A program to scan and fix the registry?

[notageek]

Does anyone know of a program that will scan your registry and fix the problems that it finds (like missing files or what not)? I'm having a problem with my Add/remove tool in xp and can't figure out what's going on and I thought maybe it was something wrong with my registry. I would like a free trial or a freeware registry scan fixer tool.

[subratam]

i think u may try out this mayb u can get a lill or more help
http://www.topcatcomputing.com/articles/displayarticle.asp?docid=10

[JayK]

-{ Quote: " quoting: notageek link=board=9;threadid=16473;start=0#msg102022 date=1069078313]
Does anyone know of a program that will scan your registry and fix the problems that it finds (like missing files or what not)? I'm having a problem with my Add/remove tool in xp and can't figure out what's going on and I thought maybe it was something wrong with my registry. I would like a free trial or a freeware registry scan fixer tool.
" }-

Hmm most of the freeware registry scanners or just cleaners, I doubt they can solve the problem.

Can't you use system restore?

[notageek]

I used system restore and reinstalled windows xp and I still can't see some items in my add/remove. Thanks Jayk

[FanJ]

Hi Notageek,

Did you perhaps use a tool called RegSeeker?
If I remember me well, there is stated on their site that it could perhaps "corrupt" your add/remove-option, and in that case they have a fix on their site.
I suppose that fix is only in case it is RegSeeker that "corrupted" it and not for other cases.....

[notageek]

Thanks for the info FanJ. I don't know it regseeker was used. I didn't mess with the reg my wife did. So I'm not sure if regseeker was used. All I know is I uninstall ZA and my wife got on the computer and started messing with stuff and I came back and tried to remove a program she installed and it wasn't there same with other programs.

[FanJ]

Just to be sure: did you scan your system with AV, AT and SpyBot S&D and/or AdAware?

[notageek]

I scanned with 2 AV's both ad-aware and spybot. iIt came out clean.

[FanJ]

Oops, I'm afraid I don't have the answer.... :-[
I guess we have to wait until a XP/registry guru jumps in.
Sorry !

[subratam]

i dunno whether notageek saw my post or mayb he din think it was important anyway if u want to fix register mayb RegFix works... if it doznt u can ofcourse try system mechanic 4
anyway wateva i am sayin... i want for ur good.. so take advice frm others too b4 attampting anything u dunno

[notageek]

It's OK. I bust my butt trying everything I know and read online but no luck so far. Thanks. FanJ

[notageek]

I seen your post bro. Sorry. I'm getting ready to try it now. Thanks for the help. I'll post back if it works.

[Primrose]

If all this is about a program your wife installed..but you can not find it in the add/remove..and you are thinking that it should be there..I can tell you programs can be installed and not show up there.


In any case..starting from that point...try Belrc Advisor..it is free and will tell you alll that is on that PC..

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html


Then you can compare what you find in that add/remove.


But it appears here that you are sure if you fix the registry that this will help the add/remove mystery for you ????

[notageek]

OK Here's the the downlow. I went to add/remove to remove ZA. and I seen bunch of programs in my add/remove (NOD, Macafee, Pixa among others). I come back and none of them are there just the hotfixes that i had to redownload after the reinstall. Now when I open addremove there/s nothing in there but hotfixes. LOL It's a true mystery. Even spybot and media player isn't in my add/remove.

[Primrose]

This is why some programs do not show up in the add/remove

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=223182

See here also...
http://www.theeldergeek.com/kbi_add_or_remove_programs.htm

Damaged Registry Repair and Recovery in Windows XP (Q318159)

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318159




Add or Remove Programs
The redesigned Windows XP Control Panel now contains a section called Add or Remove Programs, the third of the nine categories under Category View in Control Panel. The tip groupings below correspond to the Classic View in Windows XP. The final table below shows available feature access comparisons via the two Control Panel styles.
http://www.theeldergeek.com/addorremoveprograms.htm

Remove Invalid Listings from Add/Remove Programs

http://www.theeldergeek.com/remove_previously_deleted_app_listings.htm

[notageek]

-{ Quote: " quoting: subratam link=board=9;threadid=16473;start=0#msg102052 date=1069087329]
i dunno whether notageek saw my post or mayb he din think it was important anyway if u want to fix register mayb RegFix works... if it doznt u can ofcourse try system mechanic 4
anyway wateva i am sayin... i want for ur good.. so take advice frm others too b4 attampting anything u dunno
" }-

I tried the regfix and it didn't help. II'll check out system mechanic 4 and see what happens.

[subratam]

man u r not havin problem in ur registry but in the add/remove program section of ur system... i think mayb when uninstalling one of program... mayb a shared dll was removed too... dunno mayb that was a common dll and was needed by ur comp...
hav u tried registry backup?? if u hav win XP hav u tried runnin on the last well known configuration option??

[FanJ]

Maybe this is only for W98:

Suppose you have WinZip installed (just an example).
For WinZip showing up in Add/Remove, there has to be the following reg-key:

reg-key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\WinZip

Value:
DisplayName

Data:
WinZip


Notageek,
Maybe you could look for a program on your system that IS installed but does NOT show up in Add/Remove.
Then go to the reg-key like in above example and have a look whether there is yes/no such Key and Value and Data.

[Primrose]

I think so too sub..and i think it happened uninstallin that ZA..it has many steps you must do first on that program to stop it from running etc..before you hit that old add/remove button. They still have a whole page of things to do in that uninstall.

[notageek]

FanJ I looked in my registry for the keys and the programs that are gone are gone from there also.

[notageek]

Man the fellows over at the M$ newsgroup said it was in my registry. The only program that uninstalled was ZA. How can I check to see if all my dlls to see if all my dlls are there?

[FanJ]

From RegRun quote:

All Windows 9x or NT compatible programs must include an Uninstall program, sometimes though the program
may get removed but entry in Add/Remove programs doesn't, from this key you can remove those orphaned
entries.
To see which application each sub-key represents, open it and there should be at least two values
'DisplayName' and 'UninstallString'. 'DisplayName' is the name used in the Add/Remove programs list, and
'UninstallString' is the program used to uninstall the application.
To remove a program from the list you can simple delete the sub-key representing that program.

- End quote -

That's why I suggested to have a look for such a key and DisplayName.

But, once again, I'm not completely sure whether this is also true for XP....

[notageek]

Promise, I went to ZA web site and found a page on how to uninstall ZA for XP. http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/support/znalmInstallXPFAQ.jsp;jsessionid=1U1CEhYvaoBJTzTwPuf04uUpk52HUpu4uhHiO2wZT4X3kRUqvWEd!-959
Here's the webpage I went to. I did everything it said to do.

[Primrose]

It is not true..and if you look at my second post you will see how anyone can HIDE it from not appearing there. Even Microsoft made those reg tweak on a few programs they had installed that people wanted to dump.

[notageek]

So what could it be than?

[subratam]

this installing and uninstalling of programs is an old way to make ur own system crash and go haywire if not handled appropriately... and me for example had undergone this too...
i recommend u shud always uninstalling any program after stopping it frm running, then thru the uninstall shield that came with the program and its safe to keep any shared dlls watsoever unless u r totally sure about a certain dll that was used solely by the program itself
hey u can try scannow technique thru start-> run keeping the XP CD in.. it will chk for any missin or corrupted file in ur system and repair or reinstall the same from the XP CD... the actual comman i am not totally sure mayb some of the gurus over here may help u in that matter
good luck

[notageek]

Thanks bro. I'll check it out and see if it helps. I would of thought that after I reinstalled windows it would of fixed the problem but not always I guess.

[TAG97]

How about another Restore Point?

[notageek]

I restore from all my restore points and nothing helped. I Have no restore points any more I reinstalled windows. I might have to give up and have a bad add/remove tool.

[Prince_Serendip]

;D Interesting! The one day I go freeware shopping, I found a few useful Registry apps. Try here:

Registry Tools at Pricelessware (http://www.pricelessware.org/2003/PL2003SYSTEMUTILITIES.htm#RegistryCleaner)

Check out their homepage (http://www.pricelessware.org/). They have some mighty fine apps. Hope this is of some help to you. :)

[Prince_Serendip]

;D Have you tried Simtel, Tucows, ZDNet Downloads??

http://www.simtel.net/welcome.php

http://www.tucows.com/

http://www.zdnet.com/?tag=cnetfd.ft

Just type in the word Registry on the Search Bar.

[Primrose]

Registry fix :) I can't see that helping you at this point..you have reinstalled window the OS nothing wrong with the regisrty...but when all those thrid party programs were installed they did have an entry that would then allow them be be displayed in your add/remove. I doubt they are even there now..so you would have to reproduce them by reinstalling that software...that is why i gave you the link to Belarc Advisor...that way you do know all that is install and you do have links to all the folders via that Advisor.

With that you can see them..and uninstall any with their own uninstaller...or go to the vendors site to find out all the precautions you must take before you attempt any.

[FanJ]

Hi Notageek,

If I understood you right:

in reply 7 you wrote you scanned with SpyBot;
in reply 13 you wrote that SpyBot is not in your Add/remove.

So: you DO can run SpyBot, but it does NOT show up in Add/Remove.
Right?

Question:
Is that also true for all the other programs not showing up in Add/Remove?
Meaning: you CAN run them, but they do NOT show up in Add/Remove?

Now, I don't know what happened on your system.
1- it could have been caused by your un-installing of ZA;
2- it could have been caused by something your wife did;
3- anyother reason......

1.
Let's assume that you un-installed ZA in the way you should do it.
2.
You have to talk with your wife ;)
I know very well that it is sometimes completely impossibly to remember exactly what you were doing on a PC (we ALL fell sometimes victim for this; at least I myself recently did :-[ ). So, please (!!!!), don't blame your wife in case she can't tell you it.
3.
eh, we don't know.......


BUT, and here comes a big IF:

IF the only problem is that "some" programs are not showing up in Add/Remove, than you could make the related reg-keys (needed for them to show up there) by yourself.
Of course I know that this might be a lot of work..... ::)
I gave you an example for WinZip on a Windows 98 system.
I would strongly advice you to wait to do it this way until someone with knowledge about the XP-registry confirms this.

IF this was and is the only problem, you might not have solved what was the reason for it, but at least you could repair it.

But, as I wrote, there was a huge IF.............



PS:
Hey Notageek ;) , I hope you don't mind and I sooo much hope you can fix your problem (!!!), but please forgive me when I say: the best thing to fix software-problems is almost always to have a good backup image.....
(hey Notageek, please don't take this the wrong way !!!
I do wish that you can fix it !!!)

[subratam]

one thing to ask for myself ... creating software backups means havin the software installations??
nxt i recently had ZA with me... (alongwith kerio 2X) but gettin advice frm wilders i uninstalled ZA frm my comp and i did thru ZA uninstall shield
it was a smooth process(it seems till nou :-\ no probz for me mayb ZA pro is more machine frndly or my comp is well managed ;) ) anyways so i very well think its not for ZA... rest alone the 2 more possiblitiz given by FanJ hmmm.. a computer is a idiot managed by us... and we can make mistakes so i think ur wife if at all made any mistake shudnt take any blame...
i sincerely think u shud wait until XP- reg guru comes... (fingers crossed) and also u shud consult with some of ur knowledgeable frnd in ur near neighborhood coz its always best in seein "practically"
good luck again bro

[Prince_Serendip]

;D One more URL!

From Pricelesse Ware again. Look for Add/Remove Pro (http://www.pricelessware.org/2003/PL2003SYSTEMUTILITIES.htm#Install-UninstallTool).

I just love freeware. There's gold in them thar hills, if you know where to look! ;)

[TonyKlein]

First try this:

Click Start, click Run, and then type CMD.
At the prompt, type Regsvr32 Appwiz.cpl and hit Enter.

If no joy, your Appwiz.cpl file could be corrupted in some way.

Go to Start > Run, type sfc /scannow (there's a space following 'sfc'), and hit enter.

Windows will now verify the integrity of the System Files.
You may need your Windows CD-ROM.

And here's MS KB article:

All Installed Programs May Not Be Displayed in the Add/Remove Programs Tool (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=240348)

Hope it helps!

[notageek]

Prince_Serendip, thanks. I'll take a look.

Promise, I can reinatll everyprogram I have but 1. I can't install IESpell. I didn't look in the IESpell folder yet to see if there's a uninstall file there. I sure hope so.

FanJ, I'm not mad at my wife at all. Like I told her there's a fix or a way around this. Now let me answer your questions.
Yes I can run all the programs on my computer. Even the one's that aren't in the add/remove.
I unistalled ZA they way the link told me to do. Another person at another board told me to use the link and uninstall it the way they told me. I did however find another person that had this crazy unistall thing happen to them when they tried to uninstall ZA.
I talked with my wife and she can't remember what all she did. She said she ran McAfee and messwith some games and went online but she also said she played with other programs she don't remember which ones. So I told her it's cool I'll figure out how to fix it.
I looked in my uninstall part of my registry and seen that only a few programs are in there.
WordPerfect2002 is in there and when I went to Add/remove it was there but there was no remove tab. There was one a few days ago before i uninstalled ZA

I'm going to wait til the registry gurus to come and help. I'm not going to mess with the registry yet.

I'm going to look around my computer and see if I do have a backuo image. Thats for the hint FanJ. :)

[notageek]

-{ Quote: " quoting: TonyKlein link=board=9;threadid=16473;start=30#msg102122 date=1069102363]
First try this:

Click Start, click Run, and then type CMD.
At the prompt, type Regsvr32 Appwiz.cpl and hit Enter." }-

I did this already.

I also Scanow with Sfc. LOL Didn't work either.

[subratam]

first of all pricelessware is a cool site.. thx prince ;D really u can find "diamond" also if u handle the microscope well ;)
about notageek and his probz.. as i told.. try to contact one of ur frnd in ur vicinity... mayb u can get some help..
and again i repeat i also uninstalled ZA only yesterday... just thru uninstall option in ZA... nothin happened...
so.... mayb somethin else...

[TonyKlein]

OK, have a look at the article.

If no joy, we may indeed be looking at some form of registry corruption, in which case a Repair Install might be in order.

[FanJ]

Hey Notageek,

Please DO follow Tony's advice !!!!!!!!!!!!!
You're now in the hands of a very nice guy with LOTS of knowledge about the registry !!!!!!!!!

Hey Ton,
Thanks a lot my friend !!!!!!!!!

[notageek]

Opps sorry Tony. I also did that. I think that was like one of the fisrt thing that a friend of mine told me to go and do.

Subratam, I asked everyone I know (don't know any IT people) and no one knew how to fix it. one person told me to get a Mac. LOL

[subratam]

can Tony or anyone throw some light on regsrv....cpl...
i ran it ..it said the same .cpl registered :)

[Primrose]

And if couse if you do install that Belarc Advisory..that would be another test for you on your add/remove..since doing that install should have it show up in the add/remove as Belarc Advisor 5.0..if you do not see it there after the install then keep looking..but i think the corruption you have on the previously installed programs is not an easy fix.

[notageek]

LOL I'm afriad it's not an easy fix. I installed and ran that belarc and it should all my programs installed.

[subratam]

want some info ..... :-\
Regsvr32 Appwiz.cpl

[Primrose]

-{ Quote: " quoting: notageek link=board=9;threadid=16473;start=30#msg102138 date=1069103898]
LOL I'm afriad it's not an easy fix. I installed and ran that belarc and it showed all my programs installed.
" }-


Yes of course it did...since they are installed..but my question is..do you now find in your add/remove that listing for the Belarc Advisor...you should..since it does use the install shield and that will then list it in your add/remove.....now on those other puppies you would also like to be there at this time..I am afraid that record is gone..I do not know how it happened..but can tell you it is my opinion that nothing you can done in the wizzy thing will get them back in there..but you could reinstall each one and then it would show up.


Also in that belarc advisor..when you use it..you will see a little " *" by each of those third party programs if you click on that it will take you to the folders of that particular application.

[notageek]

Yes BA showed up in my add/remove. But there's no remove tab. Is there one for you?

[TonyKlein]

-{ Quote: " quoting: notageek link=board=9;threadid=16473;start=30#msg102132 date=1069103328]
Opps sorry Tony. I also did that. I think that was like one of the first thing that a friend of mine told me to go and do.
" }-

That's weird, as a repair install ought to rewrite the pertinent registry keys and values.

If I remember well, Mosaic1 and myself once came across an identical case at another board, but I don't seem to remember how that was solved (although I believe it was) ::)

I'll contact her and ask whether she remembers.

[TonyKlein]

-{ Quote: " quoting: subratam link=board=9;threadid=16473;start=45#msg102145 date=1069104284]
want some info ..... :-\
Regsvr32 Appwiz.cpl
" }-

How do you mean exactly ? All the Regsvr32 command does is register the file. When you do that, it should give you something like 'Registerserver in Appwiz.cpl succeeded'

[subratam]

ya 'Registerserver in Appwiz.cpl succeeded' .. i just want to kno wats appwiz.cpl :-X

[Prince_Serendip]

;) Get some info at Tek-Tips: Technical Work Forums for Computer Professionals (http://www.tek-tips.com/supportus.cfm), (but you do not need to be a pro to ask questions). They have lots of useful info.

[subratam]

u deserved a karma... u r really prince of links... :)

[Primrose]

-{ Quote: " quoting: notageek link=board=9;threadid=16473;start=45#msg102150 date=1069104982]
Yes BA showed up in my add/remove. But there's no remove tab. Is there one for you?
" }-

So then what happen if you left click on that BA in the add/remove ???

[subratam]

hey prim wats appwiz.cpl...

[Primrose]

and another test you can do is try this free trial program and see if it will showup all those missing programs..
http://www.aurelitec.com/software/arplus/

[TonyKlein]

-{ Quote: " quoting: subratam link=board=9;threadid=16473;start=45#msg102157 date=1069105923]
ya 'Registerserver in Appwiz.cpl succeeded' .. i just want to kno wats appwiz.cpl :-X
" }-

Appwiz.cpl *is* your Add/Remove Software applet in Control Panel.

[subratam]

thx Tony... ;D

[Primrose]

Add/Remove Programs (APPWIZ.CPL)
-------------------------------------
Add/Remove Programs Properties (Install/Uninstall):
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,1
Add/Remove Programs Properties (Windows Setup):
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,2
Add/Remove Programs Properties (Startup Disk):
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,3




Add/Remove Programs Icon or Tabs Missing
View products that this article applies to.
This article was previously published under Q195064
SYMPTOMSWhen you attempt to add or remove a component in Windows 95/98, you may experience one of the following symptoms:
The Add/Remove Programs icon is missing in Control Panel.
The Windows Setup and Startup Disk tabs are missing in the Add/Remove Programs tool.
CAUSEThis behavior can occur if the Appwiz.cpl or Setupx.dll file is missing or damaged.
RESOLUTIONTo resolve this behavior, follow these steps:
Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
If the Add/Remove Programs icon is missing, type "appwiz.cpl" (without quotation marks) in the Named box, and then click Find Now.

If the Windows Setup and Startup Disk tabs are missing, type "setupx.dll" (without quotation marks) in the Named box, and then click Find Now.
In the list of found files, right-click the Appwiz.cpl or Setupx.dll file, click Rename, type a new name for the file (such as Appwiz.xxx or Setupx.xxx), and then press ENTER.
Quit the Find tool.
Extract a new copy of the Appwiz.cpl or Setupx.dll file from your original Windows 95/98 disks or CD-ROM to the <drive>:\<windows>\system folder, where <drive> is the drive on which Windows 95/98 is installed, and <windows> is the folder in which Windows 95/98 is installed.

If you are using Windows 95, you can extract the Appwiz.cpl or Setupx.dll file from the following locations:

Appwiz.cpl File:

- The Win95_10.cab cabinet file on the Windows 95 CD-ROM.
- The Win95_11.cab cabinet file on the original Windows 95 DMF disks.
- The Win95_17.cab cabinet file on the original Windows 95 non-DMF disks.
- The Win95_16.cab cabinet file on the Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2 CD-ROM.



Setupx.dll File:

- The Precopy1.cab cabinet file on the Windows 95 CD-ROM.
- The Precopy2.cab cabinet file on the original Windows 95 DMF disks.
- The Precopy2.cab cabinet file on the original Windows 95 non-DMF disks.
- The Precopy2.cab cabinet file on the Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2 CD-ROM.



For information about using the Extract tool, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: 129605
TITLE : How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files


If you are using Windows 98, you can extract the Appwiz.cpl or Setupx.dll file using the System File Checker tool. For more information about using the System File Checker tool, please see "System File Checker Tool" section of the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: 129605
TITLE : How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

Restart your computer.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=195064

[notageek]

Thanks promise. I found Appwiz (4of them). I have no setupx.dll. I'm not sure if winxp is supposed have one of them. I wish I can find a p[rogram that scans dlls and tells you what dlls are missing if any.


Tony, I just rechecked and the remove tab was there I went ot the wrong programs I went to BAC and there was nothing there. But there was before. There is on at BA.