So... I have a question. How screwed is my M1 Mini...

[jasoncarle]

My kid informed me that he downloaded and installed X-plane 11 and then a "crack" for X-plane 11 that appeared to install, but not work and now wants to get rid of anything it may have installed, but is unable to find it.

I have enabled Little Snitch's "deny all connections" feature and so far, nothing has been denied. Is this a case of, now I need to wipe everything and start from scratch with a fresh install? Is the recovery disk a potential risk for infection?

I have good backups.

 

[jasoncarle]

Why do I ask about the recovery disk?

because currently there is a process running called "NRDUpdated" and that process updates the recovery partition...

 

[dimme]

Are you backups made before the crack was installed?

I think if you boot from the internet recovery option and then nuke your disk you should be fine, just make sure your backups are clean. (before the crack was installed).

Tell your kid Xplane is a small developer and we all need to support them.

 

[DeltaMac]

The NRDUpdated is a normal part of the macOS system. Its purpose is to update the recovery partition.
Nothing to be concerned about.

Uninstalling X-plane, like many Mac apps, is just dragging the app to the trash, then emptying the trash.
If your son has already moved the app and its folder to the trash, then it's gone.
Any app would normally be installed in the Applications folder, so check again there.
When I checked in the support page for X-Plane, the X-plane folder is on the desktop. You might also check in the User/Home folder, and look in the "Library" folder, then the Applications Support folder. There might be an X-Plane folder there, too.
(I would suggest that you not leave Little Snitch on "deny all connections", as that will likely lock out a lot of internet use. Your son probably didn't do anything warranting that kind of setting.
I can't explain why X-plane did not appear to work. Maybe something to do with macOS. AFAIK, X-plane uses the Rosetta 2 software in the macOS system to run. I don't know if that will continue to work with newer versions of macOS.

 

[Carlos51]

The NRDUpdated is a normal part of the macOS system. Its purpose is to update the recovery partition.
Nothing to be concerned about.

Uninstalling X-plane, like many Mac apps, is just dragging the app to the trash, then emptying the trash.
If your son has already moved the app and its folder to the trash, then it's gone.
Any app would normally be installed in the Applications folder, so check again there.
When I checked in the support page for X-Plane, the X-plane folder is on the desktop. You might also check in the User/Home folder, and look in the "Library" folder, then the Applications Support folder. There might be an X-Plane folder there, too.
(I would suggest that you not leave Little Snitch on "deny all connections", as that will likely lock out a lot of internet use. Your son probably didn't do anything warranting that kind of setting.
I can't explain why X-plane did not appear to work. Maybe something to do with macOS. AFAIK, X-plane uses the Rosetta 2 software in the macOS system to run. I don't know if that will continue to work with newer versions of macOS.

Cracks usually modify the signature and/or CRC of the executable game, or do something to it that MacOS doesn't like thus refusing to run.
There are simple workarounds to this but I will not mention them here as that would hurt the developer of the game who deserves being paid for his effort.
Carlos

 

[jasoncarle]

Are you backups made before the crack was installed?

I think if you boot from the internet recovery option and then nuke your disk you should be fine, just make sure your backups are clean. (before the crack was installed).

Tell your kid Xplane is a small developer and we all need to support them.

Yes, backups are made from long before the crack was downloaded, and are up to date.

I actually plan on buying X-plane when this is solved so he doesn't need to do this, and explain why.

 

[jasoncarle]

The NRDUpdated is a normal part of the macOS system. Its purpose is to update the recovery partition.
Nothing to be concerned about.

Uninstalling X-plane, like many Mac apps, is just dragging the app to the trash, then emptying the trash.
If your son has already moved the app and its folder to the trash, then it's gone.
Any app would normally be installed in the Applications folder, so check again there.
When I checked in the support page for X-Plane, the X-plane folder is on the desktop. You might also check in the User/Home folder, and look in the "Library" folder, then the Applications Support folder. There might be an X-Plane folder there, too.
(I would suggest that you not leave Little Snitch on "deny all connections", as that will likely lock out a lot of internet use. Your son probably didn't do anything warranting that kind of setting.
I can't explain why X-plane did not appear to work. Maybe something to do with macOS. AFAIK, X-plane uses the Rosetta 2 software in the macOS system to run. I don't know if that will continue to work with newer versions of macOS.

X-Plane worked fine, it was the crack that did not "work" I did delete X-plane and will be buying it when this is over with.

 

[jasoncarle]

Cracks usually modify the signature and/or CRC of the executable game, or do something to it that MacOS doesn't like thus refusing to run.
There are simple workarounds to this but I will not mention them here as that would hurt the developer of the game who deserves being paid for his effort.
Carlos

I agree, and will be buying it.

 

[glenthompson]

After you get everything sorted out you might want to give your kid an account without admin privileges. Make him come to you if he want to install any software.

 

[LuisN]

My kid informed me that he downloaded and installed X-plane 11 and then a "crack" for X-plane 11 that appeared to install, but not work and now wants to get rid of anything it may have installed, but is unable to find it.

I have enabled Little Snitch's "deny all connections" feature and so far, nothing has been denied. Is this a case of, now I need to wipe everything and start from scratch with a fresh install? Is the recovery disk a potential risk for infection?

I have good backups.

You should be good to go just by deleting the x-plane folder.
JFYI x-plane 11 runs very smooth in M1 processor even at high settings if you enable Metal in graphics, better if you have 16GB ram

 

[ADGrant]

After you get everything sorted out you might want to give your kid an account without admin privileges. Make him come to you if he want to install any software.

I don't let my daughter use my computer. She has her own (but I have the account on that Mac with admin privileges).

 

[jasoncarle]

After you get everything sorted out you might want to give your kid an account without admin privileges. Make him come to you if he want to install any software.

Yeah, I made a mistake giving him the password...