Got a lot of computers with the Ask-suite of toolbars installed? When users are allowed administrative permissions on their end-points this is a likely scenario – here is a minor script bit that will cleanup the computer from the hassle.
First – retrieve the Get-LHSInstInstalledApp function from the Technet Gallery. Its a very well written function to retrieve information about both 32-bit and 64-bit applications installed within a Windows environment – great for retrieving information about the installed applications on a computer.
I am not certain if I wrote the Log function on my own, or if this is just something that I grabbed from a script someone previously wrote. If you did write it – just give a shout!
Running the script requires admin permissions
function Log
{
param([string]$filename,[string]$text)
Out-File $filename -append -noclobber -inputobject $text -encoding ASCII
}
$logfile = "$env:windir\temp\SMS_Ask_Removal.log"
Remove-Item $logfile -force
log $logfile "$(get-date) - Ask Removal Started"
$ask = Get-LHSInstalledApp -AppName *Ask* -Publisher "APN, LLC"
log $logfile "$(get-date) - Found $($ask.Count) Ask installations"
Foreach ($install in $ask)
{
log $logfile "--------------------------------------------"
log $logfile "$(get-date) - $($install.AppName) found"
try
{
log $logfile "$(get-date) - $($install.AppName) removal"
$exitcode = (Start-Process -filepath "msiexec.exe" -ArgumentList "/x $($install.appid) /qn REBOOT=ReallySuppress /lv `"c:\windows\TEMP\UNINSTALL_$($install.AppName).log`"" -Wait -PassThru).ExitCode
log $logfile "$(get-date) - $($install.AppName) - return code: $exitcode"
}
catch
{
log $logfile "$(get-date) - ERROR: $($install.AppName) removal failed"
}
}
log $logfile "--------------------------------------------"
log $logfile "$(get-date) - Ask Removal Finished"