Uninstalling WebSphere Application Server

If the WebSphere Application Server Advanced Edition is installed and migrated into the same directory as a previous Advanced Single Server Edition installation, the Advanced Single Server Edition installation is no longer a valid installation. Do not run the uninstallation program because it uninstalls the new Advanced Edition installation.

Further, if the WebSphere Application Server Advanced Edition is installed and migrated into the same directory as a previous Advanced Single Server Edition installation, the Advanced Single Server Edition property files are lost. If you plan on manually migrating any of your property files, back up the Advanced Single Server Edition property files before installing the Advanced Edition.

To uninstall WebSphere Application Server:

  1. Run the uninstwas40.exe file in the main WebSphere Application Server directory. For example, enter the command uninstwas40 at a prompt in the main product directory.
  2. Select Yes when asked if you want to uninstall the product.
  3. Select whether you want to back up your product files.
  4. After the uninstallation program runs, reboot your system.

Note that, instead of running the uninstwas40.exe file, you can uninstall WebSphere Application Server using the Add/Remove Programs option of the Windows Control Panel.

If WebSphere Application Server files do not completely uninstall from your system--for example, there is a power failure or a system crash--then you can do the following to remove the WebSphere Application Server files:

  1. Backup any WebSphere development and configuration data that you want saved.
  2. Stop any WebSphere services that are running.
  3. Delete WebSphere program files. That is, delete the WAS_HOME directory.
  4. Delete WebSphere registry entries under
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\IBM\WebSphere Application Server\4.0
  5. Delete the Service entry in the registry:
    SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Services\\IBM WS AdminServer 4.0\\Parameters
  6. Delete the uninstall entry in the registry:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\IBMWebASDeinstall
  7. Ensure that the environment variable WAS_HOME does not exist. If it does exist, remove it.
  8. Ensure that WAS_HOME\bin was not added to the PATH environment variable. If it was added, remove it.
  9. Reboot your system.

IBM HTTP Server is not uninstalled by the WebSphere Application Server uninstall program. If you installed IBM HTTP Server as part of the WebSphere Application Server installation, you must run the IBM HTTP Server uninstall program.