Custom Action - Delete Specific File

This document outlines how to use a Custom Action to delete a specific file from a target machine.

This custom action uses the CMD syntax to delete a file. Because Custom Actions are run as the Local System account, they must be run in a silent/unattended/quiet mode as no prompts will show up on a target machine for a user.

1. Create a NewDeployment Template;enter a Name for theTemplate, andSaveit.
 
  
1. Alternatively - open an existingDeployment Templateyou wish to modify.
 
2. Click theCustomActionstab.
3. Click theNewoption.

4. In the Custom Actions window, leave Step 1 as 'All deployments using this template', Step 2 will remain disabled, Step 3 set to 'Before any patches', and Step 4 enter the following:DEL /Q "PATH TO SPECIFIC FILE"
 
  
1. DEL- Delete one or more files.
  
2. /Q- Quiet mode, do not give a Yes/No Prompt before deleting.
  
3. "PATH TO SPECIFIC FILE"- The full path to the file that should be deleted.
 

Example:DEL /Q "C:\Windows\ProPatches\Patches\Wireshark-win64-1.8.9.exe"
This would Quietly delete the Wireshark patch located at C:\Windows\ProPatches\Patches\ on the machine we deployed to.
More Info: http://ss64.com/nt/del.html

5. Deploy the null patch (or use with any other patch deployment) and before the patches are installed the command to delete the specific file will execute.