Admin User does not allow Uninstall/Change/Repair to Programs

[Larry Not As Smart As I Thought]

I installed Vista Ultimate about 8 months ago. This was an upgrade from XP. I
just now have had the need to do an uninstall. I went to my Admin User
account (although my normal user account has Admin privileges) and when I go
to Add/Remove programs, there are no command lines for
Uninstall/Remove/Repair programs.

I verified that my normal user account had Admin privileges. Logged into it
and it does not have the capability to do any of the above. I even added a
new user with Admin privileges, no success.

I then re-installed Vista Ultimate as an "upgrade" again, still the same
problem. All my user accounts have full security access, so I know that's not
it. I've read through the threads and although there are similar admin
issues, I haven't seen this specific one. I have tried a couple of the
suggestions for other Admin problems to no avail.

If anyone can help, I would appreciate it greatly. I pride myself on
figuring these things out, or using all resources available before crying out
for help. I'm crying out now!

 

[BirgerH]

Hi.
First about the Administrator.
You should have only one Administratoraccount (unless you have manually
installed the hidden so called "in-built Administrator", which I don't think).
This Administratoraccount is the one, with your name (if you are the
administrator).
When you log on, you log on as a standard user( new to Vista), and every
time you have to use Admin Rights, you are being prompted. That's the meaning
of Vista's UAC (User-Account-Control).

Then go to Add/Remove logged in as your self.

Nothing will appear in the"command line" as you call it, until you mark the
program, you want to modify. When you do, you should have options to repair
and/or remove.
If the repair or removing demands admin-rights, you will be prompted.
If nothing appears in "the command-line", then you cant modify this
installation with Add/Remove i.e some system updates from Microsoft.
These can only be removed together with the system.

 

[Larry Not As Smart As I Thought]

First, I must have the "hidden" Administrator available too, as there are two
different accounts that are Admin .

Second, when I click on a program in the list, NONE of the programs come up
with any uninstall/repair/change commands. Not even programs that I installed
since having been on Vista, which would have had nothing to do with the
conversion from XP to Vista.

 

[SG]

Hi Larry,

If it's a program you must uninstall now, you might try this until you get
Vista figured out. In fact I like and use it more so than Vista's built in
uninstaller.

http://www.nirsoft.net/

Look down the page for DeskTop Utilities, the program is MyUninstaller
Alternative to the standard Add/Remove applet of Windows operating system.

 

[BirgerH]

Sorry Larry.

Translation failure!!!

I ment, that you didn't need (and shouldn't have) more than one
administrator, and that it should be the one in your name, because, when
you're loggin on, you are not using the admin-part, only the standard-user
part, until you need admin-rights, then you are beeing promted.

And about the Add/Remove stuff - thats strange - and must be, I suppose, a
registry problem.

I found a list of registry settings, I dont't remember where, but make a
seach in Windows Support with this "Group Policy Settings Reference". Its an
..xls file, and I don't know if they will work.

About the "hidden" Administrator.
You set "him" by
Run cmd (with admin-rights)
At the command line type: net user administrator /active:yes
To hide "him", the command is:
net user administrator /active:no

But be careful with him.

And to administrate all the users, their passwords and usernames, and even
to clear their passwords, you can use this (again carefully):
Go to startmenu>run.
type: control userpasswords2
-has to be run with admin-rights.

 

[BirgerH]

By the way Larry,
the commands in Add/Remove are not popping up, the appear in the light blue
bar upon the programslist. The also appear if you right-click an item.