SIMS Removal

[petben]

I need to remove SIMS from around 200 machines. I know I can remove the target and agent using Solus but can anyone advise what folders and reg keys needs removing to actually remove sims.

 

Second line sims support advised scripting 'something'...surely they have a process? Its support like that that makes me pleased we are moving MIS.

[robjduk]

My understanding is you want to tell SOLUS to uninstall itself from all machines and then it's just a case of deleting the C:\Program Files (x86)\SIMS folder (Group policy, PDQ or startup scripts will do this among other options). If you really want to be tidy then also remove the SIMS.ini from C:\Windows

[jthompson]

I didn't bother removing any client software. Instead, I used a GPO to disable the Solus3Agent service on client machines, and used AppLocker to prevent anyone from launching anything from the SIMS .net Program Files folder.

 

You might want to do those things in any case, to disable stuff immediately until you work out a way to remove the software later on.

 

[bobsmith]

Our IT team disabled the shortcut and then in the summer they did a software refresh and left SIMS out of the build.

[Michael]

Something like this will do the trick -

 

MsiExec.exe /X{EB6E9B60-11A2-415A-8F0A-D54F1EA45A96} /q
MsiExec.exe /X{839FB6AD-0623-469E-BCC9-3249A8BF74C4} /q

 

The SIMS directory in Programs Files can be deleted also using a script 'as is'.

[supportman]

Yeh we left Sims client on the machines, it only takes up a few megabytes.

[PotNoodleTech]

Yes I gotta remove it after moving to cloud.

 

ESS said if your not using solus which we weren't then you can literally just delete the Programfiles/Sims folder?

[jthompson]

Yes I gotta remove it after moving to cloud.

 

ESS said if your not using solus which we weren't then you can literally just delete the Programfiles/Sims folder?

 

Deleting the program files should suffice for SIMS .net, since there's no actual uninstaller, but SOLUS3 agent is actually uninstallable the proper way, which will remove its Windows service definition as well.

 

If you're wanting to do a thorough clear-up, then there will be Windows firewall rules that SOLUS3 agent needed that can be removed.

[PotNoodleTech]

Deleting the program files should suffice for SIMS .net, since there's no actual uninstaller, but SOLUS3 agent is actually uninstallable the proper way, which will remove its Windows service definition as well.

 

If you're wanting to do a thorough clear-up, then there will be Windows firewall rules that SOLUS3 agent needed that can be removed.

 

Ta I'll stick with deleting the shortcuts and sims folder for now at least that should stop people accidentally doing anything silly. It's chrome browser and input lag from now on baby!!!

[DennisM]

This is the script were using, it removes it silently upon startup:

SIMS-Purge.ps1

[TwistedHelixis]

It's chrome browser and input lag from now on baby!!!

Made me chuckle :-)

[dapaulio]

My understanding is you want to tell SOLUS to uninstall itself from all machines and then it's just a case of deleting the C:\Program Files (x86)\SIMS folder (Group policy, PDQ or startup scripts will do this among other options). If you really want to be tidy then also remove the SIMS.ini from C:\Windows

 

I agree in doing this way. this will likely be the best straight forward option.

 

Just curious Why you removing it in the first place. Reading between the lines you moving to an alternative provider or sims hosted but from a technical perspective. Sims doesn’t not take up too much space, and I would create an applocker rule blocking access to pulsar.exe, simsload.exe and solusagent.exe (have solus deployment remove solus agent.

 

Then if the school change their mind in 6months all you have to do is disable the group policy and push out solus again. Practically Instant recovery. Then when you come to do a rebuild of your site computers the sims install won’t be included.

 

Only reason I suggest is on two separate occasions a school went to another mis and during the process which wasn’t great experience they rolled back. The second time it happened in another school who went to another mis but shortly joined a trust who took them back to sims. The second time I learnt and only disabled the service.

[PotNoodleTech]

To be honest I a doing it because the more non working / depreciated stuff you can remove the less chance there is of people accidentally trying and failing to use it.

 

Also - once you've gone cloud there is no going back ESS are not going to allow you to go back to having your own copy of the database and thus risking their "intellectual property" being viewed by someone else.

 

(that's the entire reason for forcing everyone into the "cloud" is just so they can regain control of your database and hold your data to ransom later on down the line when you want to leave them.)