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m_oversteyns
Obsidian | Level 7

Hi,

 

So I want to silently remove/uninstall SAS 9.3 from a number of machines. The SAS 9.4 Deployment Manager supports the option -uninstallall, the 9.3 DM does not - I checked, it does not recognize the command line option. The 9.3 Deployment User's Guide talks about creating a response file with the components to delete, and then feed that file to the 9.3 DM.

 

Over the course of years, no SAS 9.3 installation at our client is identical, some computers have components that others have not, which makes creating a response file not an option. And manual uninstalling takes too much time.

 

  1. Is there an equivalent for -uninstallall or some undocumented command line option for SAS 9.3 which can be used to uninstall the whole lot?
  2. If a response file is required for uninstalling SAS 9.3, is it possible to make one where the individual components do not need to be listed, so that everything gets uninstalled? A bit like a wildcard * or something like that.
  3. What if I make a response file which has more components listed than were actually installed on the computer -- will the SAS 9.3 DM complain and cancel the uninstallation?

 

I'll be opening a tracker as well.

 

I can't believe that this is so hard - every time I advance, I run into a wall...

 

Thanks for any suggestions, it is -as always- much appreciated.

 

Michel

 

 

 

5 REPLIES 5
JuanS_OCS
Amethyst | Level 16

Hello there @m_oversteyns,

 

While I agree that following some standards for automatic deployment/undeployment were a bit hard on previous versions of SAS, I think that SAS is moving into the right direction during the last years.

 

I say this, because administering and managing SAS deployments is basically my job for the last years, so I kind of understand your frustration, but as soon as the years will continue passing by, those older versions of SAS will be forgotten and our life probably is already becoming easier and easier. Will I need to look for another job? Who knows 🙂

 

Jokes apart and coming back to your original question:

 

I am not aware of additional parameters, although maybe SAS Technical Support is aware of some non-documented features. Always worthy to ask them.

 

And about the procedures... You are on the right track with your latest post: https://communities.sas.com/t5/Administration-and-Deployment/Automated-removal-of-more-than-one-vers...

 

I would not use the response file unless you are totally positive that each computer has got the same deployment of SAS components. otherwise, it might probably fail. If you are possitive your deployments are the same, the usage of response files is an excellent option, and the most desirable.

 

On my personal/professional experience, I found that the most suitable option is scripting the undeployment of < 9.4 installations, by following some rules you can find under:

 

Which, in short, it means: stop and delete 9.3 services, delete 9.3 folders and delete 9.3 windows keys.

 

If you have got SAS 9.3 Foundation installed, beware you will have a lot of Windows keys, which, if left on the system and you plan to install later versions of SAS Foundation, as 9.4, you might find some troubles on those deployments. That is the only point where you might need some additional attention. Regarding those, if you need special support on it, also the SAS Technical Support team can help you quite good.

 

Does it help a bit?

 

Kind regards,

Juan

m_oversteyns
Obsidian | Level 7

Hi Juan,

@JuanS_OCS wrote:

I am not aware of additional parameters, although maybe SAS Technical Support is aware of some non-documented features. Always worthy to ask them.

Apparently there are none, although I did not get that exact confirmation. I'm stuck with response files.

I would not use the response file unless you are totally positive that each computer has got the same deployment of SAS components. otherwise, it might probably fail. If you are possitive your deployments are the same, the usage of response files is an excellent option, and the most desirable.

 

Our deployments are not the same, it's a mix. So reponse files won't work. 

If you have got SAS 9.3 Foundation installed, beware you will have a lot of Windows keys, which, if left on the system and you plan to install later versions of SAS Foundation, as 9.4, you might find some troubles on those deployments. That is the only point where you might need some additional attention.


SAS Foundation is our main component, and will be reinstalled.

 

I'll be proposing the following to the Project Manager:

1. Manually uninstallation of the various SAS installations using the SDM

2. Removal of remaining directories and Registry keys

3. Reboot before installing SAS 9.4

 

It seems the only correct way of getting everything removed while leaving Windows in a stable position.



Does it help a bit?


Yes! It gives me good pointers and ideas Smiley Very Happy

Thank you!

 

Michel

m_oversteyns
Obsidian | Level 7

The official answer from Tech Support:

 

I'm afraid your only option is to create a response file which has more components listed than were actually installed on the computer. You would need to test this.

 

So, basically:

 

  1. Is there an equivalent for -uninstallall or some undocumented command line option for SAS 9.3 which can be used to uninstall the whole lot? No, there is not. you're stuck with uninstalling using a response file or the GUI.
  2. If a response file is required for uninstalling SAS 9.3, is it possible to make one where the individual components do not need to be listed, so that everything gets uninstalled? A bit like a wildcard * or something like that. I got no answer to that.
  3. What if I make a response file which has more components listed than were actually installed on the computer -- will the SAS 9.3 DM complain and cancel the uninstallation? SAS Tech Support does not know for sure, it's up to me to test.

Head over to https://communities.sas.com/t5/Administration-and-Deployment/Automated-removal-of-more-than-one-vers... for some additional info.

derspinne
Calcite | Level 5

Hi,

 

I have a script that I'm currently using in order to Uninstall SAS for Windows 9.3.

 

To start, you have to stop the following services:

I'm using a CMD file by the way.

 

sc stop "SAS PC Files Server"
sc stop "SAS Document Conversion"

 

The next step is to delete the following font files as everytime I tried to uninstall SAS manually, this files are "Read Only" and the uninstall can't proceed if the files are still there, so I delete them.

 

if exist "%ProgramFiles%\SAS 9.3\ReportFontsforClients\9.3\sasmono.ttf" del /Q "%ProgramFiles%\SAS 9.3\ReportFontsforClients\9.3\sasmono.ttf"

 

if exist "%ProgramFiles%\SAS 9.3\ReportFontsforClients\9.3\sasmonob.ttf" del /Q "%ProgramFiles%\SAS 9.3\ReportFontsforClients\9.3\sasmonob.ttf"

 

Then, I uninstall the application "SAS Document Conversion" using the following command line:

 

"C:\Program Files\SAS 9.3\SASTextAnalyticsDocumentConversion\1.21\Uninstall.exe" /S

 

The fun part is to Uninstall SAS 9.3 using the command line:

 

"C:\Program Files\SAS 9.3\SASDeploymentManager\9.3\sasdm.exe -uninstall -wait -quiet -noreboot -provision -responsefile "C:\Program Files\SAS 9.3\response.uninstall.properties" -datalocation "C:\Logs\sasuninstall" -loglevel 2

 

To really automate a silent Uninstall the "-responsefile" should be there, otherwise you can have a command line that will popup the SASDM screen to start the Manual Uninstall to chose your components:

 

"C:\Program Files\SAS 9.3\SASDeploymentManager\9.3\sasdm.exe -uninstall -wait -noreboot -provision -datalocation "C:\Logs\sasuninstall" -loglevel 2

 

Why you should use a response file?
Well, SAS 9.3 has 200 or more components depending on what components you have chosen and many of them will be called during the installation process, so hundreds of entries will be made on the registry God knows where exactly.
It will be hard to get all of them and spect that your machine will behave correctly after removing them manually, is a no go for a business perspective. This app should be stable and also the machine where you are installing it.

 

Well, once the SASDM has been completed all the tasks, now you have to clean up the following folders that SASDM leaves behind:

 

if exist "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\SAS\" rd /q /s "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\SAS\"

 

if exist "C:\Program Files\SAS 9.3\" rd /q /s "C:\Program Files\SAS 9.3"

 

if exist "C:\ProgramData\SAS\" rd /q /s "C:\ProgramData\SAS"

 

And, finally the following regkeys:

 

reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SAS Institute Inc." /f

 

reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\SAS Institute Inc." /f

 

 

I've been using this method since 2014, and I've delivered SAS 9.3 to more than 500 machines, but they have the same License and components installed. We're using SCCM 2012, and the process is really smooth if the machines are in good shape.
Otherwise SAS 9.3 will go mad with your registry and you risk to have many machines to be sent to be reimaged.

 

Hope this could help anybody !

Joel E.

m_oversteyns
Obsidian | Level 7

Hi Joel,

 

Thank you for taking the time to write down your procedure -- it will be helpful.

As you said, using a response file is the *only* correct way to completely uninstall SAS 9.3.

 

Michel

 

 

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