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📢 Uninstalling PaperCut MF Client via Intune – A Step-by-Step Guide 🚀

🔍 Scenario Overview

Managing software across an enterprise can be a headache, especially when it comes to removing outdated applications. Recently, I needed to uninstall the PaperCut MF Client from multiple Windows PCs in my environment. The challenge? Ensuring a clean removal without user intervention and no leftover files.

Rather than relying on manual uninstallation, we used Microsoft Intune to deploy a PowerShell script that handles the removal automatically. This blog post details the full process, from script development to deployment and testing.

🎯 The Goal

✅ Uninstall the PaperCut MF Client silently
✅ Ensure no residual files are left behind
✅ Deploy the solution via Intune as a PowerShell script (NOT as a Win32 app)
✅ Test both locally and remotely before large-scale deployment

🛠 Step 1: Writing the Uninstall Script

We first created a PowerShell script to:

  1. Stop PaperCut-related processes
  2. Run the built-in uninstaller (unins000.exe) if present
  3. Use MSIEXEC to remove the MSI-based install
  4. Forcefully delete any remaining files and registry entries

📝 The Uninstall Script

# Define variables
$UninstallExePath = "C:\Program Files (x86)\PaperCut MF Client\unins000.exe"
$MsiProductCode = "{5B4B80DE-34C4-11E9-9CA9-F53BB8A68831}"  # Replace with actual Product Code
$LogFile = "C:\ProgramData\Custom-Intune-Scripts\Papercut-Uninstall.log"
$InstallPath = "C:\Program Files (x86)\PaperCut MF Client"

# Function to log output
Function Write-Log {
    param ([string]$Message)
    $TimeStamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
    "$TimeStamp - $Message" | Out-File -Append -FilePath $LogFile
}

Write-Log "Starting PaperCut MF Client uninstallation process."

# Stop any running PaperCut processes before uninstalling
$Processes = @("pc-client", "pc-client-java", "pc-client-local-cache")  # Common PaperCut processes
foreach ($Process in $Processes) {
    if (Get-Process -Name $Process -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
        Write-Log "Stopping process: $Process"
        Stop-Process -Name $Process -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Check if unins000.exe exists
if (Test-Path $UninstallExePath) {
    Write-Log "Found unins000.exe at $UninstallExePath. Initiating uninstallation."
    Start-Process -FilePath $UninstallExePath -ArgumentList "/SILENT" -NoNewWindow -Wait
    Write-Log "Uninstallation process completed using unins000.exe."
} else {
    Write-Log "unins000.exe not found. Attempting MSI uninstallation using Product Code $MsiProductCode."
    Start-Process -FilePath "msiexec.exe" -ArgumentList "/x $MsiProductCode /qn /norestart" -NoNewWindow -Wait
}

# Forcefully delete the remaining installation folder
if (Test-Path $InstallPath) {
    Write-Log "Residual files found at $InstallPath. Attempting to remove forcefully."
    takeown /F "$InstallPath" /R /D Y | Out-Null
    icacls "$InstallPath" /grant Administrators:F /T /C /Q | Out-Null
    Remove-Item -Path $InstallPath -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if (-not (Test-Path $InstallPath)) {
        Write-Log "SUCCESS: Residual files successfully removed."
    } else {
        Write-Log "ERROR: Failed to remove residual files. Manual intervention may be required."
    }
} else {
    Write-Log "No residual files found."
}

Write-Log "PaperCut MF Client uninstallation script execution finished."

🧪 Step 2: Testing the Script Locally

Before deploying via Intune, it's best to test locally:

  1. Open PowerShell as Administrator
  2. Run the script manually:
powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Path\To\Script.ps1"
  1. Verify:
  2. Check C:\Program Files (x86)\PaperCut MF Client to confirm deletion
  3. Check C:\ProgramData\AXA-Custom-Intune-Scripts\Papercut-Uninstall.log for success logs

🌍 Step 3: Running the Script on a Remote PC

If you need to test the script remotely before deploying via Intune:

$RemotePC = "COMPUTER-NAME"  # Change this to the target PC name
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $RemotePC -FilePath "C:\Path\To\Script.ps1" -Credential (Get-Credential)

📡 Step 4: Deploying via Intune

Instead of packaging the script as a .intunewin file, we will deploy it as a PowerShell script in Intune.

🎯 Steps to Deploy in Intune

  1. Go to Microsoft Endpoint Manager admin center (endpoint.microsoft.com)
  2. Navigate to Devices > Scripts
  3. Click Add > Windows 10 and later
  4. Upload the PowerShell script (Papercut-Uninstall.ps1)
  5. Configure settings:
  6. Run script using the logged-on credentials? → No (runs as SYSTEM)
  7. Enforce script signature check? → No
  8. Run script in 64-bit PowerShell Host? → Yes
  9. Assign the script to device groups (not users)
  10. Monitor deployment logs in Intune

📌 Final Thoughts

By using Intune and PowerShell, we successfully automated the silent uninstallation of PaperCut MF Client. This approach ensures a zero-touch removal with no residual files, keeping endpoints clean and manageable. 🚀

Got questions or need enhancements? Drop them in the comments! 😊

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Copyright © 2025 Matthew Pollock