The Uninstall-WindowsFeature command is a powerful tool in the Windows PowerShell environment. It allows users to remove Windows features from their system, such as Internet Information Services (IIS), Windows Media Player, and Windows Defender. This command can be used to uninstall a single feature or multiple features at once, and it can also be used to remove dependencies that are associated with the feature being uninstalled.
In this article, we will discuss the syntax, parameters, inputs, outputs, examples, and tips for using the Uninstall-WindowsFeature command. We will also provide a step-by-step guide for uninstalling a Windows feature.
Syntax
The syntax for the Uninstall-WindowsFeature command is as follows:
Uninstall-WindowsFeature [-Name] FeatureName [-ComputerName ComputerName] [-Credential Credential] [-IncludeAllSubFeature] [-Remove] [-Restart] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [-LogPath LogPath] [-Source Source]
Parameters
The Uninstall-WindowsFeature command has several parameters that can be used to customize the command. These parameters are described in the table below:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| -Name | Specifies the name of the feature to be uninstalled. |
| -ComputerName | Specifies the name of the computer on which the feature is to be uninstalled. |
| -Credential | Specifies the credentials to be used to uninstall the feature. |
| -IncludeAllSubFeature | Specifies that all sub-features of the feature should be uninstalled. |
| -Remove | Specifies that the feature should be removed from the server. |
| -Restart | Specifies that the server should be restarted after the feature is uninstalled. |
| -WhatIf | Specifies that the command should be run in simulation mode. |
| -Confirm | Specifies that the user should be prompted to confirm the action. |
| -LogPath | Specifies the path to the log file. |
| -Source | Specifies the source of the feature files. |
Inputs
The Uninstall-WindowsFeature command requires the following inputs:
- The name of the feature to be uninstalled.
- The name of the computer on which the feature is to be uninstalled.
- The credentials to be used to uninstall the feature.
- The path to the log file.
- The source of the feature files.
Outputs
The Uninstall-WindowsFeature command produces the following outputs:
- A list of the features that were uninstalled.
- A list of the features that were not uninstalled.
- A log file containing information about the uninstall process.
Examples
The following examples demonstrate how to use the Uninstall-WindowsFeature command:
- To uninstall the Windows Media Player feature on the local computer, use the following command:
Uninstall-WindowsFeature -Name WindowsMediaPlayer
- To uninstall the Windows Media Player feature on a remote computer, use the following command:
Uninstall-WindowsFeature -Name WindowsMediaPlayer -ComputerName RemoteComputer -Credential Domain\User
- To uninstall the Windows Media Player feature and all of its sub-features, use the following command:
Uninstall-WindowsFeature -Name WindowsMediaPlayer -IncludeAllSubFeature
- To uninstall the Windows Media Player feature and remove it from the server, use the following command:
Uninstall-WindowsFeature -Name WindowsMediaPlayer -Remove
- To uninstall the Windows Media Player feature and restart the server, use the following command:
Uninstall-WindowsFeature -Name WindowsMediaPlayer -Restart
Tips
When using the Uninstall-WindowsFeature command, there are several tips to keep in mind:
- Always use the -WhatIf parameter to test the command before running it.
- Always use the -Confirm parameter to prompt the user to confirm the action.
- Always use the -LogPath parameter to specify the path to the log file.
- Always use the -Source parameter to specify the source of the feature files.
- Always use the -IncludeAllSubFeature parameter to uninstall all sub-features of the feature.
Step-by-Step Guide
The following is a step-by-step guide for uninstalling a Windows feature:
- Open the Windows PowerShell environment.
- Type the following command to list all of the available Windows features:
Get-WindowsFeature
- Identify the feature that you want to uninstall.
- Type the following command to uninstall the feature:
Uninstall-WindowsFeature -Name FeatureName
- If the feature has any sub-features, use the -IncludeAllSubFeature parameter to uninstall them as well.
- If the feature should be removed from the server, use the -Remove parameter.
- If the server should be restarted after the feature is uninstalled, use the -Restart parameter.
- If you want to test the command before running it, use the -WhatIf parameter.
- If you want to prompt the user to confirm the action, use the -Confirm parameter.
- If you want to specify the path to the log file, use the -LogPath parameter.
- If you want to specify the source of the feature files, use the -Source parameter.
- Press Enter to run the command.
- The feature will be uninstalled and the server will be restarted, if necessary.