# Bat to remove from Add/remove



## Crusnik

Is there a cmd command or anything I could use to remove a program from Add/remove programs? Looking to create a bat to remove an app off 100 machines.


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## DoubleHelix

You want to uninstall the programs or just remove the entries from the Add/Remove Programs list?


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## Squashman

Some programs do come with an uninstaller in their Program Files directory. What program is it?


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## Crusnik

Wanting to uninstall the program.

This isn't a well known app, but it's called ableTerm, and there doesn't look like there is an uninstalled in the program directory. Though you can manually remove it from add/remove programs.

Is there any commands or anything in a bat that will initalize an uninstall from add/remove?


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## DoubleHelix

A "BAT" file is a batch file which is just a collection of commands. That means you have to know what command to run that uninstalls the program. If you knew that, you wouldn't need a batch file.

Did you contact the company for support? It appears to be an extensive and/or expensive app that obviously provides some type of exclusive support.


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## Crusnik

Was hoping there was a cmd command one could run to initialize an uninstall from add/remove give certain parameters... Like the name of the app. Was going to throw that into a bat file.

Maybe I was hoping for too much =).


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## DoubleHelix

Each program has their own uninstall command / program / method. It's not a universal thing.


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## Crusnik

Good to know.


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## vinaur

All the uninstall information (if it appears in Add/Remove Programs) is stored under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall (at least in Windows XP) in the registry (careful when messing with that). Under that key, you will see a bunch of other keys, which would correspond to the programs in your computer. Every key contains a couple values which instruct Add/Remove Programs about how to display the entry in the list, how to remove it, etc. The value you would be interested in is the UninstallString. This entry will contain the value that you would have to put in your bash file. Technically this is the command that Add/Remove Programs app runs when you click the remove button.


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## Crusnik

vinaur said:


> All the uninstall information (if it appears in Add/Remove Programs) is stored under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall (at least in Windows XP) in the registry (careful when messing with that). Under that key, you will see a bunch of other keys, which would correspond to the programs in your computer. Every key contains a couple values which instruct Add/Remove Programs about how to display the entry in the list, how to remove it, etc. The value you would be interested in is the UninstallString. This entry will contain the value that you would have to put in your bash file. Technically this is the command that Add/Remove Programs app runs when you click the remove button.


vinaur, you're my hero =p. Found the information I needed right there in the UninstallString. Found out it uses MsiExec to initilize the uninstall. And with MsiExec, you can do a slient install if you add /qn to the end of the string. Flawless. Thanks again.


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## JohnWill

There is a program called PC Decrapify that uses AutoIt to do exactly that in scripts. It presents a list of installed programs and lets you pick what you want to uninstall.


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## Crusnik

JohnWill said:


> There is a program called PC Decrapify that uses AutoIt to do exactly that in scripts. It presents a list of installed programs and lets you pick what you want to uninstall.


I'll have to check that out too =).


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## JohnWill

The source used to be available, but I can't find it now. I use AutoIt for other applications, and it has pretty good manipulation of the registry, so it would be easy to create something like this.


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## onlinegal

You guys both rock! This was exactly what I needed. Glad I found you
~jules

Crusnik Quote:
Originally Posted by *vinaur* 
_All the uninstall information (if it appears in Add/Remove Programs) is stored under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall (at least in Windows XP) in the registry (careful when messing with that). Under that key, you will see a bunch of other keys, which would correspond to the programs in your computer. Every key contains a couple values which instruct Add/Remove Programs about how to display the entry in the list, how to remove it, etc. The value you would be interested in is the UninstallString. This entry will contain the value that you would have to put in your bash file. Technically this is the command that Add/Remove Programs app runs when you click the remove button._

vinaur, you're my hero =p. Found the information I needed right there in the UninstallString. Found out it uses MsiExec to initilize the uninstall. And with MsiExec, you can do a slient install if you add /qn to the end of the string. Flawless. Thanks again.


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