Remove programs from "Add/Remove Programs"

[Denney]

I"ve known this for months but I was wondering how many other people know about it.

In the registry, under "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall" are all the entries on the "Add/Remove Programs" list. I've seen lots of websites saying to delete any keys here that you want to remove from the "Add/Remove Programs" list but I've found that some installations still keep there info in "Add/Remove Programs" even if you delete this (therefore making it impossible to uninstall the application).

The way I found was to add a DWORD value to each of the keys you want "hidden":

"SystemComponent"=0x00000001

That way, if you want to uninstall the program at a later date, you just delete that DWORD and boom, it's back on the "Add/Remove Programs" list.

Now, how many of you people knew about this registry value?

Edit: 50 odd views and only 2 votes? C'mon people.

[Datalore]

That is awesome! A way to remove things from the Add/Remove list without having to keep a backup of the stuff you removed- hmm, MSFN Dev Team, got any ideas? Nice find, RaveRod! Did you find it yourself or Google it?

[Denney]

Well, one day while cleaning my system, I came across the WebFldrs XP key in the "Uninstall" section of my registry and wondered what that SystemComponent value meant. I deleted it and found that "WebFldrs XP" came up on the "Add/Remove Programs" list.

I decided to try that value with the other programs installed. So really, it was by accident but I much prefer this way over backing up and delete the key you want removed.

Edit: WOO! FINALLY made it to 100 posts.

[FireKosh]

hey man thanks for the info i myself have lately been into all things registry related this will be interesting

again thanks

[Doggie]

i've known that for awhile.. but its worthwhile posting

[Bilou_Gateux]

To remove WebFldrs in Microsoft windows 2000, some other values should be changed from 1 to 0

"NoModify"=dword:00000000

"NoRemove"=dword:00000000

"NoRepair"=dword:00000000

Otherwise, we can see the WebFldrs item in the Add/Remove list but we the [Remove] / [Modify] buttons are greyed...

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{6F716D8C-398F-11D3-85E1-005004838609}]"AuthorizedCDFPrefix"=""

"Comments"=""

"Contact"=""

"DisplayVersion"="9.00.3501"

"HelpLink"=hex(2):68,00,74,00,74,00,70,00,3a,00,2f,00,2f,00,77,00,77,00,77,00,\

  2e,00,6d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,73,00,6f,00,66,00,74,00,2e,00,63,00,6f,\

  00,6d,00,2f,00,77,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,00,00

"HelpTelephone"=""

"InstallDate"="20031211"

"InstallLocation"=""

"InstallSource"="C:\\WINNT\\System32\\"

"NoModify"=dword:00000000

"NoRemove"=dword:00000000

"NoRepair"=dword:00000000

"Publisher"="Microsoft Corporation"

"Readme"=""

"Size"=""

"EstimatedSize"=dword:000009d8

"SystemComponent"=dword:00000000

"URLInfoAbout"=""

"URLUpdateInfo"=""

"VersionMajor"=dword:00000009

"VersionMinor"=dword:00000000

"WindowsInstaller"=dword:00000001

"Version"=dword:09000dad

"Language"=dword:00000409

"DisplayName"="WebFldrs"

[Denney]

"NoModify"=dword:00000000

"NoRemove"=dword:00000000

"NoRepair"=dword:00000000

Those also have to changed for Windows XP. I just explained that removing the "SystemComponent" entry would show the item on the Add/Remove Programs list.

[Justice]

Or you could load TweakUI and just remove it from there.

[Denney]

TweakUI for Windows XP doesn't have an Add/Remove Programs section anymore.

Are you sure you mean't TweakUI and not another program?

+ This method doesn't need you to install anything other than Windows itself.

[Justice]

It's there in tweakui for Win9x/Win2K. Yes, It's been removed for XP.

[gamehead200]

I've known about it for a while, but have never had the need to use it!

[amigafan]

Check this thread to remove WebFolders during installation - MSFN Forum thread

[RyanVM]

The only time I've run into a program that doesn't go away after deleting it's uninstall registry key was the HighMAT Support hotfix from Microsoft. Looks like I just found out how to ditch it, thanks!

[Bold_Fortune]

This was great. Thanks guys. I used maxXPsoft's method.

[MastaVR6]

Anyone tried adding "Quiet" to "DisplayName" = "QuietDisplayName" to hide the entries in Add/Remove? I find it very satisfying in Win2k. I use it for default components add-on software/patches and the like.

This doesn't work (alone) for items in the SystemComponents like .Net Framework 1.1