Most Windows components can be uninstalled by going to Add/Remove Windows Components in the Control Panel. But what about ones that you don’t find? You know that they’re on there somewhere, so how do you get rid of them? Well, it’s actually not too hard to bring these out of hiding.

Bring up Windows Explorer (one way is to right-click the Start button and select “Explore”).

Find your way to C:\Windows\Inf

Make a copy of “Sysoc.inf“—click the file and type Ctrl+C then Ctrl+V

Right-click Sysoc.inf and choose “Open with” then Notepad.

Type Ctrl+H to bring up the Replace box.

Replace
,hide, (comma hide comma)

with
,, (comma comma)

Then hit the “Replace All” button.

Save the file.

Now when you go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Add/Remove Windows Components you will see stuff that wasn’t there before. Some items are in sub-folders, like “Games” which are under “Accessories”—double click to open folders. Just uncheck items to remove.

~ David

David Samuel Thomas