How can I make my .NET application erase itself?

Question

How can I make my C# app erase itself (self-destruct)? Here\'s two ways that I think might work:

• Supply another program that deletes the main program. How is t

Answer 1

I know reflector deletes itself if you use an old version and choose not to update. You might try to figure out what it does. I would start with FileMon and see if it spawns any processes to achieve this.

Answer 2

Since my application (a Windows Service) is installed via the Windows Installer, I self-delete using this:

Dim uninstall_params As String = "/x {MY-PRODUCTS-GUID} /qn /norestart REBOOT=ReallySuppress"
proc.StartInfo = New ProcessStartInfo("msiexec.exe", uninstall_params)
proc.Start()
Environment.Exit(-1)

Sorry--it's in VB, but it should be easily convertible to C#.

Answer 3

sorted by NJ c# the other codes does not work so its simple if u create bath file that loops to del application and the batch file itself u can use takkill command to kill the process if u dont want to use application.close method

        `string delname = "test.cmd";
        string fileurl = Application.ExecutablePath;
        System.IO.StreamWriter file = new System.IO.StreamWriter(delname);
        file.WriteLine(":Repeat");
        file.WriteLine("del \"" + fileurl + "\"");
        file.WriteLine("if exist \"" + fileurl + "\" goto Repeat");
        file.WriteLine("del \"" + delname + "\"");
        file.Close();
        ProcessStartInfo startInfo = new ProcessStartInfo();
        startInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;
        startInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
        startInfo.FileName = delname;
        startInfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;
        Process.Start(startInfo);`

` Th3 3e3 one is not 3d parts ov one I5 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Answer 4

A correction to @Bobby answer, in case people will find it useful - executable path needs to be quoted. Additionally, below is setting cmd.exe window to be hidden (otherwise it flashes as a black console window) and converted to run without relying on System.Windows.Forms assembly (the Application class).

 
var exepath = Assembly.GetEntryAssembly().Location;              
var info = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd.exe", "/C ping 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 3000 > Nul & Del \"" + exepath + "\"");
info.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;
Process.Start(info).Dispose();
Environment.Exit(0);

Answer 5

Works in Windows 7 & 8, **ENSURE you run your application with admin privileges or you will get an error.

This code exists elsewhere so I can't take full credit I found I made it work for me by adding "Application.Exit();"

static void autodelete()
{
    string batchCommands = string.Empty;
    string exeFileName = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().CodeBase.Replace("file:///", string.Empty).Replace("/", "\\");

    batchCommands += "@ECHO OFF\n";                         // Do not show any output
    batchCommands += "ping 127.0.0.1 > nul\n";              // Wait approximately 4 seconds (so that the process is already terminated)
    batchCommands += "echo j | del /F ";                    // Delete the executeable
    batchCommands += exeFileName + "\n";
    batchCommands += "echo j | del deleteMyProgram.bat";    // Delete this bat file

    File.WriteAllText("deleteMyProgram.bat", batchCommands);

    Process.Start("deleteMyProgram.bat");
    Application.Exit();
}