Add/Remove Program has black vert. lines

HOUSTON, WE HAVE SUCCESS!!

Noahdfear,

I ran a search on the appwiz.cpl file and came up with 4. You had mentioned seeing different items listed, so I thought I would check mine. In the C:\I386 and \\windows\$NTServicePackuninstall$ listings, the black lines were replaced with white space and there was a listing for Ringtone Ripper. My son uses that program for his cell phone.

Using one of your previous posts, I was able to find the uninstall key in the registry. I ran the command and had two options, repair or remove. I tried repair, but it wouldn't complete the task because it couldn't find a certain file. So I removed the program and the black lines disappeared. I removed all traces of Ringtone Ripper, scandisked and defragged. Rebooted and the lines were still gone.

I reinstalled RR and the lines were back. There was mention of updating the .NET Framework 1.1 in the install, which I didn't do the first time because it said it was installed, so I went to Microsoft and installed the update. I used the Windows Update program and it found the update.

Obviously, there is a problem with the RR software. I have contacted them about this and will wait for their response. Hopefully, in the next couple of days. I'll post back with their response.

Any ways, at least I now know what is causing the problem and how to fix it if I want to. Thanks again for all your continued help with this!! It is greatly appreciated.

Mike

 

Bless your heart,
I've been waiting, for what has turned out to be quite a bit of time, to insert my comments into this post. I didn't want to interfere, divert or stop the train of thought or plan of attack. I found the whole post an interesting mystery and adventure. I enjoyed and looked forward to coming to the board, watching the progress as the mystery unfolded). However... I do wonder if all this could have been avoided, (regardless of how informative and interesting it was) if the original suggestion I had made had been followed through ie; using the program "Add and Remove ", for the purpose and in the manner, I had intended. I never meant for the program to be used to uninstall anything. It was and is used to experimentally exclude entries in the Windows Add/remove list. It makes backups of any you decide to to exclude and can easily be removed or restored at will. It does not remove any programs or files just the entries in the add/remove list. It was meant as "helper tool" to quickly zero in on what may prove to be an application with a problem.

I understand Daves comment, caution and reluctance. The program will list things that are components of programs and never meant to be uninstalled by themselves. They are included in the removal or uninstaller data for the program as a whole. Nortons or Symantec entries were a perfect example of this. (The program "Add and Remove" has cautions and warnings about the gambles you take and always recommends further investigation and backups).

Don't use this to uninstall anything! But.... if used, as suggested, for the purpose this "posted problem" was focusing on, one could have checked all of those entries on the list (either one at a time or all at once), checked Windows add/remove to see if the problem had disappeared. Gone back into the program A&R and restored those entries one at a time, checking each time, until the black returned. Once returned, you now know which program you need to further investigate. In hindsight, which is always, 20/20, clear... If the program A&D had been used to hide or remove "Ringtone Ripper" from windows Add/remove list, I believe the black space would have disappeared. Bingo, you would have known, much sooner, which program to zero in on, (albeit, less the wiser for this experience).

I may have been a bit neglectful on typing the cautions/explanations out, myself, but I thought the links and sublinks, coupled with the "programs (Add and Remove) readmes/help/explanations would fill in any holes I had left. My assumption, my mistake...shame on me!.....

By the time I had checked back into this post, Dave and yourself were well on your way, using other avenues of tackling this problem. Since other issues had rolled in, (viral and the oembios thing) I saw no need to interrupt the progress this post was taking. The program "A&R" would never have addressed these issues.

Glad all is well though and in the end isn't that what counts?

 

goddez1,

I'm glad I could keep you engrossed! I did use the program you suggested, but obviously did not understand fully what the program did. I apologize for that. I appreciated your suggestion and you should have jumped back in. I wouldn't have minded and I'm sure Dave wouldn't have objections to other thoughts.

Like you said, at least I know where the problem is now. Thanks!

Mike

 

Ann,

I would have welcomed you or anyone jumping in at any time! My head hurts from banging it, trying to figure out what was right in front of me in post 18.......(kept hoping someone would see something I didn't and chime in) Your recent explanation of Add/Remove Pro would have shed a different light on things too. I admit to having not read the readme/help (my bad), and therefore didn't understand the program's usefulness. Still a bit disappointed in it's reporting uninstall strings as bad when they aren't, but I do see the app through different eyes now.

Mike,

You don't know how happy I am to know that your Add/Remove problem has been solved!!
Think I'll crawl back to my malware removal corner Hey, there is still a lingering question in my mind about the oembios files being replaced........run SFC again and see if it's fixed?? Joking Mike....don't go there

Someone ship me some Tylenol..............

 

noahdfear,

I'll send you the Tylenol. After all, I owe you for all your help. Take a nice long vacation! By the way, I ran SFC and now I have purple lines. Don't worry, I don't plan on going there anytime soon. I still wonder about the oembios though.

Mike

 

Roflmao!!