3 Methods to Uninstall SCCM Client | Remove ConfigMgr Client

In this article, I will cover different methods to remove or uninstall SCCM client from computers. You can remove ConfigMgr client completely from a Windows computer using different methods.

This article describes every method that you can use to uninstall the ConfigMgr client. You can learn which one works best for your organization and opt for that method.

You may already be familiar with the SCCM client if you’ve started learning Configuration Manager. It is also referred to as a Configuration Manager agent or a Configuration Manager client agent. There are many ways to install the Configuration Manager client agent on your Windows PCs. Here is the best article published on how to install SCCM client agent in Windows 11.

Occasionally, you might want to remove or uninstall SCCM client if you discover that it wasn’t installed correctly. Whenever you notice issues with the ConfigMgr agent, you can always repair the SCCM client agent. Repairing the client agent involves uninstalling the SCCM client agent from Windows and re-installing it.

What is SCCM Client Agent?

SCCM client agent is a piece of software that acts as an intermediate between the IT administrator’s actions and the actual policy enforcement and software deployment actions on the user’s system.

Most ConfigMgr admins prefer to uninstall the SCCM client agent manually from the computers. You can also use a PowerShell script to uninstall the SCCM client from remote computers. And some admins prefer to use the SCCM client uninstall script available online.

While the methods used to uninstall the SCCM client agent may differ, the objective is to cleanly remove the ConfigMgr agent from the computer. The Software Center is installed on the computer along with SCCM agent when you install it. Read how to customize the ConfigMgr software center appearance.

Recommended Article: Configuration Manager Remote Software Center

Method 1: Manually Uninstall SCCM Client using CCMSETUP

You can manually uninstall SCCM client by running a simple command – ccmsetup.exe /uninstall.

• On your Windows computer, run the command prompt as administrator.
• Change the path to client agent location – C:\Windows\ccmsetup.
• Run the command ccmsetup.exe /uninstall.
• Restart your computer after you uninstall the client agent.

Method 2: Remove SCCM Client Using CCMCLEAN

The Microsoft tool Ccmclean.exe, which was part of the SMS 2003 toolkit, aids in the removal of the SCCM client. The SMS 2003 is very much outdated now but the ccmclean tool still works.

You may not find the CCmclean tool installer online; however, I have saved a copy of this tool for you. Download the ccmclean tool from the OneDrive link. The ccmclean tool version that you get is 2.50.

The ccmclean tool works by detecting the SMS agent installer and uninstalling the agent on your computer. You have to run this tool manually on a computer to wipe out the SMS agent. You cannot use this tool to uninstall the SCCM client remotely.

Perform the following steps to uninstall SCCM client using ccmclean.exe:

• Download the ccmclean.exe tool and copy it over to the target computer.
• Run the ccmclean.exe as Administrator.
• The tool uninstalls the SCCM agent, and at the end a message box appears “Your system has been successfully cleaned“.

“Your system has been successfully cleaned” confirms the SCCM client agent has been removed successfully by ccmclean tool.

Before reinstalling the ConfigMgr agent on this computer, restart your computer once. The client agent is entirely removed from the system using ccmclean.

Method 3: Uninstall SCCM Client using Right Click Tools

With Right Click Tools installed for Configuration Manager, you can use the “Uninstall SCCM Client” feature to completely remove ConfigMgr client from remote computers.

This method requires you to install Right Click Tools console extension for SCCM. After you install the RCT for SCCM, you get the option to remove SCCM client from Configuration Manager console.

Use the below procedure to uninstall SCCM client from remote computer using Right Click Tools:

• Launch the Configuration Manager console.
• Navigate to Assets and Compliance\Overview\Devices.
• Right-click a device and select Right Click Tools > Client Tools > Uninstall SCCM Client.

You get a message box asking “Are you sure you want to uninstall the client on machine“. Click Yes to confirm the removal of ConfigMgr client.

Monitor SCCM Client Agent Uninstall with Log Files

After you remove ConfigMgr client from the computer, you can monitor the client agent uninstall with the help of log files. There are two ConfigMgr log files that you review to monitor the SCCM client uninstall process.

• Ccmsetup.log: This provides information about client-based operating system actions. Can be used to troubleshoot client installation problems.
• Client.msi_uninstall.log: Records the uninstallation of SCCM client agent on computer.

To monitor the SCCM client agent uninstall, go to C:\Windows\ccmsetup\Logs on the computer and open the ccmsetup.log file to monitor the client uninstallation. The line “CcmSetup is exiting with return code 0” in ccmsetup.log confirms that the SCCM client has been removed successfully.

You can use any of the ConfigMgr log file viewers to open the SCCM log files and review the details. The below log snippet is of ccmsetup.log from the C:\Windows\ccmsetup\Logs path on the client computer. This log file records the details of the ConfigMgr client removal.

==========[ ccmsetup started in process 6908 ]==========	ccmsetup
Running on platform X64
Detected client installed with version '5.00.9068.1026'	ccmsetup
Updated security on object C:\Windows\ccmsetup\cache\.	ccmsetup
Launch from folder C:\Windows\ccmsetup\	ccmsetup
CcmSetup version: 5.0.9068.1026	ccmsetup
Folder 'Microsoft\Microsoft\Configuration Manager' not found. Task does not exist.
Folder 'Microsoft\Microsoft\Configuration Manager' not found. Task does not exist.
Updating MDM_ConfigSetting.ClientDeploymentErrorCode with value 0
[CORPM1] Running on 'Microsoft Windows 10 Pro' (10.0.19044). Service Pack (0.0). SuiteMask = 272. Product Type = 18	ccmsetup	
Ccmsetup command line: "C:\Windows\ccmsetup\ccmsetup.exe" /uninstall
Task 'Configuration Manager Client Retry Task' does not exist
Uninstalling product '{D95FAB92-2BDF-488A-BE50-22B7C7C724D5}'.
Running installation package
  Product:     {D95FAB92-2BDF-488A-BE50-22B7C7C724D5}
  Log:         C:\Windows\ccmsetup\Logs\client.msi_uninstall.log
  Properties: 
MSI: Action 18:32:59: CcmRemoveSystemTask. Deletes a System Task from WMI.
MSI: Action 18:32:59: CcmRemoveEndpoint. Removes endpoint gathered in the action CcmRemoveEndpointsInit with WMI
MSI: Action 18:33:13: RemoveRegistryValues. Removing system registry values
Uninstall of product '{D95FAB92-2BDF-488A-BE50-22B7C7C724D5}' succeeded.	
Uninstall succeeded.
Deleted file C:\Windows\ccmsetup\ccmsetup.cab	ccmsetup
Failed to delete file '\\?\C:\Windows\ccmsetup\ccmsetup.exe' (5). Moving it to 'C:\CCM466F.tmp' and queuing for deletion on reboot.
Unable to load profiler: 0x80070002	ccmsetup
Could not retrieve value for MDM_ConfigSetting . Error 0x80041002
CcmSetup is exiting with return code 0	ccmsetup

The below log snippet is of client.msi_uninstall.log from the C:\Windows\ccmsetup\Logs path on the client computer. This log file records the details of the SCCM client agent uninstall.

MSI (s) (50:B0) [17:40:37:417]: Product: Configuration Manager Client -- Removal completed successfully.
MSI (s) (50:B0) [17:40:37:417]: Windows Installer removed the product. Product Name: Configuration Manager Client. Product Version: 5.00.9068.1000. Product Language: 1033. Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation. Removal success or error status: 0.
MSI (s) (50:B0) [17:40:37:417]: Value of RebootAction property is 
MSI (s) (50:B0) [17:40:37:417]: Windows Installer requires a system restart. Product Name: Configuration Manager Client. Product Version: 5.00.9068.1000. Product Language: 1033. Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation. Type of System Restart: 2. Reason for Restart: 1.
MSI (s) (50:B0) [17:40:37:417]: Product: Configuration Manager Client. Restart required. The installation or update for the product required a restart for all changes to take effect.  The restart was deferred to a later time.
MSI (s) (50:B0) [17:40:37:433]: Deferring clean up of packages/files, if any exist
MSI (s) (50:B0) [17:40:37:433]: MainEngineThread is returning 3010
MSI (s) (50:64) [17:40:37:433]: RESTART MANAGER: Session closed.
MSI (s) (50:64) [17:40:37:433]: No System Restore sequence number for this installation.
=== Logging stopped: 3/28/2022  17:40:37 ===
MSI (s) (50:64) [17:40:37:433]: User policy value 'DisableRollback' is 0
MSI (s) (50:64) [17:40:37:433]: Machine policy value 'DisableRollback' is 0
MSI (s) (50:64) [17:40:37:433]: Incrementing counter to disable shutdown. Counter after increment: 0
MSI (s) (50:64) [17:40:37:433]: Note: 1: 1402 2: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\Rollback\Scripts 3: 2 
MSI (s) (50:64) [17:40:37:433]: Note: 1: 2265 2:  3: -2147287035 
MSI (s) (50:64) [17:40:37:433]: Note: 1: 1402 2: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\Rollback\Scripts 3: 2 
MSI (s) (50:64) [17:40:37:433]: Decrementing counter to disable shutdown. If counter >= 0, shutdown will be denied.  Counter after decrement: -1
MSI (s) (50:64) [17:40:37:433]: Post-install cleanup: removing installer file 'C:\Windows\Installer\11e95ea.msi'
MSI (s) (50:64) [17:40:37:449]: Post-install cleanup: removing installer file 'C:\Windows\Installer\11e95eb.msp'
MSI (s) (50:64) [17:40:37:449]: Post-install cleanup: removing installer file 'C:\Windows\Installer\188253b.msp'
MSI (s) (50:64) [17:40:37:449]: Destroying RemoteAPI object.
MSI (s) (50:24) [17:40:37:449]: Custom Action Manager thread ending.
MSI (c) (B0:CC) [17:40:37:449]: Decrementing counter to disable shutdown. If counter >= 0, shutdown will be denied.  Counter after decrement: -1
MSI (c) (B0:CC) [17:40:37:449]: MainEngineThread is returning 3010

Final Thoughts

You can remove SCCM client using any of the techniques described in this post. Select the strategy that will work best for your business. ConfigMgr agent installation is required in order to manage computers using SCCM. Therefore, make sure that the SCCM agent is running on all of your devices.