How to remove hidden programs in Add/Remove Programs Control Panel

How to remove hidden programs in Add/Remove Programs Control Panel

There are some programs you could not remove in control panel by default, such as Windows Messenger, MSN Explorer, Pinball, Word Pad.

All you have to do is use NotePad to open sysoc.inf in your windows\inf folder.

The sample sysoc.inf file for Windows 2000 could be like this.

[Version]
Signature = "$Windows NT$"
DriverVer=06/19/2003,5.00.2195.6717

[Components]
NtComponents=ntoc.dll,NtOcSetupProc,,4
Display=desk.cpl,DisplayOcSetupProc,,6
Fax=faxocm.dll,FaxOcmSetupProc,faxsetup.inf,hide,7
NetOC=netoc.dll,NetOcSetupProc,netoc.inf,,7
iis=iis.dll,OcEntry,iis.inf,,7
com=comsetup.dll,OcEntry,comnt5.inf,hide,7

dtc=comsetup.dll,OcEntry,dtcnt5.inf,hide,7

IndexSrv_System = setupqry.dll,IndexSrv,setupqry.inf,,7
msmq=msmqocm.dll,MsmqOcm,msmqocm.inf,,6


ims=imsinsnt.dll,OcEntry,ims.inf,,7
fp_extensions=fp40ext.dll,FrontPage4Extensions,fp40ext.inf,,7

iisdbg=iisdbg.dll,ScrptDbg,iisdbg.inf,,7


imagevue=ockodak.dll,ImagingOcEntry,imagevue.inf,hide,7

AutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,au.inf,hide,7


IEAccess=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,ieaccess.inf,,7
OEAccess=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,oeaccess.inf,,7
WMPOCM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wmpocm.inf,,7

Games=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,games.inf,HIDE,7
AccessUtil=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,accessor.inf,HIDE,7
CommApps=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,communic.inf,HIDE,7
media_clips=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,mmopt.inf,HIDE,7
MultiM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,multimed.inf,HIDE,7
AccessOpt=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,optional.inf,HIDE,7
Pinball=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,pinball.inf,HIDE,7
MSWordPad=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wordpad.inf,HIDE,7

[Global]
WindowTitle=%WindowTitle%
WindowTitle.StandAlone=%WindowTitle_Standalone%

[Strings]
WindowTitle=Windows
2000 Professional Setup
WindowTitle_Standalone=Windows Components
Wizard

For example, if you want to remove Pinball game, remove the HIDE
keyword from the
AccessUtil=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,accessor.inf,HIDE,7 and
Pinball=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,pinball.inf,HIDE,7 and
Games=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,games.inf,HIDE,7.

Open Control Panel and click Add/remove Programs. Click Add/Remove Windows Components. You should see the Pinball in the Games section.