Powershell: delete all the registry keys containing a string

Question

I would like to delete all the keys (1000+) containing Python35 from :HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-2\Components

For instance I would like to delete all the keys similar to that one:

Keyname: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-2\Components\0027CAECCC428F356B8D845FF8331246
Name: 0F617A7B1C879BC47865E0155CDD6722
Data: C:\Users\Me\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python35\Lib\venv\__init__.py

I tried this.

Get-ChildItem -path HKLM:SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-2\Components\ -Recurse | where { $_.Name -match 'Python35'} | Remove-Item -Force

Powershell runs without error,but when I check it in the registry, the keys are still there.

Powershell is run as admin and Admin has the ownership of the key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-2\Components and also full control on that key and its subkeys.

What output do you get if you omit the Remove-Item, is there any? Check the properties of Get-ChildItem HKLM:key |Get-Member — user6811411
– user6811411, Commented May 26, 2017 at 8:40
No output if I omit the | Remove-Item -Force part. I didn't find a Get-ChildItem in the list cf paste.ubuntu.com/24664764 — MagTun
– MagTun, Commented May 26, 2017 at 8:50
Your example key does say Python36 and not Python35. This will not match. — restless1987
– restless1987, Commented May 26, 2017 at 9:00
Sorry, I took the wrong key, there are keys containing Python35 — MagTun
– MagTun, Commented May 26, 2017 at 9:06

user6811411 · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-26 09:46:41Z

10

Try the following script:

$RE = 'Python35'
$Key = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-2\Components'
Get-ChildItem $Key -Rec -EA SilentlyContinue | ForEach-Object {
   $CurrentKey = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $_.PsPath)
   If ($CurrentKey -match $RE){
     $CurrentKey|Remove-Item -Force -Whatif
   }
}

If the output looks OK remove the -WhatIf paramter from Remove-Item

answered May 26, 2017 at 9:46

user6811411

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2 Comments

MagTun Over a year ago

It's working but I wonder why the code my question doesn't work.

user6811411 Over a year ago

I think the Get-ChildItem output from the registry provider isn't directly parseable

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