PHANTOM PROGRAMS LISTED

A staggering number of Windows 9x users are unaware of the Add/Remove programs applet under Control Panel. As a result, these users simply delete program folders rather than formally uninstalling an unwanted program. This practice is generally harmless but has the bothersome side effect of leaving entries within the Add/Remove Programs list that correspond to now-deleted applications.

Should a new user, one who is familiar with Add/Remove Programs applet, inherit this computer, or a support tech be required to properly install new software on the machine, these phantom entries can prove quite inconvenient. If you try to uninstall these programs using the Add/Remove Programs applet, Windows will return the error message:

An error occurred while trying to remove <Program Name>. Uninstallation has been canceled

You can remove these entries from the Add/Remove Program list by either manually editing the registry or using Tweak UI Power Toy, which can be downloaded from Microsoft's Web site.

http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/downloads/powertoys/networking/nttweakui.asp

To manually remove the program entry, open regedit.exe and navigate down to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Now find the entry in this key that relates to the application(s) to be removed (you may need to look at the DisplayName value). Once located, delete the appropriate key entry.

To use Tweak UI, download and install the program. Now, open Start | Settings | Control Panel | Tweak UI and select the Add/Remove tab. Locate the program entry you wish to delete and click Remove. When you're done, click OK and close Control Panel.

NOTE: As always, we'll remind you that registry editing can be risky, so be sure you have a verified backup before making any changes.