Strange programs listed - Control Panel

[Guest]

I have a user whose computer was getting really slow. I cleaned up the tmp
files and cleared the cache and history. Nothing unusual in her Startup
folder. Looked in Control Panel within Add/Remove Programs. Has approximately
60 items showing, 10 which are valid names. The rest make no sense to me
[ESSini, SFR, to name a few]. I know that she has other applications on there
that are working, but they don't show up in Control Panel by their correct
name. There is no Change/Remove buttons for any of these either. I thought
about cleaning up the registry but am afraid that these are just aliases and
that if I do delete one, an actual legitimate program will be uninstalled. I
attempted to use System Restore but it had been disabled. Norton found no
viruses.

 

[Guest]

Show All Files in Add/Remove Programs (G4)
http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/windowstips/story/0,24330,3352313,00.html

 

[Guest]

I did the steps but the programs do not show up in Control Panel. I am not as
concerned about the "real" programs showing up in Control Panel as I am the
50 or so items that make no sense to me. Some of them are: CCScore, ESSBrwr,
ESSqui, kgcvday, KSU, SHASTA, staticccr, etc. These were not in the list a
week ago. I cannot remove them, as there is no button to select to
Add/Remove/Change when I open up Add/Remove Programs. Here are my concerns
that I'm seeking help for:

1)Is it likely that these strange programs are actually legitimate apps,
just replacing the names of the true programs installed on this computer
2)If these are viruses or whatever, how can I get rid of them and get my
actual programs to appear in the Add/Remove list

I feel that this comptuer obviously has had a virus for these strange names
to appear and for the System Restore to have somehow gotten turned off.
Additional suggestions would be appreciated.

Show All Files in Add/Remove Programs (G4)
http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/windowstips/story/0,24330,3352313,00.html
--
XP - WNP
Today is the first day of the
rest of your life.

I have a user whose computer was getting really slow. I cleaned up the tmp
files and cleared the cache and history. Nothing unusual in her Startup
folder. Looked in Control Panel within Add/Remove Programs. Has approximately
60 items showing, 10 which are valid names. The rest make no sense to me
[ESSini, SFR, to name a few]. I know that she has other applications on there
that are working, but they don't show up in Control Panel by their correct
name. There is no Change/Remove buttons for any of these either. I thought
about cleaning up the registry but am afraid that these are just aliases and
that if I do delete one, an actual legitimate program will be uninstalled. I
attempted to use System Restore but it had been disabled. Norton found no
viruses.

 

[Nightowl]

Hello Looking 4 Help

Here's something you could try.

Open Regedit (Start | Run, type regedit <ok> and navigate to the key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall]
and click on the plus sign next to it to open it. All the strange
programs that are showing up in Add/Remove should be listed there.

The first set of keys may consist of entries that are a long series of
numbers, then there should be some with recognisable names. Click on
each key on the left in turn, then look in the right-hand pane. The
value DisplayName should be the name that's showing in Add/Remove
Programs; there might also be an entry QuietDisplayName that may be a
bit more informative. If that's not there, look at the other entries for
clues to what the apps may be -- InstallLocation, DisplayIcon or
UninstallString for example, if they're there.

If you decide an app is definitely unwanted and it happens to have the
entry NoRemove set to 1 in the right-hand pane, changing this to 0 or
simply deleting that entry should give you a Remove button in Add/Remove
so that you can uninstall it (you might need to reboot first before it
shows up). Alternatively, if it has an UninstallString entry you can do
this:

1. Right-click on UninstallString and choose Modify. In the box that
pops up, the ValueData will be "active" and highlighted so you can copy
it with Control-C. Cancel out of the box.

2. Go to Start | Run and paste in the uninstall string you copied with
Control-V. Click OK and the uninstall routine should run.

I hope some of this helps you find out what the mystery programs are.
Please do let us know how it goes

--
Nightowl

I did the steps but the programs do not show up in Control Panel. I am not as
concerned about the "real" programs showing up in Control Panel as I am the
50 or so items that make no sense to me. Some of them are: CCScore, ESSBrwr,
ESSqui, kgcvday, KSU, SHASTA, staticccr, etc. These were not in the list a
week ago. I cannot remove them, as there is no button to select to
Add/Remove/Change when I open up Add/Remove Programs. Here are my concerns
that I'm seeking help for:

1)Is it likely that these strange programs are actually legitimate apps,
just replacing the names of the true programs installed on this computer
2)If these are viruses or whatever, how can I get rid of them and get my
actual programs to appear in the Add/Remove list

I feel that this comptuer obviously has had a virus for these strange names
to appear and for the System Restore to have somehow gotten turned off.
Additional suggestions would be appreciated.

Show All Files in Add/Remove Programs (G4)
http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/windowstips/story/0,24330,3352313,00.html
--
XP - WNP
Today is the first day of the
rest of your life.

I have a user whose computer was getting really slow. I cleaned up the tmp
files and cleared the cache and history. Nothing unusual in her Startup
folder. Looked in Control Panel within Add/Remove Programs. Has
approximately
60 items showing, 10 which are valid names. The rest make no sense to me
[ESSini, SFR, to name a few]. I know that she has other
applications on there
that are working, but they don't show up in Control Panel by their correct
name. There is no Change/Remove buttons for any of these either. I thought
about cleaning up the registry but am afraid that these are just
aliases and
that if I do delete one, an actual legitimate program will be
uninstalled. I
attempted to use System Restore but it had been disabled. Norton found no
viruses.

 

[RalfG]

Some or most of those entries you listed are part of Kodak Easyshare
software. If she installed a Kodak digital camera that program (includes
image transfer, photo organizer etc. etc.) would have come with it. The
EasyShare uninstall entry should remove them.

If nothing else you could itemize and Google the other entries to find out
what they are.

I did the steps but the programs do not show up in Control Panel. I am not
as
concerned about the "real" programs showing up in Control Panel as I am
the
50 or so items that make no sense to me. Some of them are: CCScore,
ESSBrwr,
ESSqui, kgcvday, KSU, SHASTA, staticccr, etc. These were not in the list a
week ago. I cannot remove them, as there is no button to select to
Add/Remove/Change when I open up Add/Remove Programs. Here are my concerns
that I'm seeking help for:

1)Is it likely that these strange programs are actually legitimate apps,
just replacing the names of the true programs installed on this computer
2)If these are viruses or whatever, how can I get rid of them and get my
actual programs to appear in the Add/Remove list

I feel that this comptuer obviously has had a virus for these strange
names
to appear and for the System Restore to have somehow gotten turned off.
Additional suggestions would be appreciated.

Show All Files in Add/Remove Programs (G4)
http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/windowstips/story/0,24330,3352313,00.html
--
XP - WNP
Today is the first day of the
rest of your life.

I have a user whose computer was getting really slow. I cleaned up the
tmp
files and cleared the cache and history. Nothing unusual in her Startup
folder. Looked in Control Panel within Add/Remove Programs. Has
approximately
60 items showing, 10 which are valid names. The rest make no sense to
me
[ESSini, SFR, to name a few]. I know that she has other applications on
there
that are working, but they don't show up in Control Panel by their
correct
name. There is no Change/Remove buttons for any of these either. I
thought
about cleaning up the registry but am afraid that these are just
aliases and
that if I do delete one, an actual legitimate program will be
uninstalled. I
attempted to use System Restore but it had been disabled. Norton found
no
viruses.

 

[choucas]

Hi!
You are not unique. I made a research on Google and found many people
with this strange problem.
I noticed this problem a week ago.
But i think it begun when i installed the printer HP2360 Deskjet.
I have maybe 10 Programs that i can uninstall. These programs are the
one i installed recently, or i found
the DC and reinstalled them.
The others programs, there is no way to remove them, and i don't have
the support to reinstall them.
Here are the list of Programs found that cannot be removed:
Apple Software Update
Acdsee 5.0 Powerpack
Adobe Flash Player 9 ActiveX
BufferChm
CustomerResearchQFolder
D2300_Help
DeviceManagementQFolder
eSupportQfolder
HP Photosmart Essential
HP Software Update
hph_readme
hph_software_req
HPPhotoSmartExpress
HPProductAssistant
HPSU306Stub
itunes
J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 4
Java 2 Runtime Environment, SE v1.42_10
Java 2 SDK, SE v1.4.2_10
Macromedia Dreamweaver 6
MarketResearch
Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003
Microsoft Office Professional edition 2003
QuickTime
Solution Center
speechsdk51
Status
Symantec Network Drivers Update
Toolbox
TrayApp
Unload
WebFldrs XP
WebReg
Windows Media Encoder 9 Series

Please, i need your help!! The PC is very slow. I've run various anti-
virus and anti-spyware, everything is fine!!!!!
So, i think it's a problem related to the registry. But, WHAT?

 

[cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)]

I have maybe 10 Programs that i can uninstall. These programs are the
one i installed recently, or i found the DC and reinstalled them.
DC?

Here are the list of Programs found that cannot be removed:

Apple Software Update

Side-effect of iPod; may be "enabled" as per another post in this
thread, if it is a "mwedia player" thing.

Acdsee 5.0 Powerpack

Options part of ACDSee; try the same fix

Adobe Flash Player 9 ActiveX

ActiveX is managed via IE's Programs, Add-ins or similar, tho this may
disable rather than kill (try Disk Cleanup, DPF)

BufferChm
CustomerResearchQFolder
D2300_Help
DeviceManagementQFolder
eSupportQfolder
HP Photosmart Essential
HP Software Update
hph_readme
hph_software_req
HPPhotoSmartExpress
HPProductAssistant
HPSU306Stub
Dunno

itunes

That should appear in Add/Remove?

J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 4

So should that..
..

Java 2 Runtime Environment, SE v1.42_10

....and that, which is a lethal hazard. Kill!

Java 2 SDK, SE v1.4.2_10

Macromedia Dreamweaver 6
MarketResearch

Dunno those two...

DreamWeaver I'd expect to have an Add/Remove, unless:
- entry was deleted, e.g via TweakUI
- app was scraped-over, not installed

Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003
Microsoft Office Professional edition 2003
QuickTime

As per DreamWeaver

Solution Center
speechsdk51
Status
Symantec Network Drivers Update
Toolbox
TrayApp
Unload
WebFldrs XP
WebReg
Windows Media Encoder 9 Series

As per "the fix"

Please, i need your help!! The PC is very slow. I've run various anti-
virus and anti-spyware, everything is fine!!!!!
So, i think it's a problem related to the registry. But, WHAT?

Registry is rarely a speed impediment.

Firstly, about these installed apps:
- how are you "seeing" them?
- how were they installed?

I ask the first in relation to Java in particular, as I often see
leftovers from old Java lying around, as well as DPF stuff for
versions of Java that I haven't used (installed) on the PC.

Sun don't really "get" patching as MS do. Until 1.5.006 I think it
was, they still seemed to think we got new versions of apps because we
wanted cool new features, rather than because we dare not use the old
exploitable versions, and they'd keep the old versions "for
compatibility" (with what, malware that exploits them?).

They STILL do that, but what changed after 1.5.006 is that up to that
version, malware (or any sware) could ask for an old version, and
would be passed through to that (so could exploit it). NASTY. See...

http://cquirke.blogspot.com/2006/09/banking-on-java.html

....after a few PageDowns, unless you're interested in all of it


I ask "how were they installed" because some apps will work if just
"scraped over" and doing so will not populate Add/Remove.

Also, if an uninstallation from Add/Remove fails, the uninstaller will
often offer to remove the entry from Add/Remove. That's another way
to be left with an app and no Add/Remove entry.


On speed... oy, so many factors! First, compare these...
- Windows as normal
- as above, but disconnect all peripherals
- as above, but also kill all networking and wireless
- as above, also eject or disconnect all removable drives
- as above, with all startup entries disabled via MSConfig
- as above, with all non-MS services disabled via MSConfig
- as above, but F8 boot menu, use vanilla VGA
- F8 menu, Safe Mode
- F8 menu, Safe Mode Command Only

If bad all the way down to the end, check:
- CMOS Settings such as disabled cache, slow HD modes
- Windows IDE controller mode for HD; UDMA good, PIO bad
- physical HD for defects, e.g. www.hdtune.com (retries)
- clear Temp, TIF, shrink TIF (IE cache) allocation to 20M
- ensure processor is not overheating into thermal protection
- ensure you have enough RAM (256M+)
- if < 512M RAM, kill RAM wasters such as fast user switching
- do not run multiple resident av at the same time
- make sure av is not scanning "the whole system" while you work
- exclude other (mis-)sheduled Tasks
- formally exclude malware; Google( Bart PE )

 

[choucas]

Thank you so much for your time and this explanation. I'll take a look
at this, and later i'll let you know the results.
By the way, all or almost all of these programs are working, the
problem is that i cannot remove them. I installed the Acdsee v7.0
Powerpack to overcome the problem with Acdsee v5 Powerpack. All the
files related to the printer HP are there, i reinstalled this software
but only 3 of them appear to have the "change/remove" button.
I'll let you know...