[Question] - registered program list clean up

[pcandpc]

Hello?

When trying to open up a document, XP

displays a list of registered application

to choose from.

Among the available applications in this

list, I find a certain application still listed

when, in fact, it is already uninstalled via

Control Panel's Add/Remove programs.

So, how can I clean up this list of registered

applications so the list truly reflects only

available and registered applications.

Does this involve poking around registry?

Thanks.

[nolookingca]

So do you mean the "open with" list?

try Start -> Run -> regedit

Expand

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts

Find the extension you want on the left pane, click on OpenWithList remove the apps from the list on the right.

Make sure you remove the corresponding entry from MRUList

------------

For example.

I clicked on .jar in FileExts

I then clicked on OpenWithList

I remove one of the entries, a which corresponds to FIREFOX.EXE

I change MRUList from cba (don't worry about the order here, but if it does concern you, just do it in reverse order, which seems to be how Windows does it.) to cb because those two are left.

Again, this is only an example. This will work with any extension.

EDIT: Added the example.

Edited November 30, 2005 by nolookingca

[pcandpc]

Hi nolookingca,

Thanks for your comments.

Yes, the issue here is with Open With.

Your suggestion tries to remove/dissociate an

unwanted application for an extention, correct?

What I want is to remove a particular application

listed on the Open With.

For instance, if I try to open up a .pdf file, my system

brings up the Open With list. Now in this list, under

Other Programs, I always see an application that I

uninstalled long time ago. It is this application that

I do not want to see listed.

Following your suggestion for .pdf extention under

the regedit, I do not see any association with the

unwanted application I mentioned before. I only

see a proper application association; i.e. Acrobat

Reader.

So, I'm still stuck on how I can get rid of this unwanted

application in the Other Programs listing under Open With.

Thanks.

Edited December 1, 2005 by pcandpc

[Claymore1746]

Hi,

If some items may still show up in the 'Open With' listings, these may be stored in the KEY_CLASSES_ROOT registry key. These settings affect all users. You can remove the entries by navigating to the particular filetype's key setting:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.xxx\OpenWithList

where xxx is the file extension.

------------------------------------------------------------

Even if this is edited, Windows may still show some default 'Open With' items. Depending on the file type, the 'Open With' listing is produced from the sub-keys under this key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\<filetype>\

But ... you probably don't want to mess with these.

[nolookingca]

Spybot seems to remove obsolete OpenWith entries. Not sure if this'll help you, but you should be running regular spyware scans anyways.

Instructions:

1) First, make sure you are in advanced mode. (Tools -> Advanced Mode should be checked)

2) Settings -> File Sets

Make sure everything is checked.

Update, then run a scan.