installed that you wish to keep specific items not to be removed will be noted in red.

Backing Up Your Computer

You should always back up your computer before deleting software.

Backup/Archive Personal Data

  1. Restart your computer (and login using an adminstrator account).
  2. Quit any running applications.
  3. On your desktop create a folder called "Microsoft Office Backup".
  4. Go to Macintosh HD > Library > Fonts > Microsoft and copy all the fonts to your Microsoft Office Backup folder.
  5. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Documents and copy the "Microsoft User Data" folder to your Microsoft Office Backup folder.
  6. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Documents and copy the "Office Projects" folder to your Microsoft Office Backup folder.
  7. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Library > Preferences and copy the following files to your Microsoft Office Backup folder:
    • com.microsoft.autoupdate2.plist
    • com.microsoft.ClipGallery.plist
    • com.microsoft.DocumentConnection.plist
    • com.microsoft.entourage.database_daemon.plist
    • com.microsoft.entourage.database_utility.plist
    • com.microsoft.entourage.office_reminders.plist
    • com.microsoft.Entourage.plist
    • com.microsoft.entourage.syncservices.plist
    • com.microsoft.entourage.syncservices12.plist
    • com.microsoft.EquationEditor.plist
    • com.microsoft.error_reporting.plist
    • com.microsoft.Excel.plist
    • com.microsoft.Graph.plist
    • com.microsoft.helpviewer.plist
    • com.microsoft.MicrosoftCertManager.plist
    • com.microsoft.myday.plist
    • com.microsoft.office.plist
    • com.microsoft.OfficeNotifications.plist
    • com.microsoft.openxml.chart.app.plist
    • com.microsoft.OrgChart.plist
    • com.microsoft.Powerpoint.plist
    • com.microsoft.setupassistant.plist
    • com.microsoft.Word.plist
    • Equation Editor Preferences
  8. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Library > Preferences > Microsoft and copy the following files to your Microsoft Office Backup folder.
    • com.microsoft.Messenger.prefs.plist
    • "Office 2008" folder
  9. Now archive the "Microsoft Office Backup" folder on your Desktop to another disk or a CD-R / DVD-R.

Manual Removal

NOTE: Depending on what Office software you have installed and/or used some or all of the following items may be present on your hard disk. If a listed item isn't on your hard disk, don't worry, ignore it and skip to the next step.
  1. Restart your computer (and login using an adminstrator account).
  2. Quit any running applications.
  3. Go to Apple Menu > System preferences > System > Accounts > your account name (on the left) > Login Items tab (on the right) and remove any Microsoft items.
  4. Go to Macintosh HD > Applications and delete the "Microsoft Office 2008" folder.
  5. Go to Macintosh HD > Applications and delete the "Solver" application.
  6. Go to Macintosh HD > Library > Application Support > Microsoft and delete the following folders:
    • HV1.0
    • MAU2.0
    • MERP2.0
    • Office Converter Support
  7. Go to Macintosh HD > Library > Automator and delete all the following items:
    • Add Attachments to Entourage Messages.action
    • Add Content to Word Documents.action
    • Add Document Properties Page to Word Documents.action
    • Add New Sheet to Workbooks.action
    • Add Table of Contents to Word Documents.action
    • Add Watermark to Word Documents.action
    • Apply Animation to PowerPoint Slide Parts.action
    • Apply Font Format Settings to Word Documents.action
    • AutoFormat Data in Excel Workbooks.action
    • Bring Word Documents to Front.action
    • Close Entourage Items.action
    • Close Excel Workbooks.action
    • Close PowerPoint Presentations.action
    • Close Word Documents.action
    • Combine Excel Files.action
    • Combine PowerPoint Presentations.action
    • Combine Word Documents.action
    • Compare Word Documents.action
    • Convert Format of Excel Files.action
    • Convert Format of PowerPoint Presentations.action
    • Convert Format of Word Documents.action
    • Convert PowerPoint Presentations to Movies.action
    • Convert Word Content Object to Text Object.caction
    • Copy Excel Workbook Content to the Clipboard.action
    • Copy PowerPoint Slides to the Clipboard.action
    • Copy Word Document Content to the Clipboard.action
    • Create List from Data in Workbook.action
    • Create New Entourage Mail Message.action
    • Create New Excel Workbook.action
    • Create New PowerPoint Presentation.action
    • Create New Word Document.action
    • Create PowerPoint Picture Slide Shows.action
    • Delete Entourage Items.action
    • Export Entourage Contacts.action
    • Find and Replace Text in Word Documents.action
    • Flag Word Documents for Follow Up.action
    • Forward Entourage Mail Messages.action
    • Get Content from Word Documents.action
    • Get Images from PowerPoint Slides.action
    • Get Images from Word Documents.action
    • Get Parent Presentations of Slides.action
    • Get Parent Workbooks.action
    • Get Selected Content from Excel Workbooks.action
    • Get Selected Content from Word Documents.action
    • Get Selected Entourage Items.action
    • Get Selected Text from Entourage Items.action
    • Get Text From Entourage Mail Messages.action
    • Get Text from Word Documents.action
    • Import Contacts into Entourage.action
    • Import Text Files to Excel Workbook.action
    • Insert Captions into Word Documents.action
    • Insert Content into Entourage Mail Messages.action
    • Insert Content into Word Documents.action
    • Insert New PowerPoint Slides.action
    • Mark Entourage Mail Message as a To Do Item.action
    • Office.definition
    • Open Entourage Items.action
    • Open Excel Workbooks.action
    • Open PowerPoint Presentations.action
    • Open Word Documents.action
    • Paste Clipboard Content into Entourage Items.action
    • Paste Clipboard Content into Excel Workbooks.action
    • Paste Clipboard Content into PowerPoint Presentations.action
    • Paste Clipboard Content into Word Documents.action
    • Play PowerPoint Slide Shows.action
    • Print Entourage Messages.action
    • Print Excel Workbooks.action
    • Print PowerPoint Presentations.action
    • Print Word Documents.action
    • Protect Word Documents.action
    • Quit Entourage.action
    • Quit Excel.action
    • Quit PowerPoint.action
    • Quit Word.action
    • Reply to Entourage Mail Messages.action
    • Save Entourage Items as Files.action
    • Save Entourage Items.action
    • Save Excel Workbooks.action
    • Save Files Attached to Entourage Mail Messages.action
    • Save PowerPoint Presentations.action
    • Save Word Documents.action
    • Search Entourage Items.action
    • Select Cells in Excel Workbooks.action
    • Select PowerPoint Slides.action
    • Send Outgoing Entourage Mail Messages.action
    • Set Category of Entourage Items.action
    • Set Document Settings.action
    • Set Entourage Contact Properties.action
    • Set Excel Workbook Properties.action
    • Set Footer for PowerPoint Slides.action
    • Set PowerPoint Slide Layout.action
    • Set PowerPoint Slide Transition Settings.action
    • Set Project for Entourage Items.action
    • Set Security Options for Word Documents.action
    • Set Text Case in Word Documents.action
    • Set Word Document Properties.action
    • Sort Data in Excel Workbooks.action
  8. Go to Macintosh HD > Library > Fonts and delete the "Microsoft" folder.
    • If you have installed a later version of Microsoft Office don't delete the "Microsoft" folder. Instead go into the folder and just delete the following fonts:
      • Arial
      • Times New Roman
      • Verdana
      • Wingdings
      • Wingdings 2
      • Wingdings 3
  9. Go to Macintosh HD > Library > Internet Plug-Ins and delete the "OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin.plugin" file.
  10. Go to Macintosh HD > Library > Receipts and delete all Office 2008 items (files starting with "Office2008_en…)".
  11. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Desktop and delete the "Microsoft Office Backup" folder (as long as you have already archived it).
  12. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Desktop and delete the "Remove Office log.txt" file.
  13. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Documents and delete the "Microsoft User Data" folder.
    • If you have installed a later version of Microsoft Office don't delete the "Microsoft User Data" folder. Instead go into the folder and just delete the following folders:
      • Office 2008 AutoRecovery
      • Office 2008 Identities
    • If you have installed Microsoft Office 2011 you can also delete the following folders:
      • Entourage Script Menu Items
      • Entourage Sound Sets
  14. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Documents and delete the "Office Projects" folder.
  15. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Library > Application Support and delete the "Microsoft" folder.
  16. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Library > Caches and delete the following items:
    • com.microsoft.browserfont.cache
    • "com.microsoft.helpviewer" folder
    • "com.microsoft.myday" folder
    • com.microsoft.netlib.crls
    • "Microsoft" folder
    • "Microsoft Office" folder
  17. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Library > Caches > Metadata and delete the "Microsoft" folder.
  18. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Library and delete the "Microsoft" folder.
  19. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Library > Preferences and delete the following files:
    • com.microsoft.autoupdate2.plist
    • com.microsoft.ClipGallery.plist
    • com.microsoft.DocumentConnection.plist
    • com.microsoft.entourage.database_daemon.plist
    • com.microsoft.entourage.database_utility.plist
    • com.microsoft.entourage.office_reminders.plist
    • com.microsoft.Entourage.plist
    • com.microsoft.entourage.syncservices.plist
    • com.microsoft.entourage.syncservices12.plist
    • com.microsoft.EquationEditor.plist
    • com.microsoft.error_reporting.plist
    • com.microsoft.Excel.plist
    • com.microsoft.Graph.plist
    • com.microsoft.helpviewer.plist
    • com.microsoft.MicrosoftCertManager.plist
    • com.microsoft.myday.plist
    • com.microsoft.office.plist
    • com.microsoft.OfficeNotifications.plist
    • com.microsoft.openxml.chart.app.plist
    • com.microsoft.OrgChart.plist
    • com.microsoft.Powerpoint.plist
    • com.microsoft.setupassistant.plist
    • com.microsoft.Word.plist
    • Equation Editor Preferences
  20. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Library > Preferences > Microsoft and delete the following items:
    • com.microsoft.Messenger.prefs.plist
    • "Office 2008" folder
  21. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Library > Sync Services > Schemas and delete the "MicrosoftOfficeNotes.syncschema folder.
  22. If you are running Mac OS X 10.6 or later:
    1. In the Finder go to the Go menu > Go to Folder…
    2. Enter "/private/var/db/receipts/"
    3. Delete all items starting with "com.microsoft.office…" (they will usually have 12.x.x or 13.x.x in the file names)
  23. Go to Macintosh HD > Library > Fonts Disabled folder and move the "Brush Script.ttf" font back to the Macintosh HD > Library > Fonts folder.
  24. Go to Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Library > Fonts Disabled folder and move any fonts back to the Macintosh HD > Users > ~your home directory > Library > Fonts folder.
  25. Restart your computer.
  26. Empty the Trash.
  27. Remove the relevant Microsoft Office related icons from the Dock e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Entourage, Microsoft Messenger, Project Gallery, Office Reminders, My Day (just drag the icon off of the dock to remove it).

Fonts Installed by Microsoft Office 2008 Reference List

Fonts are installed to Macintosh HD > Library > Fonts > Microsoft.
  • Abadi MT Condensed Extra Bold
  • Abadi MT Condensed Light
  • Andale Mono
  • Arial
  • Arial Black
  • Arial Narrow
  • Arial Rounded Bold
  • Baskerville Old Face
  • Batang.ttf
  • Bauhaus 93
  • Bell MT
  • Bernard MT Condensed
  • Book Antiqua
  • Bookman Old Style
  • Bookshelf Symbol 7.ttf
  • Braggadocio
  • Britannic Bold
  • Brush Script.ttf (this may replace the OS X version of the font which is moved to the Macintosh HD > Library > Fonts Disabled folder)
  • Calibri Bold Italic.ttf
  • Calibri Bold.ttf
  • Calibri Italic.ttf
  • Calibri.ttf
  • Calisto MT
  • Cambria Bold Italic.ttf
  • Cambria Bold.ttf
  • Cambria Italic.ttf
  • Cambria.ttf
  • Candara Bold Italic.ttf
  • Candara Bold.ttf
  • Candara Italic.ttf
  • Candara.ttf
  • Century
  • Century Gothic
  • Century Schoolbook
  • Colonna
  • Comic Sans MS
  • Consolas Bold Italic.ttf
  • Consolas Bold.ttf
  • Consolas Italic.ttf
  • Consolas.ttf
  • Constantia Bold Italic.ttf
  • Constantia Bold.ttf
  • Constantia Italic.ttf
  • Constantia.ttf
  • Cooper Black
  • Copperplate Gothic Bold
  • Copperplate Gothic Light
  • Corbel Bold Italic.ttf
  • Corbel Bold.ttf
  • Corbel Italic.ttf
  • Corbel.ttf
  • Curlz MT
  • Desdemona
  • Edwardian Script ITC
  • Engravers MT
  • Eurostile
  • Footlight Light
  • Franklin Gothic Book Italic.ttf
  • Franklin Gothic Book.ttf
  • Franklin Gothic Medium Italic.ttf
  • Franklin Gothic Medium.ttf
  • Garamond
  • Georgia
  • Gill Sans MT Bold Italic.ttf
  • Gill Sans MT Bold.ttf
  • Gill Sans MT Italic.ttf
  • Gill Sans MT.ttf
  • Gill Sans Ultra Bold
  • Gloucester MT Extra Condensed
  • Goudy Old Style
  • Gulim.ttf
  • Haettenschweiler
  • Harrington
  • Impact
  • Imprint MT Shadow
  • Kino
  • Lucida Blackletter
  • Lucida Bright
  • Lucida Calligraphy
  • Lucida Console.ttf
  • Lucida Fax
  • Lucida Handwriting
  • Lucida Sans
  • Lucida Sans Typewriter
  • Lucida Sans Unicode.ttf
  • Marlett.ttf
  • Matura Script Capitals
  • Meiryo Bold Italic.ttf
  • Meiryo Bold.ttf
  • Meiryo Italic.ttf
  • Meiryo.ttf
  • Mistral
  • Modern No. 20
  • Monotype Corsiva
  • Monotype Sorts
  • MS Gothic.ttf
  • MS Mincho.ttf
  • MS PGothic.ttf
  • MS PMincho.ttf
  • MS Reference Sans Serif.ttf
  • MS Reference Specialty.ttf
  • MT Extra
  • News Gothic MT
  • Onyx
  • Perpetua Bold Italic.ttf
  • Perpetua Bold.ttf
  • Perpetua Italic.ttf
  • Perpetua Titling MT
  • Perpetua.ttf
  • Playbill
  • PMingLiU.ttf
  • Rockwell
  • Rockwell Extra Bold
  • SimSun.ttf
  • Stencil
  • Tahoma
  • Times New Roman
  • Trebuchet MS
  • Tw Cen MT Bold Italic.ttf
  • Tw Cen MT Bold.ttf
  • Tw Cen MT Italic.ttf
  • Tw Cen MT.ttf
  • Verdana
  • Wide Latin
  • Wingdings
  • Wingdings 2
  • Wingdings 3


Article Keywords: Microsoft Office 2008 Remove Removal Removing Uninstall manually remove office manually uninstall office manually remove Microsoft office manually uninstall Microsoft office

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