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Q231210: SMS: Smsman.exe Is Unable to Start the Removal Process

Article: Q231210
Product(s): Microsoft Systems Management Server
Version(s): 2.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbClient kbServer kbsms200 kbsms200bug kbsmsUtil
Last Modified: 12-JAN-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Systems Management Server version 2.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you use the Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2.0 Installation
Wizard (Smsman.exe) to remove SMS components from a Microsoft Windows NT or
Windows 2000 client, you receive the following error message:

  Systems Management was unable to start the removal process.

After you click OK to close the error message, you receive the following
message:

  No changes have been made to your system. If you need assistance, contact
  your SMS administrator.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior can occur if the original SMS client component installation was
not successfully completed. The removal process requires one of the components
(Clicore.exe) to be successfully installed.

WORKAROUND
==========

The SMS client components can be forcibly removed by using the 20CliCln.bat
utility that is included with the SMS 2.0 Service Pack 2 Support Tools package.
Updated support tools are available from the following Microsoft Web site:

  http://www.microsoft.com/smsmgmt

To install SMS 2.0 supportability files and run the Client Cleaner utility,
follow these steps:

1. Run Support\Support.exe from the SMS 2.0 installation compact disc or Web
  site download on the site server or a network server.

2. Share the SMS 2.0 Supportability Files folder for read-only access.

3. Connect to the SMS 2.0 Supportability Files share from the Windows NT or
  Windows 2000 client.

4. Start Reskit\Bin\I386\Cleancli\20clicln.bat.

NOTE: You must have Administrator rights on the client computer when using this
tool. Otherwise, some SMS 2.0 files and registry settings will not be removed.

The Client Cleaner utility can also be copied to run locally on the client
computer. The following files must be copied to the new location for the utility
to operate successfully:

- 20CliCln.bat

- Hammer.exe

- Kill.exe

- SetEvnt.exe

Client Cleaner Syntax:

  20clicln.bat [/SCRUB]

  /SCRUB

This causes the Smscfg.ini file to be deleted from the directory indicated by
%SMS_LOCAL_DIR%; it represents a more thorough cleanup because the Smscfg.ini
file may contain the previous SMS identifier used by the client.


Additional query words: prodsms

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbClient kbServer kbsms200 kbsms200bug kbsmsUtil 
Technology        : kbSMSSearch kbSMS200
Version           : :2.0
Issue type        : kbprb
Solution Type     : kbnofix

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