Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Add/remove doesn't migrate

Dec 31, 2012 8:59PM PST

Hello,

and happy New years to everybody. I'm having a issue with Windows XP. Actually, I'm trying to repair my Pastor's laptop that has mad crazee issues. I've been working on the viruses, but I also need to work on this issue. I can't get ADD/REMOVE in control panel to work. It should normally migrate and show programs to remove. Not on this laptop, it's blank. I have ran several Microsoft Fixit programs but nothing seems to work. I have tried SFC scannow, but without a systems disk, that won't work. Outside of purchasing a disk, is there a copy of that online?

Anyway, anybody here have any ideas on how to fix this, as well as a search issue, can't run search either. I would love to give him his laptop back this week, had it long enough fixing the virus issues. A WORD TO THE WISE, PLEASE DON'T LET YOUR CHILDREN DOWNLOAD PROGRAMS/GAMES/TOOLBARS onto anything you plan to use.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
From what you say
Jan 1, 2013 12:01AM PST

From what you say, I'm thinking it sounds like it'd be faster and easier to just rebuild the thing from scratch. Reinstall the OS and all associated software, maybe even implement some preventative and mitigating factors this time around.

- Collapse -
this was suppose
Jan 1, 2013 12:35AM PST

this was suppose to have been a re-install, but somewhere along the way, it got twisted. I didn't want to try and reinstall everything again because he needs his laptop. Some of his sermons and docs may still be on here. So I didn't want to just end delete them. So, I've been trying to do the least amount of damage possible.

As for preventive measures, he had Norton 360 on it, but who knows when that expired or was updated. Right now, I can't even get Malwarebytes to run, so there's a lot of issues here that needed to be resolved first. I think I got all of them, won't know until I can fix that side of things for sure. So, any help would be useful.

- Collapse -
Sounds simple enough
Jan 1, 2013 12:48AM PST

Sounds simple enough. Get a Linux distribution that can boot off a DVD or USB flash drive, use that to back up any lingering files, then blow everything away. No point beating your head against the wall in this case.

- Collapse -
NO! Add/Remove does not have to have a single entry.
Jan 1, 2013 12:52AM PST

Add/Remove reads a list of entries in the registry and if some pest or "registry cleaner" deleted that list, what you wrote can happen and has been seen.

There has never been a fixit program or tool made in over a decade to re-populate this list.

That's no bug. But it's rare to discuss how Windows works. Hope this saves you some pain.

Now if the Control Panel was blank, there was a fix for that.


I have yet to find a legal XP CD that is available online. And to make matters more fun, there must be a dozen versions of said CD. Use the wrong CD with SFC and you can end up with a non-booting OS.

Which brings up an ugly issue. If folk don't keep there OS or restore CDs they either didn't know how important it was or accept the consequences. Those that didn't know seem to be the most upset about this.
Bob

- Collapse -
Add remove, help needed still
Jan 1, 2013 2:39AM PST

Well said Profitt, but in a world of laptops, heck, most any computer that doesn't come with a cd, it's not hard to not "HAVE A Systems CD or restore disk". Used to be when you bought a computer, if it had Microsoft Word or office you got that disk or at the full office package, not something that you have to BUY in 90 days. As for a reg cleaner, don't know if one was used on this prior. But since I've had it, nothing like that has been used. As for the fixit, I was referring to the Microsoft Fixit's found here:

http://support.microsoft.com/fixit/

Anyway,

all I'm trying to do is fix this for my Pastor, and if I can't I can't. As for getting a copy of a disc or using the wrong disc and the side effects, ooohhhh well, it's already jacked, lol.

- Collapse -
Those restore CDs.
Jan 1, 2013 2:51AM PST

Often are made by the owner. But as you can imagine, more than half the owners don't make them. And of those that make them they tell you they lost them. This includes those machines that came with the CDs.

-> I was remiss in offering a workaround for uninstalling apps. There are a few ways.

1. Install the app again. Many apps will offer to re-install and cleanup.
2. Go get REVO UNINSTALLER. Often can uninstall things you can't otherwise.

My experience with MSFT's fixit is that it's good when it works but it's rare to see it fix the issue today with all the malware that's out there.

MSFT is a little distracted with Windows 8 and apparently is not putting much effort into OS repair tools. I know folk (Redmondites?) may disagree with me on that but MSFT has had more than enough time to create a "repair the OS and leave the user files intact" by now.
Bob