Programming Forums > Application Development > C++

lepricaun · Jan 30th, 2005, 4:12 PM

hi all,

i'm trying to figure out a way to write an application which can delete itself.
i already programmed the deletion of the registry entries, removing all other files as well, but the program itself is something i can not figure out how to remove it.

are there API's which i can use for it, should i use the windows installer like an uninstall program?
if so then how can i use it?

or are there other ways?

Thanks in advance for your replies

tempest · Jan 30th, 2005, 4:21 PM

(Toggle Plain Text)

#include <iostream>
#include <conio.h>
using namepsace std;

void deleteSelfOnRestart(char *self);

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
    char ans = NULL;

    while(ans != 'Y' && ans != 'y' && ans != 'n' && ans != 'N') {
        cout << "Would you like to delete this program upon reboot of the computer? ";
        ans = getch();
        printf("%c\n", ans);
    }

    if(ans == 'y' || ans == 'Y')
        deleteSelfOnRestart(argv[0]);

    return 0;
}

void deleteSelfOnRestart(char *self) {
    char sys[1024] = "echo del \"";
    strcat(sys, self);
    strcat(sys, "\" > C:\autoexec.bat");
    system(sys);
}

This only deletes it when the computer restarts via autoexec.bat (which i might add is said to not always work), but since it can't delete it self while running it's impossible to have a program that deletes itself.

You could also include windows.h and write the del command to the windows registry as a "RunOnce" value for startup. More accurate, but i'm too lazy to write it.

lepricaun · Jan 31st, 2005, 12:48 AM

yeah i was thinking about using RunOnce, but i kinda hoped there was a specific API for this ...

Thanks for your reply

kurifu · Jan 31st, 2005, 2:37 AM

Nah, problem is for your application to delete itself it has to be loaded, in order for it to be loaded the exe file has to be locked from the operating system... so RunOnce here tends to be the smartest way to handle this problem.

I am sure there are other ways around it, by writing "self modifying code" so to speak. Write code which places code somewhere in your memory which will execute but permit the original file from unloading from the memory.

not sure how you would do this, but I imagine it is possible...

lepricaun · Jan 31st, 2005, 2:02 PM

(Toggle Plain Text)

commd       db "cmd.exe /c del ",0

processinfo PROCESS_INFORMATION <>
startup     STARTUPINFO         <>

clbuff      db 500 dup (?)

TotalCleanUp PROC

;delete registry entries
;------------------------
invoke RegOpenKeyEx,HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,addr regkey,0,KEY_SET_VALUE, addr hkey
.IF eax!=0
    invoke RegCloseKey,hkey
    ret
.ENDIF
invoke RegDeleteValue,hkey,addr ProcName
invoke RegCloseKey,hkey


;remove the program itself
;-------------------------

invoke GetCommandLine
mov ComLine,eax

invoke lstrcpy,addr clbuff,addr commd
invoke lstrcat,addr clbuff,ComLine
mov startup.wShowWindow,SW_HIDE
invoke CreateProcess,NULL,addr clbuff,NULL,NULL,FALSE,0,NULL,NULL,addr startup,addr processinfo

invoke ExitProcess,0

TotalCleanUp ENDP

this is the solution i came up with. it works like a charm

btw, here's the same code in C for those who do not understand ASM:

(Toggle Plain Text)

#include <stdio.h>
#include <windows.h>
#include <strings.h>

int main(void)
{
    char buffer[500]="cmd.exe /c del ";
    STARTUPINFO si;
    PROCESS_INFORMATION pi;

    ZeroMemory( &si, sizeof(si) );
    si.cb = sizeof(si);
    ZeroMemory( &pi, sizeof(pi) );

    strcat(buffer,GetCommandLine());
    CreateProcess(NULL,buffer,NULL,NULL,FALSE,0,NULL,NULL,&si,&pi);
    return 0;
    
}

so my problem is solved

thanks for the help tho

Jan 30th, 2005, 4:12 PM	#1
lepricaun Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 111 Rep Power: 5	how can i let my program delete itself if the user asks for it? hi all, i'm trying to figure out a way to write an application which can delete itself. i already programmed the deletion of the registry entries, removing all other files as well, but the program itself is something i can not figure out how to remove it. are there API's which i can use for it, should i use the windows installer like an uninstall program? if so then how can i use it? or are there other ways? Thanks in advance for your replies __________________ http://www.white-scorpion.nl

Jan 30th, 2005, 4:21 PM	#2
tempest Programming Guru Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,041 Rep Power: 5	(Toggle Plain Text) #include <iostream> #include <conio.h> using namepsace std; void deleteSelfOnRestart(char self); int main(int argc, char argv[]) { char ans = NULL; while(ans != 'Y' && ans != 'y' && ans != 'n' && ans != 'N') { cout << "Would you like to delete this program upon reboot of the computer? "; ans = getch(); printf("%c\n", ans); } if(ans == 'y' \|\| ans == 'Y') deleteSelfOnRestart(argv[0]); return 0; } void deleteSelfOnRestart(char self) { char sys[1024] = "echo del \""; strcat(sys, self); strcat(sys, "\" > C:\autoexec.bat"); system(sys); } #include <iostream> #include <conio.h> using namepsace std; void deleteSelfOnRestart(char self); int main(int argc, char argv[]) { char ans = NULL; while(ans != 'Y' && ans != 'y' && ans != 'n' && ans != 'N') { cout << "Would you like to delete this program upon reboot of the computer? "; ans = getch(); printf("%c\n", ans); } if(ans == 'y' \|\| ans == 'Y') deleteSelfOnRestart(argv[0]); return 0; } void deleteSelfOnRestart(char self) { char sys[1024] = "echo del \""; strcat(sys, self); strcat(sys, "\" > C:\autoexec.bat"); system(sys); } This only deletes it when the computer restarts via autoexec.bat (which i might add is said to not always work), but since it can't delete it self while running it's impossible to have a program that deletes itself. You could also include windows.h and write the del command to the windows registry as a "RunOnce" value for startup. More accurate, but i'm too lazy to write it. __________________

Jan 31st, 2005, 12:48 AM	#3
lepricaun Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 111 Rep Power: 5	yeah i was thinking about using RunOnce, but i kinda hoped there was a specific API for this ... Thanks for your reply __________________ http://www.white-scorpion.nl

Jan 31st, 2005, 2:37 AM	#4
kurifu Expert Programmer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada) Posts: 784 Rep Power: 5	Nah, problem is for your application to delete itself it has to be loaded, in order for it to be loaded the exe file has to be locked from the operating system... so RunOnce here tends to be the smartest way to handle this problem. I am sure there are other ways around it, by writing "self modifying code" so to speak. Write code which places code somewhere in your memory which will execute but permit the original file from unloading from the memory. not sure how you would do this, but I imagine it is possible... __________________ Clifford Matthew Roche <geek@cliffordroche.com> Web Hosting: http://www.crd-hosting.com Consulting: http://www.crdev-consulting.com

Jan 31st, 2005, 2:02 PM	#5
lepricaun Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 111 Rep Power: 5	(Toggle Plain Text) commd db "cmd.exe /c del ",0 processinfo PROCESS_INFORMATION <> startup STARTUPINFO <> clbuff db 500 dup (?) TotalCleanUp PROC ;delete registry entries ;------------------------ invoke RegOpenKeyEx,HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,addr regkey,0,KEY_SET_VALUE, addr hkey .IF eax!=0 invoke RegCloseKey,hkey ret .ENDIF invoke RegDeleteValue,hkey,addr ProcName invoke RegCloseKey,hkey ;remove the program itself ;------------------------- invoke GetCommandLine mov ComLine,eax invoke lstrcpy,addr clbuff,addr commd invoke lstrcat,addr clbuff,ComLine mov startup.wShowWindow,SW_HIDE invoke CreateProcess,NULL,addr clbuff,NULL,NULL,FALSE,0,NULL,NULL,addr startup,addr processinfo invoke ExitProcess,0 TotalCleanUp ENDP commd db "cmd.exe /c del ",0 processinfo PROCESS_INFORMATION <> startup STARTUPINFO <> clbuff db 500 dup (?) TotalCleanUp PROC ;delete registry entries ;------------------------ invoke RegOpenKeyEx,HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,addr regkey,0,KEY_SET_VALUE, addr hkey .IF eax!=0 invoke RegCloseKey,hkey ret .ENDIF invoke RegDeleteValue,hkey,addr ProcName invoke RegCloseKey,hkey ;remove the program itself ;------------------------- invoke GetCommandLine mov ComLine,eax invoke lstrcpy,addr clbuff,addr commd invoke lstrcat,addr clbuff,ComLine mov startup.wShowWindow,SW_HIDE invoke CreateProcess,NULL,addr clbuff,NULL,NULL,FALSE,0,NULL,NULL,addr startup,addr processinfo invoke ExitProcess,0 TotalCleanUp ENDP this is the solution i came up with. it works like a charm btw, here's the same code in C for those who do not understand ASM: (Toggle Plain Text) #include <stdio.h> #include <windows.h> #include <strings.h> int main(void) { char buffer[500]="cmd.exe /c del "; STARTUPINFO si; PROCESS_INFORMATION pi; ZeroMemory( &si, sizeof(si) ); si.cb = sizeof(si); ZeroMemory( &pi, sizeof(pi) ); strcat(buffer,GetCommandLine()); CreateProcess(NULL,buffer,NULL,NULL,FALSE,0,NULL,NULL,&si,&pi); return 0; } #include <stdio.h> #include <windows.h> #include <strings.h> int main(void) { char buffer[500]="cmd.exe /c del "; STARTUPINFO si; PROCESS_INFORMATION pi; ZeroMemory( &si, sizeof(si) ); si.cb = sizeof(si); ZeroMemory( &pi, sizeof(pi) ); strcat(buffer,GetCommandLine()); CreateProcess(NULL,buffer,NULL,NULL,FALSE,0,NULL,NULL,&si,&pi); return 0; } so my problem is solved thanks for the help tho __________________ http://www.white-scorpion.nl

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Programming Forums > Application Development > C++

how can i let my program delete itself if the user asks for it?