BleepingComputer.com: Programs and Features issues

Hello once again...

My topic at techsupportforum.com is now in the process of being closed. The issue did not get resolved, as it is a very tough one to solve. I am now looking for help here.
Here's my problem:

From the Programs and Features, all my programs are listed, but only 7 or so programs can be removed. These are the most recently installed programs, other than Unreal Tournament 3, which was installed in 2008. I'm running Vista Home Premium, and if System Restore comes to mind, forget about it.. I turned it off at one point (stupid move...), so the recovery points are gone.

I think what happened is that I had malware which removed Uninstall entries from the registry.. I don't quite know how to get the entries back, or if it's even possible. I do know, however, that anything I install gets an entry, so that works fine. I have software called Revo Uninstaller, which doesn't track all my software, but it sees 75 applications that can all be removed successfully. I was told that was most likely because it looks at Program Files instead of Uninstall in the registry.

Any help is greatly appreciated, and I hope to fix this ASAP.. Thanks a lot.
Justin

I've used Revo with no problems. Are you trying to remove progs? If so I'd give Revo a chance to work.

Revo is working 50% for me.. It can remove programs, but not all of them. Most likely because it looks in Programs Files AND the registry entries. When I had the entries, it worked 100%, but not each program has an uninstaller in the program files, so it can't detect more than 76 apps. I'm just trying to see if there's a fix for the registry...

Have you tried the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility?

Indeed I have.. All that does is remove the entry from the Programs and Features altogether.

Download the attached batch file and save it to your desktop. Then run it and post the contents of the notepad that opens as a reply to this topic.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Agere Systems Soft Modem
DisplayName REG_SZ Agere Systems HDA Modem
DisplayIcon REG_SZ C:\Windows\agrsmdel.exe
InstallLocation REG_SZ C:\Program Files\LSI SoftModem
Publisher REG_SZ LSI Corporation
UninstallString REG_SZ C:\Windows\agrsmdel
QuietUninstallString REG_SZ C:\Windows\agrsmdel -s
VersionMajor REG_SZ 2
VersionMinor REG_SZ 1

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\CleanUp!
DisplayName REG_SZ CleanUp!
UninstallString REG_SZ C:\Program Files\CleanUp!\uninstall.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\ERUNT_is1
Inno Setup: Setup Version REG_SZ 4.2.7
Inno Setup: App Path REG_SZ C:\Program Files\ERUNT
InstallLocation REG_SZ C:\Program Files\ERUNT\
Inno Setup: Icon Group REG_SZ ERUNT
Inno Setup: User REG_SZ User
Inno Setup: Selected Tasks REG_SZ eruntdesktopicon,ntregoptdesktopicon
Inno Setup: Deselected Tasks REG_SZ eruntquicklaunchicon,ntregoptquicklaunchicon,installgermanlanguagefiles
DisplayName REG_SZ ERUNT 1.1j
UninstallString REG_SZ "C:\Program Files\ERUNT\unins000.exe"
QuietUninstallString REG_SZ "C:\Program Files\ERUNT\unins000.exe" /SILENT
Publisher REG_SZ Lars Hederer
URLInfoAbout REG_SZ http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de
HelpLink REG_SZ http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt
URLUpdateInfo REG_SZ http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt
NoModify REG_DWORD 0x1
NoRepair REG_DWORD 0x1

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\HijackThis
DisplayName REG_SZ HijackThis 2.0.2
UninstallString REG_SZ "C:\Program Files\trend micro\HijackThis.exe" /uninstall
DisplayIcon REG_SZ C:\Program Files\trend micro\HijackThis.exe
DisplayVersion REG_SZ 2.0.2
Publisher REG_SZ TrendMicro

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\InstallWIX_{6580C5A3-2336-4EC5-85F1-3448C5F6208A}
DisplayIcon REG_SZ C:\Windows\Installer\{6580C5A3-2336-4EC5-85F1-3448C5F6208A}\setup2.ico
DisplayName REG_SZ Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009
DisplayVersion REG_SZ 8.0.0.506
HelpLink REG_SZ http://www.kaspersky.com/support.asp
Publisher REG_SZ Kaspersky Lab
UninstallString REG_SZ MsiExec.exe /I{6580C5A3-2336-4EC5-85F1-3448C5F6208A}
URLUpdateInfo REG_SZ http://www.kaspersky.com/productupdates
(Default) REG_SZ

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\IrfanView
(Default) REG_SZ
DisplayName REG_SZ IrfanView (remove only)
UninstallString REG_SZ C:\Program Files\IrfanView\iv_uninstall.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Mozilla Firefox (3.5.1)
Comments REG_SZ Mozilla Firefox
DisplayIcon REG_SZ C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe,0
DisplayName REG_SZ Mozilla Firefox (3.5.1)
DisplayVersion REG_SZ 3.5.1 (en-US)
InstallLocation REG_SZ C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox
Publisher REG_SZ Mozilla
UninstallString REG_SZ C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\uninstall\helper.exe
URLInfoAbout REG_SZ http://en-US.www.mozilla.com/en-US/
URLUpdateInfo REG_SZ http://en-US.www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/
NoModify REG_DWORD 0x1
NoRepair REG_DWORD 0x1

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\SpywareBlaster_is1
Inno Setup: Setup Version REG_SZ 5.2.3
Inno Setup: App Path REG_SZ C:\Program Files\SpywareBlaster
InstallLocation REG_SZ C:\Program Files\SpywareBlaster\
Inno Setup: Icon Group REG_SZ SpywareBlaster
Inno Setup: User REG_SZ User
Inno Setup: Selected Tasks REG_SZ iconondesktop
Inno Setup: Deselected Tasks REG_SZ
DisplayName REG_SZ SpywareBlaster 4.2
DisplayIcon REG_SZ C:\Program Files\SpywareBlaster\spywareblaster.exe
UninstallString REG_SZ "C:\Program Files\SpywareBlaster\unins000.exe"
QuietUninstallString REG_SZ "C:\Program Files\SpywareBlaster\unins000.exe" /SILENT
DisplayVersion REG_SZ 4.2.0
Publisher REG_SZ Javacool Software LLC
URLInfoAbout REG_SZ http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/
NoModify REG_DWORD 0x1
NoRepair REG_DWORD 0x1
InstallDate REG_SZ 20090721

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{26A24AE4-039D-4CA4-87B4-2F83216014FF}
DisplayIcon REG_SZ C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\\bin\javaws.exe
AuthorizedCDFPrefix REG_SZ
Comments REG_SZ
Contact REG_SZ http://java.com
DisplayVersion REG_SZ 6.0.140
HelpLink REG_EXPAND_SZ http://java.com
HelpTelephone REG_SZ
InstallDate REG_SZ 20090715
InstallLocation REG_SZ C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\
InstallSource REG_SZ C:\Users\User\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\jre1.6.0_14\
ModifyPath REG_EXPAND_SZ MsiExec.exe /X{26A24AE4-039D-4CA4-87B4-2F83216014FF}
NoModify REG_DWORD 0x1
NoRepair REG_DWORD 0x1
Publisher REG_SZ Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Readme REG_EXPAND_SZ C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\README.txt
Size REG_SZ
EstimatedSize REG_DWORD 0x185d4
UninstallString REG_EXPAND_SZ MsiExec.exe /X{26A24AE4-039D-4CA4-87B4-2F83216014FF}
URLInfoAbout REG_SZ http://java.com
URLUpdateInfo REG_SZ http://java.sun.com
VersionMajor REG_DWORD 0x6
VersionMinor REG_DWORD 0x0
WindowsInstaller REG_DWORD 0x1
Version REG_DWORD 0x600008c
Language REG_DWORD 0x0
DisplayName REG_SZ Java™ 6 Update 14

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{5EFCBB42-36AB-4FF9-B90C-E78C7B9EE7B3}
DisplayName REG_SZ iTunes

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{6580C5A3-2336-4EC5-85F1-3448C5F6208A}
UninstallString REG_SZ MsiExec.exe /I{6580C5A3-2336-4EC5-85F1-3448C5F6208A}
AuthorizedCDFPrefix REG_SZ
Comments REG_SZ
Contact REG_SZ
DisplayVersion REG_SZ 8.0.0.506
HelpLink REG_EXPAND_SZ http://www.kaspersky.com/support.asp
HelpTelephone REG_SZ
InstallDate REG_SZ 20090716
InstallLocation REG_SZ C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009\
InstallSource REG_SZ C:\ProgramData\Kaspersky Lab Setup Files\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009\english\
NoRemove REG_DWORD 0x1
Publisher REG_SZ Kaspersky Lab
Readme REG_SZ
Size REG_SZ
EstimatedSize REG_DWORD 0xc8b7
SystemComponent REG_DWORD 0x1
URLInfoAbout REG_SZ
URLUpdateInfo REG_SZ http://www.kaspersky.com/productupdates
VersionMajor REG_DWORD 0x8
VersionMinor REG_DWORD 0x0
WindowsInstaller REG_DWORD 0x1
Version REG_DWORD 0x8000000
Language REG_DWORD 0x409
DisplayName REG_SZ Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{CDDCBBF1-2703-46BC-938B-BCC81A1EEAAA}
AuthorizedCDFPrefix REG_SZ
Comments REG_SZ
Contact REG_SZ
DisplayVersion REG_SZ 4.26.0.1006
HelpLink REG_EXPAND_SZ http://www.superantispyware.com/support.html
HelpTelephone REG_SZ
InstallDate REG_SZ 20090706
InstallLocation REG_SZ
InstallSource REG_SZ C:\Program Files\Common Files\Wise Installation Wizard\
ModifyPath REG_EXPAND_SZ MsiExec.exe /X{CDDCBBF1-2703-46BC-938B-BCC81A1EEAAA}
NoModify REG_DWORD 0x1
NoRepair REG_DWORD 0x1
Publisher REG_SZ SUPERAntiSpyware.com
Readme REG_SZ
Size REG_SZ
EstimatedSize REG_DWORD 0x5d1d
UninstallString REG_EXPAND_SZ MsiExec.exe /X{CDDCBBF1-2703-46BC-938B-BCC81A1EEAAA}
URLInfoAbout REG_SZ http://www.superantispyware.com/support.html
URLUpdateInfo REG_SZ
VersionMajor REG_DWORD 0x4
VersionMinor REG_DWORD 0x1a
WindowsInstaller REG_DWORD 0x1
Version REG_DWORD 0x41a0000
Language REG_DWORD 0x409
DisplayName REG_SZ SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition

Give me an example of a program that wont uninstall.

Mostly all of them don't.. Examples:
- Visual C++
- Visual C#
- Visual Basic
- Crysis
- Quicktime
- Windows Live Messenger
- HP things
- SQL things
- Photoshop
- Softimage XSI
etc...

EDIT: Just an add-on here: I can uninstall the programs manually, I just can't do it from Programs and Features 'cause there's no button.

Is your post above complete? Those registry entries are all that is there? If so, then something wiped em and you are prob out of luck unless you reinstall the apps.

Complete? As in that's all that shows in the list? Heck no.. There's over 100... As for registry entries, as you most likely saw from the log, there's only about 6 entries there, which is odd, because the programs are still in the list... I know reinstalling the programs work, but I was just curious to know if there was any other way to fix it.

If there's no way, so be it... Just curious to know if there is.

Thanks

When I asked if it was complete, I meant the log file that was created and that you posted. Somehow your uninstall information was removed from the registry, which is why you cant uninstall them. Not much that can be done about that without first reinstalling them so the registry information is recreated.

For some of the programs you want to uninstall you may be lucky and find an uninstall.exe or uninstl00.exe type file in the programs folder. Running those typically will uninstall the program as well.

Alright, that's what I thought.. And ya, the log was complete.. Like I mentioned earlier, I believe the malware was responsible for the wiping of the entries. It did most of the harm in the registry, and it was a rootkit, so it's likely that's what happened.

I know I can use the uninstaller in the Program Files if need be, just wanted to see if it was possible to fix the Programs and Features. If there's no other solution, don't worry about it.. Just close the topic - not a big deal, just a minor flaw, that's all.

Thanks again.
Justin

PS: Maybe I'll look around my HDD for anywhere a copy of my previous registry could be found. Probably won't get much luck there though...