This article describes uninstalling the Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) client using Microsoft Installer (MSI) commands at the command line interface. This is useful if "Symantec Endpoint Protection" is not listed in Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
This is also useful when a command-line is needed to uninstall the SEP Client using a third party tool such as SCCM, Altiris, Clarity or other 3rd party software management application.
Note: These PowerShell steps only work on SEP client versions 14.3 RU9 and earlier.
(Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product -Filter "Name='Symantec Endpoint Protection'" -ComputerName ComputerNameHere).Uninstall()
Note 1: If a client is password protected, you need to disable the SEP client first and then run the Powershell command. Password protection needs to be disabled from SEPM:
Password-protecting the Symantec Endpoint Protection client
Note 2: If Tamper Protection is enabled, you need to disable it first and then run the Powershell command. Tamper Protection can be disabled on a single client, or multiple via SEPM policy:
THE ABOVE COMMAND line examples are those used with third-party tools for uninstall, for example what command-line to pass via SCCM.
Note: If the MSI uninstall has stopped responding, follow these steps:
The uninstaller is trying to find some keys which are present in a 64-bit operating system, although they do not exist on a 32-bit operating system:
Action ended 13:37:50: InstallFinalize. Return value 1.
MSI (s) (0C:20) [13:37:50:312]: Doing action: SxsUninstallCA
Action start 13:37:50: SxsUninstallCA.
MSI (s) (0C:34) [13:37:50:375]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL: C:\WINDOWS\Installer\MSI14D.tmp, Entrypoint: CustomAction_SxsMsmCleanup
1: sxsdelca tried opening key w/o wow64key 2: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SideBySide\PatchedComponents 3: 672 4: 0
1: sxsdelca tried opening wow64key 2: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SideBySide\PatchedComponents 3: 680 4: 0
1: sxsdelca 2: traceop 3: 1158 4: 0
1: sxsdelca 2: traceop 3: 1186 4: 0
If you wish to uninstall through another cmdlet, the below can be followed. The MSI string changes with every new SEP client release, by using this method the MSI string isn't needed.
For difficulty with uninstalling Endpoint Protection, see: Download the CleanWipe removal tool to uninstall Endpoint Protection.
For a list of available MSI command line switches, type: msiexec /? at the command prompt.