Unable to run PowerShell uninstall script - powershell

Question

I am trying to start a process and wait for the exit code. The process starts msiexec with an argument list. When i run my script it comes up with the argument help wizard, however if i run the command directly in CMD generated by:
write-host $command
It works as expected. Here is my full script:
# Get uninstall strings from registry, looking for the msiexec option
$applist = Get-ChildItem -Path HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall, HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall |
Get-ItemProperty |
Where-Object {$_.DisplayName -match "Microsoft Visio Standard 2013" -and $_.UninstallString -match "msiexec"} |
Select-Object -Property DisplayName, UninstallString
# Check for any aplications requiring uninstall and output their names
if ($applist) {
foreach ($app in $applist) {
Write-host "$($app.DisplayName) has been detected for uninstall"
}
Write-host "Attempting to uninstall application(s)"
# Uninstall each application that has been identified
foreach ($app in $applist) {
try {
$uninst = $app.UninstallString
$pos = $uninst.IndexOf(" ")
$leftPart = $uninst.Substring(0, $pos)
$rightPart = $uninst.Substring($pos+1)
$command = """$rightPart /qn /L*V ""C:\UninstallVisio.txt"""""
write-host $command
$uninstall = (Start-Process "msiexec.exe" -ArgumentList $command -Wait -Passthru).ExitCode
if($uninstall.ExitCode -ne 0) {
write-host "attempting XML config uninstall"
#**still to be worked on**
}
} catch {
write-host "Unable to uninstall $_.Name Please view logs"
Continue
}
}
}
Exit
# Exit script as no apps to uninstall
else {
write-host "No application(s) detected for uninstall"
Exit
}

Answer 1

Instead of this
$command = "$uninst /qn /L*V ""C:\UninstallVisio.txt"""
try
$command = #(
$uninst
"/qn"
"/L*V"
'"C:\UninstallVisio.txt"'
)
Source: see the last example
https://kevinmarquette.github.io/2016-10-21-powershell-installing-msi-files/

Answer 2

#Get uninstall strings from registry, looking for the msiexec option
$applist = Get-ChildItem -Path HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall, HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall |
Get-ItemProperty |
Where-Object {$_.DisplayName -match "Microsoft Visio Standard 2013" -and $_.UninstallString -match "msiexec"} |
Select-Object -Property DisplayName, UninstallString
#Check for any aplications requiring uninstall and output their names
if ($applist){
foreach ($app in $applist){
Write-host "$($app.DisplayName) has been detected for uninstall"
}
Write-host "Attempting to uninstall application(s)"
#Uninstall each application that has been identified
foreach ($app in $applist){
try
{
$uninst = $app.UninstallString
$pos = $uninst.IndexOf(" ")
$leftPart = $uninst.Substring(0, $pos)
$rightPart = $uninst.Substring($pos+1)
$command = #(
$rightPart
"/qn"
"/L*V"
'"C:\UninstallVisio.txt"'
)
write-host $command
$uninstall = (Start-Process "msiexec.exe" -ArgumentList $command -Wait -Passthru).ExitCode
If($uninstall.ExitCode -ne 0){
write-host "attempting XML config uninstall"
}
}
catch{
write-host "Unable to uninstall $_.Name Please view logs"
Continue
}
Exit
}
}
#Exit script as no apps to uninstall
else {
write-host "No application(s) detected for uninstall"
Exit
}

Answer 3

It looks like you are trying to run msiexec.exe with ArgumentList "msiexec.exe /x {ProductCode}".
Powershell is trying to run your command as "msiexec.exe msiexec.exe /x {ProductCode}"