Problem with Add/Remove

[LilBob]

Somehow, my PC got infected. I found this out only after noticing my home page on IE7 was changed. Running XP Pro w/SP3. Scanned PC in both Safe & Normal modes with MBAM, Spybot S&D, SuperAntispyware & Avast. Deleted all malware found. Ran chkdsk & sfc. I also did a repair install & re-installed all Windows updates. Ran Rootkit Revealer (nothing found). My problem is neither Add/Remove programs nor Revo Unintaller show a complete list of all applications on my system. Add/Remove shows a lot of apps that weren’t there before with lots of blank areas. I tried installing the latest version of Windows Installer to see if that might correct the problem (no go). Can anybody tell me what’s causing this & how can I rectify it? Almost forgot, ran HJT & deleted some entries there.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Bob

 

[LilBob]

Legit Windows with restore disk. I have software disks to reinstall everything. Since surguries & therapy, I don't have much else to do but work on PC. I just hate it when I can't resolve an issue with my system. I've cut out most work as I'm now on total disability, can't even drive anymore as I have almost no mobility in my neck. As you said, time is money but I have lots of that (time @ least but not $ sad to say) but I do love a challenge. At least I'll have more time to help others here now.

Thanks again, Bob

 

[linney]

You could try chasing down the "Show Updates" check box setting in the Registry (if it is indeed controlled via the Registry), and see how that functions and see if in some corrupted way it has been applied to the missing program entries.

A program like RegShot might allow you to do the detective work, you might find other uses for it too. It would be good if it was able to compare a working Registry with a non-working one. Especially so if you made an identical, but parallel install of XP (nearly identical, anyway, except for the Activation settings).

RegShot

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Registry-Tweak/Reg-Shot.shtml

"To install Windows XP to a new folder (to perform a parallel installation):"

How to install or upgrade to Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316941&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[LilBob]

Hi linney,

Sorry for the delay in replying but I seem to have less free time than when I was working, plus I had a lot to check out. OK! Here’s what I’ve tried lately (with no success):

Heard from an ex-coworker of a couple of M$ apps that he’s been running & tried them;

1.M$ Security Essentials (free AV & AS program). It works great & caught a few things Avast & all my other anti-malware apps missed & uses less resources.

http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

2.Windows LiveOne Scanner that includes a registry scanner. I ran it & it found quite a few errors there including a couple of ports open (now closed) & cleaned all registry errors.

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/default.htm

3.I checked into Event Viewer going back to 12 days prior to the issue & found nothing there.

4.Checked out the sites you sent me in your last reply, but nothing in them resolved the issue. They did, however, send me to other forums. I was somewhat happy to see others were suffering from the same problem (but sorry to see it at the same time) & hoped they would show me a cure. One led me to the following M$ support site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/266668/EN-US/?#kb1

Checked the Registry for the entries it listed & didn’t find the following:

%systemroot%\System32\Jscript.dll
%systemroot%\System32\Msdart32.dll [not registerable]
%systemroot%\System32\Mshtmled.dll
%systemroot%\System32\Mswstr10.dll [not registerable]

A search of the registry could not find the following key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{352EC2B7-8B9A-11D1-B8AE-006008059382}\InProcServer32

I don’t want to mess too much with the Registry if these are not the cause of my issue here.

5.I checked all apps listed in Start Programs. All seem to work OK even if Add/Remove & Revo won’t populate them. I tried using uninstall on 2 apps that needed updating & reinstalled them. They then showed up; currently, about 34 apps not being populated

6.Finally, I uninstalled the few apps that were installed shortly before the problem occurred. Also checked all Windows updates listed in Add/Remove; all listed there were installed after the fact.

Everything runs well other than this one issue so I may continue to run as is & continue monitoring all. If I do find the cause/solution, I’ll post it so everyone can benefit.

Thanks to all for your ideas (and any new ones you might have) once more, Bob

 

[linney]

I don't know whether you came across anything like this in your travels but when sorting out similar problem in Vista a couple of people have mentioned a program called HyperCam 2 that may have been the cause of the problem. Even these have not supplied any fix for the broken Add or Remove, or Programs and Features in the later operating systems. It does show that faulty installers and uninstallers can cause this hard to fix problem.

I am yet to be convinced there is any fix other than a repair install, or more probably, a clean install?

 

[LilBob]

Reran HJT & found a BHO with no name, deleted it but still no change other than the one listing of HyperCam 2 in Registry is gone. I did stumble on something strange though; I right clicked on an app to create a shortcut & noticed a new item in the menu called ‘Hash-Hash’. Googling it didn’t reveal anything but, with further checking, I discovered it was part of a program that I downloaded called Delete Duplicate Files. I ran this as I was planning a complete back up of my HD & didn’t want to waste time/space. I don’t recall if this was run before or after my issue started. I do know that I didn’t care for it & uninstalled it using Revo. A check of the Registry displayed 5 items for H-H & DDF still listed there. My plan is to remove them all & see what happens. I’ve already backed up my Registry again (& set another Restore Point) but if you don’t hear back from me soon, it’ll probably mean I’m doing a clean install as things went really bad.

Don't know if this is another side-effect, when I sign on to Tek-Tips, I no longer get the option to see my threads, my replies, etc. as in the past.

Bob

 

[linney]

Tek-Tips is in transition and the web pages are changing (daily?). Today your "My Replies" are appearing under tabs across the top of the page called "My Stuff", yesterday they were called "Settings", tomorrow, I wonder what they will be called.

 

[LilBob]

That's a relief! I thought my problems were getting worse. Alas, they have not gotten better. All still works after deleting those keys in Registry but still can't populate a full list of apps. If I have to uninstall, reinstall & update the apps not populating, I might as well do a clean install. Still checking a few things but, as mentioned earlier, I may continue to run as is. Will let all know if I find the cause/remedy to this issue.

Bob

 

[LilBob]

Forgot to mention, I noticed the tab at top called 'My Stuff' & knocking my head for not looking up. Comes with age & familiarity I guess.

Bob

 

[linney]

Yes, keep us posted, it is a swine of a problem to fix. I'm lucky that I have a couple of full Image backups to fall back too should I ever fall victim to such a problem. That at least is better than starting from scratch. Mind you checking "Programs and Features" or "Add or Remove" is not a daily task for many people, and the latest images might also carry over the fault.

Your thread is getting too long for me to do more than just skirt over it so you might have already tried this next suggestion. Have you tried creating another Administrator user and seeing what his "Add or Remove" looks like?

 

[LilBob]

Yes I did with, obviously, no luck there. All is still running fine but will continue researching the issue, time permitting. Plan on replacing my dinosaur of a laptop soon as I'll be travelling north to visit family & friends in June. Played around at a local PC supply shop with Windows 7 & liked what I saw. Much better than Vista but like all new OS's, could still use some tweaking.

Anyway, I'll let all know if I find the culprit/remedy for this glitch.

Keep up the good work, Bob