This procedure uninstalls a WebSphere Application Server product from a Windows system. After running the uninstaller program, manual steps remove log files and registry entries that can prevent you from reinstalling the product into the original directory. If you are not planning to reinstall, do not uninstall manually.
Before you begin
The uninstaller program removes all profiles, including all of the configuration data and applications in each profile. Before you start the uninstall procedure, back up the config folder, the installableApps folder, and the installedApps folder of each profile, if necessary. See Using command line tools for a description of managing configuration files. Back up all applications that are not stored in another location.
Determine the installation root directory for the product so that you remove the correct product and produce a clean system.
Why and when to perform this task
Reinstalling the product into a new directory when files remain from a previous installation can create a coexistence scenario. However, you can delete all files and registry entries to completely remove a WebSphere Application Server product. A clean system lets you reinstall the product into the original directory without coexistence.
Default directories are shown in the following planning table:
Identifier | Directory | Actual location |
---|---|---|
install_root | C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer | |
profiles_install_root | C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\profiles | |
plug-ins_install_root | C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins |
Windows 2000 consideration: If you move either installation root directory, move them to a shorter path name. Windows 2000 has a length restriction of 258 characters for a command. A problem can occur that prevents the successful creation of a profile when either path is too long. The maximum length for the installation root directory is 60 characters. The maximum length for the profiles installation root directory is 80 characters.
Steps for this task
If a Web server is configured to run with the application server, uninstall the plug-ins to remove the configuration from the Web server. See Uninstalling the Web server plug-ins for WebSphere Application Server.
If you have already run the uninstaller program or if you cannot run the uninstaller program, skip this step.
install_root\_uninst\uninstall
See the description of the uninstall command for more information.
The Uninstaller wizard begins and displays the Welcome panel.
This step is a safeguard. This procedure does not require the recovery disk.
This step is a safeguard. This procedure does not require the backup copy of the registry.
Invoke regedit.exe from a command prompt, to edit the Windows system registry.
If you have one installation of a WebSphere Application Server product, delete the following folder:
Application Server, Express v6
The file is located in the installation directory of the operating system, such as the C:\WINNT directory or the C:\windows directory.
Do not delete or rename the vpd.properties file because the InstallShield for MultiPlatforms (ISMP) program uses it for other products that it installs. If the WebSphere Application Server product that you are uninstalling is the only product with entries in the vpd.properties file, you can delete this file.
The file location is the home directory of the user ID who installed the product, %USERPROFILE%\.WASRegistry.
The .WASRegistry file contains a one-line entry for each WebSphere Application Server product installation.
You can delete the file if there is just one line that identifies the product that you are removing. Otherwise, use a flat-file editor to remove the line that identifies the installation root directory of the product that you are removing. Leave the other lines intact. Do not delete the .WASRegistry file unless you are removing all of the installations listed in the file.
The following example shows a .WASRegistry file for a system with five installations:
C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer C:\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer C:\ExpressV6\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer C:\ND_Install_9_25_2004_build\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer C:\Express_09_25_2004\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer
Result
This procedure results in having a clean system. You can reinstall into the same directories now. A clean system has no trace of a previously deleted installation.
What to do next
Go to Task overview: Installing to begin planning a new installation.
Related tasks
Uninstalling manually