5 Removing Oracle Database Client Software

5.1 About the Deinstallation Tool

The Deinstallation Tool (deinstall) is available in the installation media before installation, and is available in Oracle home directories after installation. It is located in the path $ORACLE_HOME/deinstall.

The deinstall command stops Oracle software, and removes Oracle software and configuration files on the operating system.

The command uses the following syntax, where variable content is indicated by italics:

deinstall -home complete path of Oracle home [-silent] [-checkonly] [-local]
[-paramfile complete path of input parameter property file] [-params name1=value
name2=value . . .] [-o complete path of directory for saving files] [-help | -h]
 

The options are:

• -silent

  Use this flag to run the command in response file or silent mode. If you use the -silent flag, then you must use the -paramfile flag, and provide a parameter file that contains the configuration values for the Oracle home that you want to deinstall or deconfigure.

  You can generate a parameter file to use or modify by running deinstall with the -checkonly flag. The deinstall command then discovers information from the Oracle home that you want to deinstall and deconfigure. It generates the properties file, which you can then use with the -silent option

  You can also modify the template file deinstall.rsp.tmpl, located in the response folder.

• -checkonly

  Use this flag to check the status of the Oracle software home configuration. Running the command with the checkonly flag does not remove the Oracle configuration. The checkonly flag generates a parameter file that you can use with the deinstall command.

• -local

  Use this flag on a multinode environment to deconfigure Oracle software in a cluster.

  When you run deconfig with this flag, it deconfigures and deinstalls the Oracle software on the local node (the node where deconfig is run). On remote nodes, it deconfigures Oracle software, but does not deinstall the Oracle software.

• -paramfile complete path of input parameter property file

  Use this flag to run deconfig with a parameter file in a location other than the default. When you use this flag, provide the complete path where the parameter file is located.

  The default location of the parameter file depends on the location of deconfig:

  • From the installation media or stage location: $ORACLE_HOME/inventory/response

  • From a unzipped archive file from OTN: /ziplocation/response

  • After installation from the installed Oracle home: $ORACLE_HOME/deinstall/response

• -params [name1=value name 2=value name3=value . . .]

  Use this flag with a parameter file to override one or more values that you want to change in a parameter file you have already created.

• -o complete path of directory for saving response files

  Use this flag to provide a path other than the default location where the properties file (deinstall.rsp.tmpl) is saved.

  The default location of the parameter file depends on the location of deconfig:

  • From the installation media or stage location before installation: $ORACLE_HOME/

  • From a unzipped archive file from OTN: /ziplocation/response/

  • After installation from the installed Oracle home: $ORACLE_HOME/deinstall/response

• -help | -h

  Use the help option (-help or -h) to obtain additional information about the command option flags.

5.2 Example of Running the Deinstall Command

As the deinstall command runs, you are prompted to provide the home directory of the Oracle software that you want to remove from your system. Provide additional information as prompted.

If you enter the deinstall command outside of the $ORACLE_HOME/deinstall folder, then help is displayed, unless you enter a -home flag and provide a path. If you run the deinstall command from the $ORACLE_HOME/deinstall folder, then deinstallation starts without prompting you for a home address.

Use the optional flag -paramfile to provide a path to a parameter file.

In the following example, the deinstall command is in the path /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2/client_1/deinstall, and and it uses a parameter file in the software owner location /home/usr/oracle:

# cd /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2/client_1/deinstall/
# ./deinstall -paramfile /home/usr/oracle/myparamfile.tmpl

You are prompted to provide the home directory of the Oracle software that you intend to remove from your system. Provide additional information as you are prompted by the tool.

5.3 Example of a Deinstallation Parameter file

You can run the deinstall command with the -paramfile option to use the values you specify in the parameter file. The following is an example of a parameter file, in which the Oracle Database binary owner is oracle, the Oracle Database home (Oracle home) is in the path /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/client_1/, the Oracle base (where other Oracle software is installed) is /u01/app/oracle/, the central Oracle Inventory home (oraInventory) is /u01/app/oraInventory, and the client is client1:

ORACLE_BASE=/u01/app/oracle
INVENTORY_LOCATION=/u01/app/oraInventory
CRS_HOME=false
HOME_TYPE=CLIENT
ORA_CRS_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/11.2.0/grid
silent=false
local=false
LOCAL_NODE=node1
LOGDIR=/u01/app/oraInventory/logs/
ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/client_1

5.4 Removing Oracle Software

Complete the following procedure to remove Oracle software:

1. Log in as the installation owner.

2. Run the deinstall command, providing information about your servers as prompted.