HOWTO: Manually Uninstall Microsoft Message Queue Server

ID: Q202124

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Message Queue Server version 1.0

SUMMARY

In the event that Microsoft Message Queue Server (MSMQ) must be uninstalled manually, the following steps will demonstrate how to remove the necessary MSMQ components to allow a clean re-installation of MSMQ without any conflicts with a previous installation.

MORE INFORMATION

Depending on the type of MSMQ installation, the following information will demonstrate the necessary steps to remove MSMQ. It is very important to backup the system prior to performing these steps. Failure to do so may result in the loss of critical files.

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

For Microsoft Windows NT Primary Enterprise Controller (PEC), Primary Site Controller (PSC), Backup Site Controller (BSC), Routing Server (RS), or Independent Client (IC):
1. Stop the Microsoft Message Queue and the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MSDTC) services in the Control Panel Services applet.
2. Stop the MQAC driver. Open a new command prompt window and execute the command:
```
   net stop mqac 
```
3. For a site controller (a PEC, PSC, or BSC), use SQL enterprise manager to delete the MQIS database and both MQIS devices (mqisdata and mqislog). This must be done before deleting the MSMQ folder, otherwise the database files will not be deleted.
4. For a site controller ( a PEC, PSC, or BSC ), run the control panel ODBC Data Sources applet and delete the MQIS system DSN.
5. Delete the folder where MSMQ is installed. For example:
```
   C:\Program Files\MSMQ 
```
6. Delete the following MQ DLL's and files from the C:\Winnt\System32 directory (NOTE: Not all of the files in the following list will appear in every type of MSMQ installation, these shown are for a PEC):
  - Mqcertui.dll
  - Mqdbmgr.dll
  - Mqdscli.dll
  - Mqdssrv.dll
  - Mqis.dll
  - Mqkey.dll
  - Mqkeyhlp.dll
  - Mqlogmgr.dll
  - Mqmailoa.dll (This DLL is only installed with the Exchange connector.)
  - mqmailvb.dll (This DLL is only installed with the Exchange connector.)
  - Mqoa.dll
  - Mqperf.dll
  - Mqqm.dll
  - Mqrt.dll
  - Mqsrvkey.exe
  - Mqsvc.exe
  - Mqutil.dll
  - Mqxp32.dll
7. Delete MQAC.sys from C:\Winnt\System32\Drivers.
8. Delete the Microsoft Message Queue shotcut folder. Depending on where MSMQ was installed from, the shortcut folder may be in a different location. For example:
```
   C:\WinNT\Profiles\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\  
```
  or for the Option Pack version:
```
   C:\WinNT\Profiles\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack 
```
9. Use RegEdit or RegEdt32 to delete the following MSMQ entries: (Select the MSMQ folder then click Delete from the Edit menu).
```
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MSMQ
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSMQ
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MQAC
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet###\ControlSets\Services\MSMQ  
```
  NOTE: The "###" represents different number values. Not all ControlSet### entries will have an MSMQ entry, but remove all that do.
10. For a PSC, BSC, RS, or IC installation, delete the computer from Microsoft Message Queue Explorer on a different computer in the Enterprise. To remove the computer from the Enterprise:
  1. Launch Microsoft Message Queue Explorer and browse the computer to be removed.
  2. Right-click on the computer and select Properties.
  3. On the Security tab, click Ownership then click Take Ownership.
  4. Click Permissions and add the currently logged on user with Full Control(All) and click OK.
  5. Right-click the computer and select Delete.

For Microsoft Windows NT MSMQ Dependent Client:
1. Delete the folder where MSMQ is installed. For example:
```
   C:\Program Files\MSMQ 
```
2. Delete the Microsoft Message Queue shotcut folder. Depending on where MSMQ was installed from, the shortcut folder may be in a different location. For example:
```
   C:\WinNT\Profiles\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\  
```
  or for Option Pack version:
```
   C:\WinNT\Profiles\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack 
```
3. Use RegEdit or RegEdt32 to delete the following MSMQ entries: (Select the MSMQ folder then click Delete from the Edit menu)
```
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MSMQ 
```
4. Delete the following MQ DLL's and files from the C:\Winnt\System32 directory (NOTE: Not all of the following files listed will appear in every type of MSMQ installation.):
  - Mqcertui.dll
  - Mqdbmgr.dll
  - Mqdscli.dll
  - Mqdssrv.dll
  - Mqis.dll
  - Mqkey.dll
  - Mqkeyhlp.dll
  - Mqlogmgr.dll
  - Mqmailoa.dll
  - Mqmailvb.dll
  - Mqoa.dll
  - Mqperf.dll
  - Mqqm.dll
  - Mqrt.dll
  - Mqsrvkey.exe
  - Mqsvc.exe
  - Mqutil.dll
  - Mqxp32.dll

For Windows 95 Independent or Dependent Client:
1. Delete the folder where MSMQ is installed. For example:
  
  C:\Program Files\MSMQ
2. Delete the Microsoft Message Queue shotcut folder. For example:
  
  C:\Win95\Start Menu\Programs\
3. Use RegEdit or RegEdt32 to delete the following MSMQ entries: (Select the MSMQ folder then click Delete from the Edit menu).
```
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MSMQ 
```
4. If the computer is an Independent Client, delete the computer from the Microsoft Message Queue Explorer on a different computer in the Enterprise. To remove the computer from the Enterprise:
  1. Launch Microsoft Message Queue Explorer and browse the computer to be removed.
  2. Right-click on the computer and select Properties.
  3. On the Security tab, click Ownership then click Take Ownership.
  4. Click Permissions and add the currently logged on user with Full Control(All) and click OK.
  5. Right-click the computer and select Delete.
5. Delete the following MQ DLL's and files from the C:\Windows\System directory (NOTE: Not all of the following files listed will appear in every type of MSMQ installation):
  - Mqac.dll
  - Mqcertui.dll
  - Mqdscli.dll
  - Mqkey.dll
  - Mqkeyhlp.dll
  - Mqlogmgr.dll
  - Mqmailoa.dll
  - Mqmailvb.dll
  - Mqoa.dll
  - Mqpostbt.exe
  - Mqqm.dll
  - Mqrt.dll
  - Mqsetup.dll
  - Mqsvc.exe
  - Mqutil.dll
  - Mqxp32.dll

After the steps earlier have been implemented, restarting the computer will complete the removal of MSMQ.

NOTE: For PEC, PSC, BSC, RS, or IC installations, upon restart the MSDTC service will be started, and the Microsoft Message Queue service will no longer appear in the Control Panel Services applet.

REFERENCES

Refer to the Microsoft Message Queue Admininstration Guide for instructions on the proper installation MSMQ.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbMSMQ100 kbDSupport
Version : winnt:1.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbhowto