Installed application via pkg not being detected properly to uninstall.

[Eric Holtam]

I've run into an issue where installed software isn't being detected to uninstall and was wondering if there's something I'm missing or if someone could cast an eye on this as well.

I've installed Cisco's AnyConnect VPN software via munki using installer_choices_xml to selectively install just one of 8 available pkgs in the installer (pkginfo file at https://gist.github.com/poundbangbash/97ade04901c4dfcc94dd). The pkginfo file has the receipt of the one pkg installed in its receipts key. Everything works fine with the software on the client and there's no looping so munki is satisfied that the software is properly installed.

Now I want to uninstall it as that software is not necessary anymore.  pkgutil shows the pkg receipt name and version match the receipts key of the pkginfo file (https://gist.github.com/poundbangbash/a6c34333f2beb4e7499b) However when I remove the software from managed_installs and add it to the managed_uninstalls section of a manifest, verbose logs show "Installed receipts don't match."  I've run managedsoftwareupdate -vvvvv but the most output regarding this is:

    * Processing manifest item CiscoAnyConnectMSL for removal

    Looking for all items matching: CiscoAnyConnectMSL...

    Adding item CiscoAnyConnectMSL, version 3.1.05187 from catalog production...

    Adding item CiscoAnyConnectMSL, version 4.2.00096 from catalog production...

    Considering item CiscoAnyConnectMSL-4.2.00096 for removal info

    Checking receipts...

    Installed receipts don't match.

    CiscoAnyConnectMSL-4.2.00096 not installed.

    Considering item CiscoAnyConnectMSL-3.1.05187 for removal info

    Checking receipts...

    Installed receipts don't match.

    CiscoAnyConnectMSL-3.1.05187 not installed.

    CiscoAnyConnectMSL doesn't appear to be installed.

    **Checking for implicit removals**

There are two versions of the software "CiscoAnyConnectMSL" in the repo.  Both are in the same catalog and named the same so only 4.2.00096 is installed on the system.

I tried changing the uninstall_method from 'removepackages' to 'uninstall_script' but that didn't change the outcome.  It never flags the software to uninstall.

I'm baffled as to why it won't detect as needing to be removed via the pkg receipt when the same pkg receipt satisfies that it is already installed. 

Has anyone run into this before or have insight on this behavior?

Thanks,

Eric

[Gregory Neagle]

What are the receipts in CiscoAnyConnectMSL, version 3.1.05187 ?

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[Eric Holtam]

There are three extra besides the one matching between the two versions.

<array>

<dict>

<key>installed_size</key>

<integer>12252</integer>

<key>packageid</key>

<string>com.cisco.pkg.anyconnect.vpn</string>

<key>version</key>

<string>3.1.05187</string>

</dict>

<dict>

<key>installed_size</key>

<integer>3104</integer>

<key>packageid</key>

<string>com.cisco.pkg.anyconnect.websecurity</string>

<key>version</key>

<string>3.1.05187</string>

<key>optional</key>

<true/>

</dict>

<dict>

<key>installed_size</key>

<integer>1457</integer>

<key>packageid</key>

<string>com.cisco.pkg.anyconnect.dart</string>

<key>version</key>

<string>3.1.05187</string>

<key>optional</key>

<true/>

</dict>

<dict>

<key>installed_size</key>

<integer>6211</integer>

<key>packageid</key>

<string>com.cisco.pkg.anyconnect.posture</string>

<key>version</key>

<string>3.1.05187</string>

<key>optional</key>

<true/>

</dict>

</array>

[Eric Holtam]

I think I see where this is going and have removed version 3.1.05187 from the repo.  Now the software is properly detecting that it needs to be uninstalled.  

-Eric

[lorisarvendu]

I have the same issue, but the circumstances are slightly different. We are using Adobe Creative Cloud flat packages. Currently we have After Effects 2025, v.25.6.0.101 installed. We want to replace it with v26.0.0.67. Because they install into different directories (After Efffects 2026 vs After Effects 2025) we decided to create a new package "AdobeAfterEffects2026", add that to Managed Installs, and the 2025 version to Managed Uninstalls.

Except we are getting:

Considering item AdobeAfterEffects2021-25.6.0.101 for removal info

    Checking receipts...
    Installed receipts don't match.

I'm guessing the receipts are not being found because Adobe flat packages don't seem to create usable receipts:

<key>receipts</key>

<array>

<dict>

<key>installed_size</key>

<integer>0</integer>

<key>packageid</key>

<string>com.adobe.Packages.install</string>

<key>version</key>

<string>0</string>

</dict>

</array>

But we have an installs array in there, and that is generated by makepkginfo and is 100% accurate. So shouldn't munki use that if the receipts don't match?

It is very rare that we uninstall Adobe applications, so I'm assuming that when we add an update to that package branch in the repo, Munki is just installing it over the top of the existing one, not removing the old one, and we've never actually noticed.

But shouldn't Munki check the installs array?

Cheers

[Mike Solin]

It's been a few years since I've managed Adobe software, but do they still provide a pkg to uninstall an app?

If so, you'll want to use uninstall_package with that pkg:

https://github.com/munki/munki/wiki/Uninstalling-Software#uninstall_package

If you no longer have the ability to download an After Effects 2025 installer (which would include the uninstall pkg), you might just need to switch to uninstall_script and write your own code to rm -rf the appropriate directories.

https://github.com/munki/munki/wiki/Uninstalling-Software#uninstall_script

Mike

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[lorisarvendu]

Hi Mike

Yes each app does have an uninstaller. There's uninstaller aliases under each app's /Applications folder, they point to /Library/Application Support/Adobe etc.  I'm not sure there's any point in putting any kind of Uninstall script into the pkginfo because with Munki not recognising the app is installed it won't invoke the script.  

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[lorisarvendu]

I've managed to collar the guy who did this six years ago and yes, he had to create separate packages with the uninstallers in to make this work. So I guess that's the way I've got to go.

[Ben Toms]

You can uninstall via a binary on disk.. as long as you can supply the right variables to it.. for example: https://github.com/autopkg/dataJAR-recipes/blob/master/Adobe%20Admin%20Console%20Packages/AdobeAfterEffects2025.munki.recipe#L77-L111

Regards,

Ben.

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[Gregory Neagle]

Munki can use an installs array to determine if software is installed, and if so, if it needs an update. 

Munki doesn't use the installs array for _uninstalls_.

Read more about Munki and uninstalling here: https://github.com/munki/munki/wiki/Uninstalling-Software

Based on your earlier posts, I'd guess the pkginfo has the uninstall_method set to "removepackages", which relies on useful receipt information. The Adobe CC installs generally do not have useful receipt information.

-Greg