Remove-Dell-Bloatware

Remove-Dell-Bloatware

Comprehensive PowerShell script to remove Dell pre-installed software (bloatware) from Windows machines. Battle-tested on 1000+ Dell devices.

Files Included

File	Description
dellBloatware.ps1	Main PowerShell script that performs the removal
install.cmd	Wrapper for Intune deployment
detection.ps1	Intune detection script for "run once" behavior

What It Removes

• Dell SupportAssist (all variants)
• Dell Command Update
• Dell Digital Delivery
• Dell Optimizer
• Dell Power Manager
• Dell Customer Connect
• My Dell
• Dell TechHub
• Dell Analytics
• And many more Dell utilities...

Features

• Multiple removal methods: Registry-based, CIM/WMI, direct uninstallers, UWP apps
• Timeout support: Prevents hanging on stubborn uninstallers (10 min default)
• Retry mechanism: Automatically retries failed uninstalls
• Service management: Stops and disables Dell services before removal
• Process termination: Kills running Dell processes
• Registry cleanup: Removes Dell registry entries and startup items
• Scheduled task removal: Removes Dell scheduled tasks
• Verification: Confirms removal after execution
• Comprehensive logging: Detailed logs for troubleshooting

Requirements

• Windows 10/11
• PowerShell 5.1 or later
• Administrator privileges (required)

Usage

Standalone Execution

# Run as Administrator
Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force
.\dellBloatware.ps1

Or right-click the script and select "Run with PowerShell" (as Administrator).

Intune Deployment

The script includes files for Microsoft Intune deployment:

Files

File	Purpose
dellBloatware.ps1	Main removal script
install.cmd	Wrapper script for Intune execution
detection.ps1	Detection script for "run once" behavior

Setup as Win32 App

1. Package the files - Include all three files in your .intunewin package
2. Install command: install.cmd
3. Uninstall command: cmd /c echo Uninstall not applicable
4. Detection rule: Use detection.ps1 as a custom script
   • Script runs in: 64-bit context
   • Enforce script signature check: No
   • Run script in 32-bit on 64-bit clients: No

How Detection Works

The detection script implements a "run once" pattern:

• Exit 1 (Not Compliant): Script hasn't run yet → Intune will execute the install
• Exit 0 (Compliant): Marker file exists → Intune skips execution

This prevents the script from running repeatedly on every Intune sync.

Marker File

After successful execution, the script creates:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\IntuneManagementExtension\Logs\DellBloatwareRemoval_Executed.marker

Delete this file if you need to force re-execution on a device.

Configuration

You can adjust these settings at the top of the script:

$TimeoutMinutes = 10        # Max time per application uninstall
$MaxRetries = 2             # Number of retry attempts
$RetryDelaySeconds = 30     # Wait time between retries

Output Files

File	Description
C:\ComprehensiveDellBloatwareRemoval.log	Main execution log
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\IntuneManagementExtension\Logs\DellBloatwareRemoval_Detail.log	Detailed log (Intune path)
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\IntuneManagementExtension\Logs\DellBloatwareRemoval_Summary.json	JSON summary for monitoring
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\IntuneManagementExtension\Logs\DellBloatwareRemoval_Executed.marker	Execution marker for detection

How It Works

1. Stop Services - Stops all Dell-related Windows services
2. Kill Processes - Terminates running Dell processes
3. Uninstall Applications - Removes apps via registry, CIM, and direct uninstallers
4. Remove UWP Apps - Removes Dell Store apps and provisioned packages
5. Clean Folders - Removes Dell directories from Program Files, ProgramData, etc.
6. Clean Registry - Removes Dell registry keys and startup entries
7. Remove Scheduled Tasks - Removes Dell scheduled tasks
8. Retry Failed - Retries any failed uninstalls
9. Aggressive Cleanup - Final pass for stubborn components
10. Verify - Confirms removal completed

Supported Dell Software

The script targets these patterns:

• Dell Command*
• Dell Core Service*
• Dell Optimizer*
• Dell Customer Connect*
• Dell Digital Delivery*
• Dell SupportAssist*
• Dell Update*
• Dell Power Manager*
• My Dell*
• Dell TechHub*
• And more...

Troubleshooting

Script hangs

The script has built-in timeouts (10 minutes per app). If an uninstall hangs, it will be terminated and retried.

Some apps remain after running

1. Reboot the machine
2. Run the script again
3. Check the log file for specific errors

Permission errors

Ensure you're running as Administrator. The script requires elevated privileges to:

• Stop services
• Modify registry
• Remove system files

Verification shows remaining items

Some Dell components may require a reboot to fully remove. The script recommends rebooting after completion.

Exit Codes

Code	Meaning
0	Success (or partial success with some non-critical failures)
1	Critical error during execution

Notes

• Reboot recommended after running to complete removal
• The script adds Windows Defender exclusions to help prevent Dell software from being reinstalled
• Safe to run multiple times - already-removed items are skipped
• Does not remove Dell hardware drivers (only utility software)

License

MIT License