How to completely reset MATLAB?

Question

I want to be able to run MATLAB from a perfectly clean slate: no history, no snapshots, no customizations, nothing. Better yet, I'd like to be able to start a MATLAB session in the state that one would start at if one had just installed MATLAB. Is this possible?

(Of course, I'm looking for a solution that does not require me to obliterate every trace of MATLAB from my hard disk [which probably cannot be done without reformatting the drive], and then re-install in it a fresh copy of MATLAB.)

FWIW, I'm running 7.11.0 R2010b. (The shockingly rare/arcane solutions I've found online so far don't work with this version.)

Thanks!

Answer 1

Best bet might be to open the prefdir and delete settings (untested by me):

prefdir - Folder containing preferences, history, and layout files

Syntax:

prefdir
folder = prefdir
folder = prefdir(1)

From here: http://www.mathworks.com/help/techdoc/ref/prefdir.html

Reset to a new instance (like you just opened a new session of MATLAB):

!matlab &
exit

Source: http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/1093

Answer 2

Create a virtual machine in Virtualbox, VirtualPC or similar. Install OS + Matlab on it. Snapshot or clone the system at that point. Now, whenever you want to run a "fresh matlab", startup the VM from the snapshot.