Massively uninstall applications with PowerShell

Question

Hello Team.

I have the following script thanks to colleague Garth Jones and it consists of removing applications by doing a search in the registry, specifically from uninstallstring.

I would like to improve it and that instead of being an application it is several at the same time.

Is that possible? So far I have this. Can you guide me where to start?

$appToMatch = @('*zoom*','*vlc*')
$e=$MyInvocation.InvocationName
$pshome
$log=$env:temp+'\PSuninstall.log'
#$fullinventory = $false
#$fullinventory = $true

#function Start-HWInventory
#{
#    Log-write $log 'Starting HW inventory'
#    Log-write $log ' Full Inventory =$fullinventory'

#    if ($fullinventory -eq $true)
#    {
#        Log-write $log ' Deleting HW inv calss'
#        Get-WmiObject -namespace root\ccm\invagt  -class InventoryActionStatus -filter "InventoryActionID = '{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001}'" | Remove-WmiObject 
#    }
#    
#    Log-write $log ' Starting HW inv. cycle'

#    Invoke-WMIMethod -Namespace root\ccm -Class SMS_CLIENT -Name TriggerSchedule "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001}" 
#}


function Get-InstalledApps
{
    Log-write $log 'Start Get-InstalledApps'
    if ([IntPtr]::Size -eq 4) {
        $regpath = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*'
        Log-write $log 'Found x86'
    }
    else {
        $regpath = @(
            'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*'
            'HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*'
        )
        Log-write $log 'Found x64'
    }
    Get-ItemProperty $regpath | .{process{if($_.DisplayName -and $_.UninstallString) { $_ } }} | Select DisplayName, Publisher, InstallDate, DisplayVersion, UninstallString |Sort DisplayName
}

Function Log-Write{
  Param ([Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][string]$LogPath, [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][string]$LineValue) 

   Process{ 
     Add-Content -Path $LogPath -Value $LineValue 
   } 
} 


Log-write $log 'Startinging script'

# If running in x86 mode restart in x64 mode.
# Note: This will will closed the SCCM thread and open a new thread. 
if ($PSHome -match 'syswow')
{
    Log-write $log 'Found syswow'
    Log-write $log 'Shell to x64 version'
    start-process "C:\Windows\sysnative\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe" -arg "-ExecutionPolicy bypass  -file $e" -Wait
    Log-write $log 'Return from x64 version; exiting'
    exit
}



$result = Get-InstalledApps | where {$_.DisplayName -like $appToMatch}
$result 

Log-write $log 'Found these isntalled apps:'
ForEach ($u in $result) 
{
    $UnInstall = $u.UninstallString 
    $UnInstall = $UnInstall.Trim()

    If ($UnInstall -contains '.msi'){
        Log-write $log "uninstall string, containt an MSI"
        $UnInstall = $UnInstall -Replace "msiexec.exe","" -Replace "/I","" -Replace "/X",""
        $UnInstall = $UnInstall.Trim()
        Log-write $log $UnInstall
        Log-write $log 'Start MSIExec'
        start-process "msiexec.exe" -arg "/X $UnInstall /norestart /quiet /qn /s /l*v $env:TEMP\$UnInstall.log" -Wait
        Log-write $log 'After MSIExec'
    }
    else
    {
        Log-write $log "Uninstall string, containt an EXE"
        $UnInstall = $UnInstall.Trim()
        Log-write $log $UnInstall
        Log-write $log 'Start MSIExec'
        start-process $UnInstall  "/S /V/qn /ms" -Wait
        Log-write $log 'After MSIExec'
    }
} 

#Start-HWInventory

Answer 1

You can use Start-Job to run each uninstall and then wait for the jobs to complete.

Answer 2

$e=$MyInvocation.InvocationName
$log=$env:temp+'\PSuninstall.log'



$unlist = "WinRar","7-Zip","adobe"



function Get-InstalledApps
{
    Log-write $log 'Start Get-InstalledApps'
    if ([IntPtr]::Size -eq 4) {
        $regpath = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*'
        Log-write $log 'Found x86'
    }
    else {
        $regpath = @(
            'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*'
            'HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*'
        )
        Log-write $log 'Found x64'
    }
  $res = Get-ItemProperty $regpath | .{process{if($_.DisplayName -and $_.UninstallString) { $_ } }} | Select DisplayName, Publisher, InstallDate, DisplayVersion, UninstallString |Sort DisplayName
  return $res
}

Function Log-Write{
  Param ([Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][string]$LogPath, [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][string]$LineValue) 

   Process{ 
     Add-Content -Path $LogPath -Value $LineValue 
   } 
} 

function Test-GuidString {
    param(
        [string]$String
    )
    try
    {
    [System.Guid]$parsedGuid = $null 
    return [System.Guid]::TryParse($String, [ref]$parsedGuid)
    }catch{return $false}
}


Log-write $log 'Starting script'

# If running in x86 mode restart in x64 mode.
# Note: This will will closed the SCCM thread and open a new thread. 
if ($PSHome -match 'syswow')
{
    Log-write $log 'Found syswow'
    Log-write $log 'Shell to x64 version'
    start-process "$env:SystemDrive\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe" -arg "-ExecutionPolicy bypass  -file $e" -Wait
    Log-write $log 'Return from x64 version; exiting'
    exit
}
foreach ($item in $unlist) 
{
    write-host $item
    $appToMatch = @('*' + $item + '*')
    $result = Get-InstalledApps | where {$_.DisplayName -like $appToMatch}
    if ($result -eq $null -or $result -eq ""){return}

    Log-write $log 'Found these isntalled apps:'
    ForEach ($u in $result) 
    {
    $UnInstall = $result.UninstallString} 
    write-host $UnInstall
    $UnInstall = $UnInstall.Trim()

    If ($UnInstall.Contains("Msi"))
    {
        Log-write $log "uninstall string, containt an MSI"
        $UnInstall = $UnInstall -Replace "msiexec.exe","" -Replace "/I","" -Replace "/X",""
        $UnInstall = $UnInstall.Trim()
        Log-write $log $UnInstall
        Log-write $log 'Start MSIExec'
        try{
        start-process "msiexec.exe" -arg "/X $UnInstall /norestart /qb /l*v $env:TEMP\$UnInstall.log" -Wait
        }catch{}
        Log-write $log 'After MSIExec'
    }
    else
    {
        Log-write $log "Uninstall string, contains an EXE"
        $UnInstall = $UnInstall.Trim()
        Log-write $log $UnInstall
        Log-write $log 'Start MSIExec'
        try{
        start-process $UnInstall  "/S" -Wait
        }catch{}
        Log-write $log 'After MSIExec'
    }
    
    if (Test-GuidString $UnInstall)
    {
     try
     {
     $guid = $UnInstall
     $product = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Where-Object {$_.IdentifyingNumber -eq $guid}
     if ($product)
     {
     $product.Uninstall()
     }    
     }catch{}
    }
    
}