Removing the Advanced Client

As we just discussed, if you change the Advanced Client's site assignment to null through the Advanced tab of Systems Management its client components remain installed, but the client becomes dormant. There is no automatic method of removing the Advanced Client software. However, any user with administrative credentials on the client can remove the Advanced Client software manually by using the Ccmclean.exe program. This program is included as part of the SMS 2003 ToolKit and can be downloaded from Microsoft's SMS Web site (http://www.microsoft.com/smserver/downloads). It's executed at the client from a command prompt. Once executed, it will initiate an uninstall routine.

Note

Ccmclean.exe is a powerful tool that can also be used to perform other uninstall tasks, such as uninstalling a management point. To ensure that only the client is uninstalled from a management point, use the command line syntax: Ccmclean.exe client.

Removing the Legacy Client

In contrast to the Advanced Client, if the Legacy Client's site assignment changes, say because the client roamed to different site boundaries, that client's site assignment changes and its component configuration is updated according to the new site's settings.

However, if the Legacy Client's IP address or Active Directory site assignment no longer falls within the boundaries of its assigned site and the client is no longer assigned to any site, the client software is automatically removed from the client. So one way to remove SMS from a large number of Legacy Clients at one time is to change the site server's site boundaries so that the clients' subnets or Active Directory site assignments are no longer represented, meaning that the client is no longer assigned to the site. During the client's next maintenance interval, the SMS components will be uninstalled from the Legacy Client. Similarly, if the Legacy Client is unable to contact a CAP in its assigned site for 60 days, the client software is automatically removed.

Note

If you change the site boundaries to effect an uninstall of the Legacy Client, be sure to factor in extra time for those clients that might be turned off or not connected to the site. Also, this method won't work if travel mode has been enabled.

A couple of other techniques are available for uninstalling the Legacy Client software from individual clients. You could run the SMSMan.exe programs as described earlier in this chapter. Uninstall options are available both through the wizard and through the command prompt versions of this program. You can run SMSMan.exe by connecting to the CAP or by navigating to %Systemroot%\MS\SMS\Core\Bin\00000409 folder on the client itself.

Another method of uninstalling SMS from the clients is through a registry modification made on the client, as we saw in Chapter 2, 'Primary Site Installation.' To use this method, follow these steps (which may vary depending on the operating system you are using):

1. As an administrator, open the client's registry.

2. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ Software\Microsoft\SMS\Client\Configuration\Client Properties key.

3. Select the Client Properties key, and choose Add Value from the Edit menu to display the Add Value dialog box. In the Value Name text box, enter SMS Client Deinstall. Leave the Data Type setting as REG_SZ. Click OK to return to the Registry Editor.

4. In the String Editor dialog box, enter TRUE in the String text box and then click OK.

5. Close the Registry Editor to save your changes.

6. Stop and restart the SMS Client Service (Clisvc.exe). The SMS Client Service will read the new registry entry and initiate an uninstall bootstrap process.

   Tip

   You could also use the 20clicln.bat utility and its support files that are included with the SMS 2.0 Support Tools available from Microsoft's SMS Web site (http://www.microsoft.com/smserver/downloads).

Regardless of the method you choose, the uninstall process might take several minutes depending on the number of components installed.