Deleting Sticky Add/Remove Entry

['Drew]

I recently used the Revo uninstaller to uninstall a program as the
"Change/Remove" button didn't work. The program is gone but it's name still
remains in the Add/Remove list. Clicking the name brings only the words
"Used Rarely".

Is there a painless way to delete what remains of the entry without dredging
around in the registry or an I just better off to leave the entry as is and
ignore it as best I can?

 

[Malke]

I recently used the Revo uninstaller to uninstall a program as the
"Change/Remove" button didn't work. The program is gone but it's name
still remains in the Add/Remove list. Clicking the name brings only the
words "Used Rarely".

Is there a painless way to delete what remains of the entry without
dredging around in the registry or an I just better off to leave the entry
as is and ignore it as best I can?

You can delete the entry in the registry. If you are careful, this is easy
and painless. Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>Software>Microsoft>Windows>Current Version>Uninstall.
Scroll down the list and as you highlight the entries on the left, you will
see what they are on the right. When you find the correct entry for the
program, delete it.

Malke

 

[Twayne]

I recently used the Revo uninstaller to uninstall a program as the
"Change/Remove" button didn't work. The program is gone but it's name
still remains in the Add/Remove list. Clicking the name brings only
the words "Used Rarely".

Is there a painless way to delete what remains of the entry without
dredging around in the registry or an I just better off to leave the
entry as is and ignore it as best I can?

Remove invalid entries in Add/Remove Programs

Sometimes when you uninstall a program, corresponding Add/Remove entry
may not be removed. This may be due to incomplete uninstall or poorly
designed uninstaller itself. To manually remove the orphaned entries
from Add/Remove applet, follow these steps:
Start Regedit.exe and locate the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \
Uninstall
Backup the branch to a file.
Locate the corresponding entry from the list and delete it
Close Registry Editor
There are some {GUID} sub-keys under the Uninstall key. Now what?
Under Uninstall you may see some {GUIDs}. Each {GUID} represents a
software product that you've installed. Under the above key, click each
{GUID} entry and verify the DisplayName shown in the right-pane. Once
you locate the item that you want to remove from Add/Remove Programs,
backup the entry to a REG file and then delete the key. The DisplayName
string the one that's displayed in the Add/Remove Programs applet for
that application.
Example: PC Inspector File Recovery has the GUID
{0DD140D3-9563-481E-AA75-BA457CBDAEF2}

Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Uninstall \
{0DD140D3-9563-481E-AA75-BA457CBDAEF2}

"DisplayName"="PC Inspector File Recovery"
Still unable to remove an entry?
If the program uses Windows Installer package, try the Windows Installer
Cleanup Utility to remove the installer information for that program,
and also the corresponding Add/Remove programs entry. See Windows
Installer Cleanup Utility.



An easier way is to download the free Add or Remove Pro. It'll let you
mange that from its window and has restore abilities in you get it
wrong.
http://www.superwin.com/index.htm
Click on Freeware

HTH,

Twayne`

 

[Ramesh Srinivasan, MS-MVP]

Removing invalid entries from Add or Remove Programs:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/addremove.htm

 

['Drew]

It appears that my last replies did not go to the group. I apologize.

I was unable to locate any registry key for the stubborn program title stuck
in "Add/Remove" nor did it appear in the Revo Uninstaller. But it WAS one of
the programs that appeared in the Windows Uninstall Cleaner that I had
installed several months ago but had forgotten about. I was able to use the
Windows tool to clear the entry from "Add/Remove".

Thank you Malke and Ramesh for reminding me that I had the solution all
along!

 

['Drew]

I neglected to credit Twayne for also prompting me to use the Windows
Cleaner. Thanks all!!