Shoutbox

quote:

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Originally posted by Reaper
For some strange reason, the Change/Remove button in my Add/Remove programs window isn't there. It only appears on certain programs. I've scanned my PC for viruses, etc. but no difference, also I don't wanna do a system restore

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Cause: Do you have, by any chance, something installed of Norton? As this is a common culprint of what has happened with your registry settings for the add/remove panel. Of course it can be caused by other programs too (it doesn't happen on its own out of the blue), but programs to alter user previledges and security and stuff are the most probable cause....

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To fix it (manual method -safe method-):

1. Open you registry editor (Start > Run > REGEDIT)
   
   
2. In the registry editor, navigate to:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\software name
   
   
3. In the right window, remove the key value NoRemove and NoModify.
   
   NoRemove set to 1 means that the remove button will not be shown.
   NoModify set to 1 means that change button will not be shown.
   
   
4. Do the above two steps (2 and 3) for each and every software listed under ...\Uninstall\.
   (this can take a while indeed)
   
   
5. After finishing, navigate to:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\software name
   and repeat the whole process.
   
   
6. When both those registry keys are done, restart (or update by pressing F5) your "add/remove programs" panel.

To fix it (search method -prone to mistakes, be carefull-):

1. Open you registry editor (Start > Run > REGEDIT)
   
   
2. In the registry editor, navigate to:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
   
   
3. Open the search dialog in your registry editor (or just press <CTRL><F>), and search for NoRemove.
   
   
4. When the registy editor finds a match (must be in the right window and it must still be under the ...\Uninstall registry subkey!), delete that value.
   
   
5. When the registry editors doesn't find any matches anymore or it starts searching under another subkey than ...\Uninstall, cancel the search and start over from step 2, but this time search for NoModify.
   
   NoRemove set to 1 means that the remove button will not be shown.
   NoModify set to 1 means that change button will not be shown.
   
   
6. After finishing both searches, navigate to:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
   and repeat the whole process.
   
   
7. When both those registry keys are done, restart (or update by pressing F5) your "add/remove programs" panel.

Make absolutely sure you do not remove any NoRemove nor any NoModify value under any other subkey than:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
and
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall.