how to check which Extensions are installed on a Magento site? [duplicate]

Question

This question already has answers here:

How to Enable and Disable Custom Magento Extension? (4 answers)

Closed 2 years ago.

I am about to take over an existing Magento 1.9 store and one of the tasks would be to 'clean up' no longer used extension. Two questions in that regard (I'm fairly new to Magento in general, so those may be pretty novice questions):

1. is removing an Extension a good idea or even possible in the first place? I coudl imagine there may be a risk of mesing up the backenend/database? If 'not a good idea' ... can you hide extensions from sight in the backend and likewise at least clean up the interface?
2. how can you check which extension are installed on a Magento store (backend, or ftp)? I guess you should be able to see it via ftp, but where exactly to look (guessing somewhere in the /app/code/ directory. Maybe everything inside ~/community & ~/local)?

Answer 1

It is very difficult to safely "uninstall" extensions from Magento 1.9. but there is an easy way to see which ones are installed and disable them.

1. In your FTP go to app/etc/modules. This is where all the extension xml files are located.
2. Create a new folder here called "disabled".
3. Move the xml file of the extension you wish to disable to this new folder (app/etc/modules/disabled).
4. Now log into the Magento backend and go to System > Cache Management. Click "Flush Magento Cache" to have Magento recognize the changes.

This is not the "correct" way. but it's the fastest and easiest; and it's even recommended by some extension developers and hosting providers.