Computer and Software Support


Add/Remove programs invalid entry removal

Click on the hyperlink for instructions for that step or on for a picture of that step.

This article is from Microsoft's knowledge base article 310750 (This is a link to Microsoft. No guarantee This link will still be good. To ensure access to the information the contents of site is below.)

This article was previously published under Q310750

 

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

To add, remove, or change a program on a Windows XP-based computer, use the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel. Occasionally, a program may not be removed completely and a reference to the program may remain in the Currently installed programs dialog box. If you change or remove a program, you may receive a number of messages about files that cannot be located, but are needed to complete the change or removal. This article describes how to remove these invalid entries from the Add/Remove Programs tool.

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

The following steps remove only the registry entries related to a program as it appears in the Add/Remove Programs tool. To completely remove a program that was not completely removed by clicking the Change/Remove button in the Add/Remove Programs tool, you need to clean up the physical directory structure on disk and in the registry as well. Use extreme caution when you perform either of these tasks.

Below you will be instructed to double-click an entry in the registry. That is because we want to expand that part of the tree. When you see the plus next to an item, it means that portion of the tree is closed and you cannot see the contents inside it. The entry will look like the picture below
   


When you double-click the entry, the entry will expand showing the contents underneath it and there will be a minus to the left of it such as the picture below
   


To remove a program reference viewable in the Add/Remove Programs tool:
  1. Access REGEDIT (The page will open in a separate window)
  2. Double-click HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
  3. Double-click Software
  4. Double-click Microsoft
  5. Double-click Windows
  6. Double-click CurrentVersion
  7. Double-click Uninstall
  8. Locate the key to be deleted by locating the key name created by the program. If the name of the key is not apparent, browse through each key  and note the value for DisplayName. this is the viewable string in the Add/Remove Programs tool
  9. Highlight the key
  10. Click on File
   
  1. Click on Export
   
  1. Choose a location externally from the system (To a memory stick, floppy, CD or other external device)
   
  1. Delete the registry key and its values. Do not delete the entire Uninstall key.
  2. Quit the Registry Editor.
  3. Verify that the reference in the Add/Remove Programs tool is no longer visible.
You may have to contact the manufacturer of the program that you want to remove if you need to clean up the disk and registry entries. The procedure described in this section does not remove all the files and registry entries used by the program; it removes only the reference in the Add/Remove Programs tool.

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition