12.5.1 About the Deinstallation Tool

The deinstallation tool stops Oracle software, and removes Oracle software and configuration files on the operating system.

Starting with Oracle Database 12c, the deinstallation tool is integrated with the database installation media. You can run the deinstallation tool using the setup.exe command with the -deinstall and -home options from the base directory of the Oracle Database or Oracle Database Client installation media.

The deinstallation tool is also available as a separate command (deinstall.bat) in Oracle home directories after installation. It is located in the %ORACLE_HOME%\deinstall directory.

The deinstallation tool stops Oracle software, and removes Oracle software and configuration files on the operating system for a specific Oracle home. If you run the deinstallation tool to remove an Oracle Grid Infrastructure for Windows installation, then the deinstaller automatically runs the appropriate scripts to deconfigure Oracle Grid Infrastructure or Oracle Grid Infrastructure for standalone server.

The deinstallation tool uses the information you provide, plus information gathered from the software home to create a response file. You can alternatively supply a response file generated previously by the deinstall.bat command using the -checkonly option and -o option. You can also edit a response file template to create a response file.

Note:

You must run the deinstallation tool from the same release to remove Oracle software. Do not run the deinstallation tool from a later release to remove Oracle software from an earlier release. For example, do not run the deinstallation tool from the Oracle Database 12.2 installation media to remove Oracle software from an existing 11.2.0.4 Oracle home.

If the software in the Oracle home is not running (for example, after an unsuccessful installation), then the deinstallation tool cannot determine the configuration and you must provide all the configuration details either interactively or in a response file.