Registry Manager: Installed Software and Add/Remove

magicspeller

Hi, everyone.

I'm using the trial version of jv16 (which I will almost certainly buy, based on what I've seen so far) and was pleased to discover this forum. I'm cleaning up after a major spyware infestation and have a couple of questions about the Installed Software and Add/Remove components of Registry Manager.

Can someone tell me what it means to remove a program from the Installed Software list? The manual says that you will often find programs here you thought you'd removed ages ago, but it doesn't say what to do when you find them. :? Does Remove delete the file or just remove it from a list somewhere? Obviously, it doesn't uninstall the software, because that's handled with the Add/Remove tab.

I have quite a few entries here that are meaningless to me. What do I do? If I search for the name in the Software column using a desktop search program like X1 or Copernicus Desktop Search, will it tell me where jv16 is getting the information from so I can decide what to do with it? For example, I have Eeennn, Kkws, Ppops, Reel, and Ssites, all from author Drelkge789AEF5! I also have applications like StellentClients and Cromulent, which, while I don't recognize them, are more likely to be legitimate.

Next question: In Add/Remove Menu, I have a long garbage entry:

ZZ-ZZ-...SCA= (with about 50 letters in the "..." section of the name)

Checking it and clicking Uninstall does nothing; the display just refreshes. This entry does not show up in Microsoft's Add or Remove Programs. It is listed by Advanced Uninstaller Pro, which acts like it's uninstalling the application, but when it's done, the entry is still there. I assume I can Remove the entry from the jv16 list, but will this just hide the symptom of a serious problem? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for your help!

blackdex

Hello Magic Speller,

1. The Install Software list is a list of registry entries where installed software places there registry info. Sometimes during uninstall these entries arn't removed. Here you can remove them from the registry, it doesn't uninstall anything. If you arn't sure if you can remove them, just leave them. Some entries appear becouse some games install a client to connect to the internet for online gaming. Some software installes aditional software so it will work as intended.

So only remove entries you are sure you uninstalled or don't have installed atm. Most of the time, when you remove entries which are entries which are good, will return when the program starts, most of the time you need to re-enter some information or settings.

2. PowerTools/RegSupreme Pro are showing all entries that are in the Uninstall list of Windows. The Windows Uninstall program doesn't show all these, becouse some are linked to others. Those {0A45........} entries are most of the time those linked entries of other software, and i sugest to keep them, and don't remove it.

Also, if you encounter any problem after cleaning/removeing anything and you created backups which the programs askes you, you can restore it.

optikl

"Can someone tell me what it means to remove a program from the Installed Software list?"

Yes. You're removing the registry keys associated with that program. This is a tool for removing the residue left behind by some programs after they are uninstalled. Of course, you can use this tool if a program refuses to uninstall programatically and you have to take a more manual approach.

"Next question: In Add/Remove Menu, I have a long garbage entry:

ZZ-ZZ-...SCA= (with about 50 letters in the "..." section of the name)

Yeah. You need to get rid of whatever spyware/malware you still have on your machine. jv16 isn't what you need, yet. You need to visit the following site and follow these very good instructions:

http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html

After you've fully convinced yourself you have removed everything malicious, then you can use jv16 to remove whatever is left over, including garbage in the add/remove programs applet.

Remember to follow the above referenced instructions to the letter. Exactly as sequenced.

magicspeller

BlackDex wrote

1. The Install Software list is a list of registry entries where installed software places there registry info. Sometimes during uninstall these entries arn't removed. Here you can remove them from the registry, it doesn't uninstall anything.

Of course....

Don't know why it didn't occur to me that these are just registry entries, and nothing else. I guess I assumed that that tab's functions were included in the other tabs.

Thanks a lot for clarifying this. It makes sense.

2. PowerTools/RegSupreme Pro are showing all entries that are in the Uninstall list of Windows. The Windows Uninstall program doesn't show all these, becouse some are linked to others. Those {0A45........} entries are most of the time those linked entries of other software, and i sugest to keep them, and don't remove it.

Thanks for explaining this. By "Those {0A45......} entries", are you referring to the ZZ-ZZ...SCA= entry? Can I assume that this one is probably safe?

Thanks again.

magicspeller

You need to get rid of whatever spyware/malware you still have on your machine.

Agreed.

You need to visit the following site and follow these very good instructions:

http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html

When I made my initial post, I had already run several antivirus and antispyware programs. Since then, I have run several more; in fact, my PC has been pretty much tied up doing so ever since, which is why I haven't posted a followup.

Thanks, though, for the useful link, and especially the information on Stinger and Sysclean, both of which were new to me. I downloaded and ran both of them.

I think at this point I'm pretty much free of malware. It just irritates the heck out of me that I let my guard down and let this happen. It's the first time in 12 years I've done so.

I still haven't been able to scan in safe mode, however, because every time I try to do so, I get a BSOD. I updated my graphics drivers, and it didn't help. I'm about to reboot again and see if my cleanup has resolved the problem; if not, I'll need to look elsewhere.

In any case, I'm much farther along than I was. Thanks for your help.