one or more programs missing from the list in "Add/Remove Programs

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digiDave - 28 Dec 2005 02:19 GMT

I just noticed that my Start, Programs lists two instances of the same
program; one is Adobe Reader 7.0.5 and the other is the same, but under a
basic heading of Acrobat. Rather than delete one by right clicking &
selecting "delete", I decided to go to the control panel, add or remove
programs to see if there were two listings. Lo & behold, there are no
listings. Why would that be? I also have a desktop icon from which I can
run the reader. I thought all installed programs should be listed under the
add or remove programs. No???

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Jupiter Jones [MVP] - 28 Dec 2005 07:00 GMT

Not everything can be uninstalled, in that case there is no listing in
Add/Remove Programs.
Some programs have an uninstall option directly in themselves.
Have you asked Adobe support?

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Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org

>I just noticed that my Start, Programs lists two instances of the same
> program; one is Adobe Reader 7.0.5 and the other is the same, but under a
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> the
> add or remove programs. No???

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digiDave - 29 Dec 2005 02:24 GMT

This program doesn't have an uninstall. I guess I'll assume there aren't
actually two instances of the program & just delete one of the shortcuts from
the Start, Programs. First, I think I'll look on my other computers to see
if Adobe Reader has an unstall or if it's listed in the Add/Remove Programs.
Just out of curiosity. And, I'll wait awhile to see if I get any further
feedback on this. I'd tried McAfee "Uninstaller" a few years ago, hoping it
would track installs and accomplish cleaner uninstalls, but it made a mess
of things. I had a hard time uninstalling it too. Is that a bummer?

> Not everything can be uninstalled, in that case there is no listing in
> Add/Remove Programs.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> > the
> > add or remove programs. No???

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digiDave - 31 Dec 2005 01:10 GMT

Yeh, neither occurence of the Adobe Reader shows an uninstall option with it.
I thought Windows always provided the "remove" capability as a backup method
for removal. Guess I was wrong about that, obviously. No, I haven't
contacted Adobe. Actual removal of the redundant listing is a low priority,
but I'd like to understand the general issue better. It's gonna bite me
sometime with something that I badly want to remove.

> Not everything can be uninstalled, in that case there is no listing in
> Add/Remove Programs.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> > the
> > add or remove programs. No???

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digiDave - 31 Dec 2005 01:21 GMT

I just checked one of my other computers to look at the Adobe Reader
uninstall situation. On the Start menu, it doesn't list an uninstall option
either, but "Add/Remove Programs" lists many instances of Adobe Reader,
mostly various version updates. I find it strange that the computer with the
dual instances of the same version (the one that I wrote about initially) has
no listing in the "Add/Remove Programs". The computer that I just checked is
running Win 98SE versus Win XP Media Edition on the computer I first wrote
about; guess I'll go check my laptop (Win XP Home Ed) and see what the
situation is there. Inconsistencies like this drive me nuts.

> Not everything can be uninstalled, in that case there is no listing in
> Add/Remove Programs.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> > the
> > add or remove programs. No???

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bxf - 28 Dec 2005 10:27 GMT

> I just noticed that my Start, Programs lists two instances of the same
> program; one is Adobe Reader 7.0.5 and the other is the same, but under a
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> run the reader. I thought all installed programs should be listed under the
> add or remove programs. No???

If you examine the PROPERTIES of each of your two entries in the START

> PROGRAMS menu, and they both point to the same directory/files, then you obviously cannot even consider uninstalling anything, as that will remove the target of the remaining reference. In this case you will want to simply delete the unwanted entry, as you suggest in your post.

If the targets of the shortcuts are NOT the same, then you may want to
use the UNINSTALL function of one of them, if such is present. However,
there is a possibility that this will make the remaining entry
unuseable, due to the removal of some Registry entries. In this case
you would want to uninstall both, and then reinstall (one).

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digiDave - 31 Dec 2005 01:04 GMT

Thanks, I'll check out what you say, but I think I'll find them to be
redundant. If that turns out to be so, then I'll probably just right click
one and select "delete". I can't implement your suggested way of
uninstalling, because there is no uninstall provided for either program.
And, as I indicated in my initial post, I can't remove it by the "Add/Remove
Programs" method, cause it's not listed there.

> > I just noticed that my Start, Programs lists two instances of the same
> > program; one is Adobe Reader 7.0.5 and the other is the same, but under a
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> unuseable, due to the removal of some Registry entries. In this case
> you would want to uninstall both, and then reinstall (one).

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