Add/Remove Programs List disappeared

[Anonymous]

Hey!
something happened to my add/remove programs list of apps that i have installed...now i can't uninstall any of the programs which don't have an uninstall button on the start menu...i don't have experience in editing the registry so i was wondering if there was a way to restore the list..does anyone know the file which stores the programs list? i have norton systemworks so i hope i can search and restore the old file!
thx a lot!

[jstolz]

Yikes!

I think you've got a problem. The Add/Remove items list is stored under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Uninstall.
Each application creates a reg key containing the following values:
(Default), which is usually not set
DisplayName, which contains the text you see (or should see) in the Add/Remove list, and
UninstallString, which contains the path/filename/switches used to uninstall the app.

I think you're going to have one hell of a problem trying to uninstall these applications, so here's what I suggest (with emphasis on option 2):

OPTION 1
Reply to this post with the subject "Please provide uninstall strings for these apps" or some such, and list the apps you need to repair on the Add/Remove menu. Hopefully folks that have the software you specify will provide the DisplayName and UninstallString values. Take these and CHECK THE PATH THEY SUPPLY TO MAKE SURE IT JIBES WITH WHERE YOU PUT THE APPLICATIONS. Modify the path to match yours and put them in a reg file, merging them into the registry.

Then you'll be able to execute them.

OPTION 2
Reinstall the software, making darn sure you reinstall them to the same folder where the current files exist. The setup program will overwrite the files, but also place the uninstall info into the registry.

Regards...

[Paul D]

Is it possible that the Control Panel applet (if there is one) is broken, rather than all the Registry entries are gone?
Do you still have an Add/Remove Programs icon in Control Panel?




[I]<FONT face="Brush Script MT"><FONT size=+3>Paul D

[Anonymous]

thx for the quick replies!
the add/remove program button still works except the list of programs is empty now! i've installed a new program since and it is recorded in the list but the old ones are gone....any suggestions as to why this occurred? i was uninstalling a program before this happened if that's any help!

[Anonymous]

Sounds like the new program you installed screwed it up. When Norton System Works asked if you would like it to monitor the installation did you say yes? If you did then you can get in to restore your PC to the condition it was in before you installed the new software, then export the add/remove registry key, reinstall the software and merge the add/remove registry key back in there.

Good luck.

[DaveA]

Were this entries removed using TWEAKUI?

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DaveA</font> 42 Days Til Retirement