DOCUMENT:Q216826 19-MAR-1999 [sms] TITLE :SMSINST: How to Create a Silent Uninstall for SMS Installer Prog PRODUCT :Microsoft Systems Management Server PROD/VER:WINDOWS:2.0; winnt:2.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbsms200 kbsms120 kbAdvertisement kbPackage kbsmsInst kbSoftwareDist ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Systems Management Server Installer version 2.0 - Microsoft Systems Management Server version 2.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= In Systems Management Server 2.0, you can uninstall a program when it is no longer advertised. In SMS Installer programs created with uninstall support, the uninstall process brings up a dialog box that prompts the user to select an Automatic or a Custom uninstall. In some cases, it might be necessary to have a silent uninstall that does not bring up any dialog boxes. MORE INFORMATION ================ You can create a silent uninstall in one of the following ways: Method 1 Modify the UNINSTAL.IPF before compiling your program. SMS Installer includes UNINSTAL.IPF (located in Program files\Microsoft SMS Installer\Include) when uninstall support is selected. You can modify this file with the script editor view of SMS Installer. Modify the registry statement highlighted below with '=> <=' If APPTITLE Not Equal "" then If System has Windows 95 Shell Registry Key Software\Microsoft\..... => Registry Key Software\Microsoft\...... <= Else . . End Block End Block Change the value from: "%UNINSTALL_PATH%" "%_LOGFILE_PATH_%" "%APPTITLE% Uninstall" to: "%UNINSTALL_PATH%" /S "%_LOGFILE_PATH_%" "%APPTITLE% Uninstall" Save the script but do not compile it. All programs compiled after the modification of uninstal.ipf will have quiet uninstall automatically enabled. Method 2 Modify the uninstall string in the client's registry after the program is installed. All programs with uninstall support create the following registry key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\ A string value 'UninstallString' is also created and its data is the path to uninstal.exe + install log file + application name. For example, the key would be the following for a program called Bogo Games: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Bogo Games and the UninstallString Data would be similar to "C:\Program Files\Bogo Games\UNINSTAL.EXE "C:\Program Files\Bogo Games\INSTALL.LOG" To make the uninstall silent, you need to add a "/S" (without the quotation marks) after UNINSTAL.EXE. The UninstallString would become "C:\Program Files\Bogo Games\UNINSTAL.EXE /S "C:\Program Files\......"" Additional query words: prodsms installer silent quiet ====================================================================== Keywords : kbsms200 kbsms120 kbAdvertisement kbPackage kbsmsInst kbSoftwareDist Technology : kbSMSSearch kbSMS200 kbSMSI200 Version : WINDOWS:2.0; winnt:2.0 Issue type : kbhowto ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999.