How to Uninstall 9.x License Manager

Unlike other ESRI components which are mostly Microsoft Installer packages, ESRI's ArcGIS 9.x LM installation was configured and packaged with the WISE Solutions (--> Altiris --> Symantec) Wise Installation System. Normally the uninstaller for all Wise based deployments will be an "unwise32.exe" coupled with a log file of the installation located somewhere in the installation directory.

So, the typical ArcGIS 9.x LM uninstall string would be:

C:\Program Files\ESRI\License\arcgis9x\UNWISE32.EXE C:\Program Files\ESRI\License\arcgis9x\ARCGIS_LM.LOG "License Manager"

The Wise uninstaller is dependent on details laid down in the log file during installation, if the file is moved, deleted, or corrupt the automated Wise uninstall will abort. If still intact, open the license file to see what path changes have occurred since the install--you might edit the log back to correct paths and retry the Wise uninstaller.

If that fails, or you don't want to try it, ESRI's FlexNet license manager installation is pretty simple, so manual removal is a snap. Before starting, if your concurrent license entitlement for the license server is permanent, locate and save the current license file (.efl9 extension) to a safe location--so you can reuse it.

Use the lmtools.exe GUI to stop the license service.

1) lauch lmtools.exe and select the ArcGIS license pool

2) on the Start/Stop/Reread tab -- "Stop Server"

3) on the Config Services tab -- uncheck "Start server at power up" and "Use Services", and then click on the "Save Service" and then exit the GUI.

Note: These manipulations of the FlexNet license service can all be done from the command line using lmutil commands, but is more convenient using the lmtools GUI.

4) either reboot, or run "services.msc" and stop the ArcGIS license service if still running.

5) now should just be able to delete the folder "C:\Program Files\ESRI\license" and all sub-folders.

There will be a remaining file association for .efl9 that is now broken--it was tied to UpdateLicense.exe that is now gone, but you can clear that out with Piriform's ccleaner.exe or similar, or just edit it out of the registry directly.