How can I remove program names from my Add/Remove programs list?

Your understanding of the issue is right on- when you did a system restore, the entries for add/remove programs were restored. This is because System Restore brings back registry entries, and the registry is what contains (among other things) the add/remove programs list. This is annoying because the programs are no longer really there and so you can't really uninstall them.

I used RegVac when I had the problem (see link below) and in the Expert mode you can remove entries from your Add/Remove programs list. Good luck!

The same thing happened to me today too, I am running Windows XP sp2, and it happened right after I installed the latest Yahoo Messenger. I have since reinstalled the messenger, and nothing. After the re-install i was able to highlight Yahoo Messenger and Yahoo Toolbar and an Uninstall button appeared only when highlighted, but the other programs do not do this. Add/Remove button available for any of them. I also noticed when this happened that SEVERAL programs that used to be listed there, dissappeared entirely. What happened?

It can be done but there's too much to describe on this format. I'd suggest getting a geek friend to look at it. The reason that they are there is because you have used the program's uninstall function. In windows it is essential that you utilise the 'Add or Remove Programs' function and ignore the program's uninstall function.

This happens when the files which keep track of how your computers run programs and opens files, and pretty much does everthing (these are known as the registry) dont get updated properly by the uninstallation, try reinstalling then uninstall again, if that doesnt work, contact windows technical support

IF you have system mechanic program, there is an advance option that allows you to remove any trace of a program that has been false registration within the system.

It is quite advanced to use, but it will make sure that the program and all it is files has been remove.

I downloaded it from www.bearshare.com

version 6.

Read carefully the instruction and good luck.

There should be a control panel where you can get your address bar to come up as a sort of bulleted list... find it and click the name of the bad programs and hit delete... that should work

--Not sure which control panel cuz I'm on a Mac... we don't have those problems...

You can use cCleaner to remove those empty tags. Be very careful using this program. It will modify your registry and possibly render your OS useless. I would recommend backing up your registry prior to using any programs that modify the registry.

you need to edit the system's registry.

to run regedit click on the 'start' menu and select 'run' (it should be there). then type in 'regedit'. hit enter.

then you follow the folders down this path "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Uninstall".

then right click and select delete of the little folder of the program you want to remove.

Voila!

Here is a tool that might help.

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/MSICLEAN.htm

It mucks with the Registry, which is risky, but it is the only way to do it. I'd make a backup of your system before you try.

might still be in the registry try download the program again then uninstall again and see if that will work