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 Windows OS Hub / Windows 10 / Error 0x80073CFA: Can’t Uninstall Apps using Remove-AppxPackage in Windows 10

December 12, 2018 Windows 10

Error 0x80073CFA: Can’t Uninstall Apps using Remove-AppxPackage in Windows 10

Starting from Windows 10 1703 (Creators Update), several new built-in universal apps appeared in the system and you cannot remove them using the standard procedure. For example, when you try to remove the built-in universal apps using the Remove-AppxPackage cmdlet, the following error appears: “HRESULT 0x80073CFA Removal failed”. In this article, we’ll consider a trick that allows to force remove any built-in app in Windows 10.

Suppose you have an error when trying to remove the built-in universal application:


Remove-AppxPackage: Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073CFA, Removal failed. Please contact your software vendor.
(Exception from HRESULT: 0x80073CFA)
error 0x80070032: AppX Deployment Remove operation on package
Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI_1000.16299.15.0_neutral_neutral_c5as4n4uizeyw from:
C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI_c5as4n4uizeyw failed. This app is part of Windows and cannot be uninstalled on a per-user basis. An administrator can attempt to remove the app from the computer using Turn Windows Features on or off. However, it may not be possible to uninstall the app.
NOTE: For additional information, look for [ActivityId] b2516df1-c2fa-2201-f028-1af9ae2ba901 in the Event Log or use
the command line Get-AppxLog -ActivityID b2516df1-c2fa-2201-f028-1af9ae2ba901
At line:1 char:1
+ Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI_1000.16299.15.0_neutr …
+ ~~
+ CategoryInfo : WriteError: (Microsoft.XboxG…l_c5as4n4uizeyw:String) [Remove-AppxPackage], IOException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError, Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.RemoveAppxPackageCommand

Remove-AppxPackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073CFA, Removal

Important. Before removing an universal Windows 10 app using the method described below, we strongly recommend to create a restore point or an image backup.

To remove the Windows 10 application, you will need two free tools:

  • Psexec by Sysinternals;
  • DB Browser for SQLite.
  1. Download pstools.zip, unpack it to the C:\PS folder and then install (or download a portable version) DB Browser for SQLite;
  2. Using psexec, run the interactive command prompt under the Local System: psexec.exe -i -s -d cmd.exepsexec run cmd on behalf of SYSTEM
  3. In the next window run on behalf of the SYSTEM the executable file C:\Program Files\DB Browser for SQLite\DB Browser for SQLite.exe or SQLiteDatabaseBrowserPortable.exe;
  4. Then click Open Database in DB Browser window and open the following file: %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\AppRepository\StateRepository-Machine.srd;
    DB Browser for SQLite open the StateRepository-Machine.srd
  5. Go to the Browse Data tab and select the Package table;
  6. Now find the name of the app you want to remove in the PackageFullName column. (In our example it is Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI_c5as4n4uizeyw.) Change the value in the IsInbox column from 1 to 0 for this app; change IsInbox flag for built-in windows 10 Universal app
  7. Save the changes using File->Write changes (or press CTRL+S);
  8. Then try to remove the app from PowerShell:

Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI_1000.16299.15.0_neutral_neutral_c5as4n4uizeyw
It should be removed without any errors or warnings.
Remove-AppxPackage without 0x80073CFA error

Having searched the web, I found that the IsInbox flag for built-in apps had appeared in the local system base for Windows apps since Windows 10 Anniversary update (1607). When trying to remove a built-in app with the IsInbox flag enabled, the error 0x80073CFA appears.

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12 comments

Jai Raj Mehta January 10, 2020 - 11:39 am

Please elaborate how to run the interactive command prompt under the Local System: psexec.exe -i -s -d cmd.exe using psexec

Reply
admin January 15, 2020 - 8:00 am

Download the PsExec tool (_https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/psexec) and extract it to a local folder.
Next, run the elevated cmd.exe, go to the folder with psexec: cd c:\tools\psexec and run the command: psexec.exe -i -s -d cmd.exe

Reply
Dave February 23, 2020 - 9:38 pm

I tried to do this step by step, however as soon as I want to edit the IsInbox column for a package, I get Error changing data: attempt to write a readonly database. Any idea how to solve this?

Reply
netlater March 29, 2020 - 12:47 pm

when Write changes, error : no such function:workid. pls help

Reply
admin March 31, 2020 - 8:48 am

Make sure you run the DB Browser on behalf of the Local System. And specify your Windows 10 build.

Reply
Carlo May 8, 2020 - 3:23 am

I already put both PS and DBrowser on my C: encountered error: error : no such function:workid Windows10 1909 18363.778

Reply
Vandrey Trindade June 3, 2020 - 1:17 pm

Have tried this on Windows 10 build 2004 x64, DB Browser for SQL running as SYSTEM, error:
—————————
DB Browser for SQLite
—————————
Erro modificando dados:
no such function: is_srjournal_enabled
—————————
OK
—————————

Reply
movAxAx July 29, 2021 - 5:47 pm

To anyone with this problem. It arises because the table has a trigger after update. There are two options: 1) If you are updating the database through a custom program or script, use the sqlite3_create_function() API function to create the function the triffer requires. 2) From the command-line utility: drop the trigger before update, and you can (in my case I do not did it) recreate it later. a) Use .schema Package to list the triggers, and copy the text of the trigger, in my case it was TRG_AFTER_UPDATE_Package_SRJournal. b) DROP TRIGGER TRG_AFTER_UPDATE_Package_SRJournal; c) Do your update. d) Recreate the trigger, in my case CREATE TRIGGER TRG_AFTER_UPDATE_Package_SRJournal AFTER UPDATE ON Package FOR EACH ROW WHEN is_srjournal_enabled() BEGIN UPDATE Sequence SET LastValue=LastValue+1 WHERE Id=2 ;INSERT INTO SRJournal(_Revision, _WorkId, ObjectType, Action, ObjectId, PackageIdentity, WhenOccurred, SequenceId)SELECT 1, workid(), 1, 2, NEW._PackageID, pi._PackageIdentityID, now(), s.LastValue FROM Sequence AS s CROSS JOIN PackageIdentity AS pi WHERE s.Id=2 AND pi.PackageFullName=NEW.PackageFullName;END

Reply
Vandrey Trindade June 3, 2020 - 1:44 pm

Nevermind, solved using this steps: https://gist.github.com/DoubleLabyrinth/ffae94cb9444bbdae1d11deeaa247310

Reply
Dave May 27, 2021 - 12:13 pm

I’m getting this error when trying to remove some sound related packages, IsInbox is already set to 0 and running powershell as admin with Remove-AppxPackage command still results in 0x80073CFA error. Ideas anyone?

Reply
Dave May 27, 2021 - 12:18 pm

Nevermind. Even though the sound apps shouldn’t have required special system access doing so allows me to nuke the damn things.

Reply
Dave May 27, 2021 - 12:27 pm

Update: Didn’t work for all sound packages some still won’t get removed even with system access. The packages I’m trying to remove are DTS and Nahimic ones

Reply

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