Re: add/remove programs list corrupted

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: Tim Judd (tjudd01_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 07/04/04 

Date: Sat, 03 Jul 2004 21:03:15 -0600

Alan Illeman wrote:

>
> "Doug Blaisdell" <dspame@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:74425ceb.0407021644.781476c5@posting.google.com...
>> I'm not sure how this happened, but the add/remove programs list lists
>> only about 20% of the programs that were there before, and the
>> add/remove button on the ones it does display is disabled (grayed
>> out). I tried looking in the registry Windows...Uninstall but the key
>> wasn't even there.
>>
>> This might be from a virus or from running WashAndGo (which deletes
>> incorrect reg entries), but I ran Norton and AntiVir and no viruses,
>> and restored all from WashAndGo and the Recycle bin. Still the same.
>> I'll have to reinstall windows at this rate.
>>
>> PS. It's win2k with all the latest updates, norton firewall and
>> antivirus installed.

Greetings Doug.

I had that similar kind of thing happen. It is an internal problem of some
sort with Windows NT based systems. The fix I had was to run the two
commands, you will need your Win2k disc

SFC /PURGECACHE
SFC /SCANNOW

Capitalization doesn't matter. Read
http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWSXP/home/using/productdoc/en/system_file_checker.asp
for details on SFC. It mentions WinXP, but the command paramaters remain
the same.

If that fails to work, I would suggest reinstalling IE (IE6 available from
http://www.microsoft.com/ie ) -- don't repair, it might bring back
corruption.

> If you have a firewall, why do you need the updates? I seem to be
> alone in this, but after getting smitten with a virus when I first
> installed Win2K Pro in March, someone suggested a firewall and
> after a bit of tweaking of same, I've had no more problems.
>
> To me, there is something very wrong about allowing someone
> (in this case MS) to change my software, for isn't that what the
> creators of viruses are trying to do? Most of the 'updates' that
> I studied in March/April were for specific issues on specific
> software and in many cases suggested an alternative: a firewall.
> As a result, I have no updates, none at all - and have been problem
> free since April.

Sir Alan:

To each their own. A firewall is <GOOD> practice. However, if you have a
flat tire and somebody offered to run alongside your car each time you need
to go somewhere holding up the corner of the car, should you rely on that
alone?

As I see it, the reason MS releases patches are the fact that they found a
bug, and the patch remidies the problem. GENERALLY speaking, I check all
critical updates, but don't install Application Updates (like IE6,
DirectX9b, Windows Media Player 9 -- all classified as "critical updates"
but I don't apply them).

I don't run the latest software for a reason. Older software tends to be
more tried-and-true than brand new software or updates. My Win2k machine
is SP4, IE5.5 SP2, with all win2k hotfixes, WMP 6.4 (I think). Those don't
give me problems either.

Creators of virus(es) try to HINDER or HURT your machine, Windows update is
supposed to HEAL or FIX your machine. Your view differs from mine, and
that's fine, we've both got opinions. You can have yours, if I can have
mine.

GL, Tim 

-- 
I am not on Windows now.  Some errors or omissions may have been made.  I
don't object corrections, I'm human too!

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