This is the script we used for the removal process…
Add-PSSnapin Microsoft.SharePoint.PowerShell
#Removing Existing Search Service Applications
$SSAS = Get-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceApplication
ForEach ($SSA in $SSAS)
{
$SSA | FT Name, ID, ApplicationPool
$Response = Read-Host -Prompt “Would you like to remove the above Search Service Application and all associated search data? Press Y or N”
IF ($Response -eq “y”)
{
Write-Host ‘Removing SSA’ $SSA.Id
$AllProxies = Get-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceApplicationProxy
$Proxy = $AllProxies | ?{$_.GetSearchServiceApplicationInfo().SearchServiceApplicationID -eq $SSA.Id}
Remove-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceApplicationProxy -Identity $Proxy
Remove-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceApplication -Identity $SSA -RemoveData
}
ELSE
{
Write-Host “Skipping SSA Removal”
}
}
#Stop Search Service Instances
$SSIS = Get-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceInstance
ForEach ($SSI in $SSIS)
{
$SSI
$Response = Read-Host -Prompt “Would you like to stop the above service? Press Y or N”
IF ($Response -eq “Y”)
{
Write-Host ‘Stopping’ $SSIS.Service ‘on’ $SSIS.Server
Stop-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceInstance -Identity $SSI
}
}
#Stop Search Query and Site Settings Service Instances
$SQSSSIS = Get-SPEnterpriseSearchQueryAndSiteSettingsServiceInstance
ForEach ($SQSSSI in $SQSSSIS)
{
$SQSSSI
$Response = Read-Host -Prompt “Would you like to stop the above service? Press Y or N”
IF ($Response -eq “Y”)
{
Write-Host ‘Stopping’ $SQSSsI.Service ‘on’ $SQSsSI.Server
Stop-SPEnterpriseSearchQueryAndSiteSettingsServiceInstance -Identity $SQSsSI
}
}
#Check Service Status
Get-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceInstance | FT Server, Status
Get-SPEnterpriseSearchQueryAndSiteSettingsServiceInstance | FT Server, Status