Allow Uninstall of Windows Components (Windows XP)

Registry Guide for Windows
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Registry tweaks, tricks & hacks to optimize, enhance and secure Microsoft Windows.

Allow Uninstall of Windows Components (Windows XP)
Category: Home > Windows > Accessories

This tweak can be easily applied using WinGuides Tweak Manager.
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Windows includes a number of system components that are normally not available on the Add/Remove Windows Components list. This tweak allows you to display these items and therefore have the option to uninstall.

Open the SYSOC.INF file in the Windows\INF sub-directory (e.g. C:\Windows\INF).

Under the [Components] heading are the system components installed on the computer. The items that have the word "HIDE" or "hide" in them are not displayed on the Add/Remove Programs list. e.g. the WordPad program is usally not shown because it contains "HIDE"

MSWordPad=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wordpad.inf,HIDE,7

To change an item so it is shown remove the "hide" text, leaving the surrounding commas. For example you would change the WordPad entry from:

MSWordPad=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wordpad.inf,HIDE,7

To:

MSWordPad=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wordpad.inf,,7

The main hidden Windows components in Windows XP are:

Accessibility Wizard
AccessOpt=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,optional.inf,HIDE,7

Automatic Windows Update
AutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,au.inf,hide,7

COM+
com=comsetup.dll,OcEntry,comnt5.inf,hide,7

Communications components (including Chat, Hyperterminal, and Phone Dialer)
CommApps=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,communic.inf,HIDE,7

Distributed Transaction Coordinator
dtc=msdtcstp.dll,OcEntry,dtcnt5.inf,hide,7

Windows Messenger
msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7

WordPad
MSWordPad=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wordpad.inf,HIDE,7

Multimedia components (including Media Player, Volume Control, and Sound Recorder)
MultiM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,multimed.inf,HIDE,7

Pinball game
Pinball=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,pinball.inf,HIDE,7

Tablet PC
TabletPC=tabletoc.dll,TabletSetupProc,Tabletpc.inf,HIDE,7

Terminal Server
TerminalServer=TsOc.dll, HydraOc, TsOc.inf,hide,2

Windows Management Instrumentation
WBEM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wbemoc.inf,hide,7

Save the file and reopen the Add/Remove Windows Components listing for the change to take effect.

Disclaimer: Modifying the registry can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. We cannot guarantee that problems resulting from modifications to the registry can be solved. Use the information provided at your own risk.

Last Modified: February 12, 2003

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