FLASH uninstall script

[YeOldeStonecat]

Wanting to get a script going in Syncro for uninstalling Flash. There was a recent thread in the FB Syncro users group where someone asked and some peeps posted what they found, but nobody actually tried. I tried both that were posted and neither worked for me. No matter if it was Flash NPAPI or Flash ActiveX.

Script one that I tried...with no luck...

$client = new-object System.Net.WebClient
$client.DownloadFile(“https://fpdownload.macromedia.com/.../uninstall_flash...”,“c:\windows\temp\uninstall_flash_player.exe”)
start-process -filepath "C:\windows\temp\uninstall_flash_player.exe" -ArgumentList "-uninstall"

Script two....is supposed to leverage Microsofts Flash uninstaller...KB4577586

Created on: 0/01/2021 13:06
Created by: Ben Whitmore
Organization: -
Filename: Install_Flash_Removal_KB4577586.ps1
Target System: Windows 10 Only
===========================================================================

Version:
1.2
Fixed 20H2 coding error - Credit @AndyUpperton

1.1
Basic Transcript Logging added

1.0
Release
#>

#Set Current Directory
$ScriptPath = $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path
$CurrentDir = Split-Path $ScriptPath

$Log = Join-Path $ENV:WINDIR "Temp\Flash_Uninstall.log"
Start-Transcript $Log

#Set WUSA.EXE Variable
$WUSA = "$env:systemroot\System32\wusa.exe"

#Get OS Release ID
$OS_ReleaseID = Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion" | Select-Object -ExpandProperty ReleaseID

#Rename variable for Windows 10 20H2 ReleaseID because the same update is used for 2004/2009
If ($OS_ReleaseID -eq "2009"){
$OS_ReleaseID = "2004"
}

$OS_ProductName = Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion" | Select-Object -ExpandProperty ProductName

#Get OS Architecture
$OS_Architecture = Switch (Get-CIMInstance -Namespace "ROOT\CIMV2" -Class "Win32_Processor" | Select-Object -Unique -ExpandProperty Architecture) {
9 { 'x64-based' }
0 { 'x86-based' }
5 { 'ARM64-based' }
}

#Build OS Version String
$OS_String = ($OS_ProductName -split "\s+" | Select-Object -First 2) -Join ' '

#Build Patch Name String
$PatchRequired = "Update for Removal of Adobe Flash Player for " + $OS_String + " Version " + $OS_ReleaseID + " for " + $OS_Architecture + " systems (KB4577586)"

#Get Patch Titles
$PatchNames = Get-ChildItem $CurrentDir | Where-Object { $_.PSIsContainer } | Foreach-Object { $_.Name }

#Check if the patch has been downloaded for the current system
$PatchFound = $False

#Check Installation
$Patch = Get-Hotfix | Where-Object { $_.HotFixID -match "KB4577586" }
If ($Patch) {
Write-Host "Patch Already Installed"
}
else {

Foreach ($Patch in $PatchNames) {
If ($Patch -eq $PatchRequired) {
$PatchFound = $True

#Get MSU from the correct Directory
$MSU = Get-ChildItem (Join-Path $CurrentDir $Patch) -Recurse | Where-Object { $_.Extension -eq ".msu" }
$MSUFullPath = Join-Path (Join-Path $CurrentDir $PatchRequired) $MSU.Name

#Set WUSA Args
$Args = @(
"""$MSUFullPath"""
"/quiet"
"/norestart"
)
}
}

#Patch detection determines outcome
If ($PatchFound) {
Write-Host "Patch found for this system"
Write-Host "Patch Required: $($PatchRequired)"
Write-Host "Patch Name: $($MSU.Name)"
Write-Host "`Installing Update..."

#Install Patch
Start-Process -FilePath $WUSA -ArgumentList $Args -Wait

#Check Installation
$Patch = Get-Hotfix | Where-Object { $_.HotFixID -match "KB4577586" }
If ($Patch) {
Write-Host "Patch Installed Successfully"
}
else {
Write-Host "Patch Installation Failed"
}
}
else {
Write-Host "Patch not found for this system"
Write-Host "Patch Required: $($PatchRequired)"
Write-Host "Current System: $($OS_String) $($OS_ReleaseID) $($OS_Architecture) PC"
}
}
Stop-Transcript

 

[HCHTech]

I would also like to do this, but was unsuccessful in automating the process. For my bigger clients, I just downloaded the Adobe uninstaller to their network somewhere and sent an email to all employees asking them to "click HERE to uninstall Flash". This should be simpler.

Edit: I also note that there is a Microsoft update that does the uninstall, but since that was released outside of the WSUS umbrella, it isn't available in Solarwinds Patch Management, so you can't push it that way. It's like they have intentionally not made this manageable. Frustration #41 for January.

I'm on Solarwinds RMM, and asked about this on one of the facebook groups - crickets only response. In a perfect world, since it's not far off the mark to say that every computer should uninstall Flash, Solarwinds would have built this functionality in and offered us a pre-done check, but that would have been too reasonable I suspect.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Solarwinds is too busy putting FTP passwords in the clear to do anything useful these days.