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Uninstall Additional Windows Components

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To add additional components to the Add/Remove Programs list (Windows Components):

  1. Start Windows Explorer, and navigate to the inf folder in your Windows folder. Windows Explorer must be set to Show hidden files and folders. You can adjust this from the Tools menu, Folder Options, View tab (and while you are there, un-check Hide extensions for known file types too).
  2. Now find the file Sysoc.inf, and Open it (double-click)
  3. You will find several lines that include the word hide: xxxx=xxxx.dll,xxxx,xxxx.inf,hide,7
  4. Remove the word hide, so that the line now reads: xxxx=xxxx.dll,xxxx,xxxx.inf,,7 (don't remove the comma's!)
  5. Save the file, and close it
  6. Select Add or Remove Programs in Control Panlel and click on Add/Remove Windows Components
  7. Several additional Windows components will now be listed, and you will be able to remove them


Here's a list what some of the listings mean:

  • WBEM - Windows Management Instrumentation
  • com - COM+ (Provides support for developing and deploying distributed, component-based applications)
  • dtc - Distributed Transaction Coordinator (Coordinates distributed transactions between multiple clients, servers, and resource managers)
  • AutoUpdate - Windows Automatic Updates
  • msmsgs - Windows Messenger
  • CommApps - Communications
  • MultiM - Multimedia
  • AccessOpt - Accessibility Wizard
  • Pinball - Yep, the game
  • MSWordPad - WordPad

I would be careful about uninstalling certain parts (WEBM, com, dtc, and maybe even CommApps and MultiM), as it might break some functions in Windows!

Also note that some items will be listed as a sub-item from other items. For example, Pinball will be a sub item of Games, which in itself is a sub item from Accessories and Utilities.

Uninstall Additional Windows Components