http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH212946
Issue
The customer reported that during an upgrade from ITMS 7.1 to ITMS 7.5, when trying to uninstall the Symantec Managenent Agent he noted that most files under Windows\System32 directory were missing.
In this case the customer was using AexNSAgent.exe /uninstall or AexAgentUtil.exe /clean to uninstall the Symantec Management Agent.
Steps:
1. Install SMA and receive configuration
2. Open registry and browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Event Logging\LogFile
3. Set Windows folder as SMA logs location folder
4. Uninstall SMA (AexNSAgent.exe /uninstall or AexAgentUtil.exe /clean
Actual result: Uninstall process would attempt to erase the complete file tree including windows system files. in my case more than 2000 files were erased from c:\windows tree
Expected result: Only log folder should be erased or/and Agent*.log files.
Environment
ITMS 7.5
Cause
Please note that this is NOT a regresssion in ITMS 7.5 - the problem was also applicable to earlier releases and happens only with custom changes for log file path location.
In this particular instance, the customer had the incorrect SMA agent log file path in the registry (check “FilePathâ€under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Event Logging\LogFile). Removal process uses the entries "FileName" and "FilePath" from "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Event Logging\LogFile"
Another option when this could happen is when there is no logging folder specified in the registry, in this case uninstall will try removing files from the process's current folder, which can be anything in the general case.
Solution
Symantec has acknowledged that the above-mentioned issue is present in the current version of the product mentioned earlier on this article. Symantec is committed to product quality and satisfied customers.
Symantec currently plans to address this issue by including a fix in the next ITMS 7.5 Hotfix: Hotfix 2. Please be sure to refer back to this document periodically as any changes to the status of the issue will be reflected here. A link to the Release Notes will be added to this document when it becomes available. Please note that Symantec reserves the right to remove any fix from the targeted release if it does not pass quality assurance tests. Symantec’s plans are subject to change and any action taken by you based on the above information or your reliance upon the above information is made at your own risk.
Development changed the Agent behavior where it should not remove all the files from this folder, only agent*.log files, then it should remove the folder only if it’s empty. Currently agent tries removing the complete file tree.
