Could not open "Add/Remove Windows Components"

abe10tiger

Posts: 611   +16
This problem just happened today and I don't know why.

All of a sudden, I couldn't open Add/Remove Windows Component. I need to open it to uninstall Windows Messenger. Every time I try opening it, a message suddenly appears.:
Problem.JPG


Any help appreciated. Thanks :)
 
Hi, are you logging to Administrator account??

can you try open registry file and search for windows messenger and delete it all !!!
 
Hi, are you logging to Administrator account??

can you try open registry file and search for windows messenger and delete it all !!!

Hi Assis and thanks for your reply.

Welcome to Techspot btw. :wave:

I already am logged in as an Administrator. And that didn't work.


Thanks for your help though... anymore ideas?
 
While i'm not sure how to fix it, i have a guess on maybe a place to first look.

File C:\Windows\inf\sysoc.inf is the config file for XP Add/Remove Components.

Open the file (use a text editor like Notepad). Does it reference the missing file that appears in your error message "longside.inf"? Or just copy/paste the content of sysoc.inf into a post
 
Thanks for your reply. Here's what it says:

Is that the one you were talking about?


[Version]
Signature = "$Windows NT$"
DriverVer=07/01/2001,5.1.2600.2180

[Components]
NtComponents=ntoc.dll,NtOcSetupProc,,4
WBEM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wbemoc.inf,hide,7
Display=desk.cpl,DisplayOcSetupProc,,7
Fax=fxsocm.dll,FaxOcmSetupProc,fxsocm.inf,,7
NetOC=netoc.dll,NetOcSetupProc,netoc.inf,,7
iis=iis.dll,OcEntry,iis.inf,,7
com=comsetup.dll,OcEntry,comnt5.inf,hide,7
dtc=msdtcstp.dll,OcEntry,dtcnt5.inf,hide,7
IndexSrv_System = setupqry.dll,IndexSrv,setupqry.inf,,7
TerminalServer=TsOc.dll, HydraOc, TsOc.inf,hide,2
msmq=msmqocm.dll,MsmqOcm,msmqocm.inf,,6
ims=imsinsnt.dll,OcEntry,ims.inf,,7
fp_extensions=fp40ext.dll,FrontPage4Extensions,fp40ext.inf,,7
msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7
WMAccess=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wmaccess.inf,,7
RootAutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,rootau.inf,,7
IEAccess=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,ieaccess.inf,,7
OEAccess=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,oeaccess.inf,,7
WMPOCM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wmpocm.inf,,7
Games=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,games.inf,,7
AccessUtil=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,accessor.inf,,7
CommApps=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,communic.inf,HIDE,7
MultiM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,multimed.inf,HIDE,7
AccessOpt=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,optional.inf,HIDE,7
Pinball=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,pinball.inf,HIDE,7
MSWordPad=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wordpad.inf,HIDE,7
ZoneGames=zoneoc.dll,ZoneSetupProc,igames.inf,,7
TabletPC=tabletoc.dll,TabletSetupProc,Tabletpc.inf,HIDE,7
Freestyle=medctroc.dll,MedCtrOCISetupProc,medctroc.inf,HIDE,7
netfx=netfxocm.dll,UrtOcmProc,netfxocm.inf,hide,7
RVMUpdatePack=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,RVMUpPck.inf,HIDE,7
Royale=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,Royale.inf,HIDE,7
DirectX9=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,R_DX9.inf,HIDE,7
Kimbra=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,Kimbra.inf,HIDE,7
LongSide=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,LongSide.inf,HIDE,7
Noir=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,Noir.inf,HIDE,7
RoyalMod=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,RoyalMod.inf,HIDE,7
SgndThms=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,SgndThms.inf,HIDE,7
LunaRoyale=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,LunaRoyl.inf,HIDE,7
NR_MC=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,NR_MC.inf,HIDE,7
RVC=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,RVC.inf,HIDE,7

[Global]
WindowTitle=%WindowTitle%
WindowTitle.StandAlone="*"

[Components]
msnexplr=ocmsn.dll,OcEntry,msnmsn.inf,,7

[Strings]
WindowTitle="Windows Professional Setup"
WindowTitle_Standalone="Windows Components Wizard"


________________________

I see the longside. :)
 
Have you installed VAIOXP by any chance? I ask because it has been reported to cause the problem you describe.
 
This is my best GUESS (and why)
> And since it's only a guess, please proceed at your own risk, back things up, etc.

I couldn't find anything specific about Longside but here's my guess

1. INF files tell windows how to setup/config some components and features
2. The Longside component/feature is already missing its INF file (longside.inf). So, whatever it is, it's already not gettting set up
3. So i'd first make a backup copy of sysocf.inf then delete the entry for Longside

Also... While i'm not sure what Longside is, i think it's something you added when you installed something and it's not t a native part of Windows (as i looked at the sysocf.inf file on a couple other XP systems. I didn't find LongSIde or some of the other components at the end of your version of sysocf.inf in native Windows (examples of some things added in your version not in native Windows)
Code:
Kimbra, =ocgen.dll,OcEntry,Kimbra.inf,HIDE,7
LongSide=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,LongSide.inf,HIDE,7
Noir=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,Noir.inf,HIDE,7
RoyalMod=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,RoyalMod.inf,HIDE,7
SgndThms=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,SgndThms.inf,HIDE,7
LunaRoyale=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,LunaRoyl.inf,HIDE,7

So i'm GUESSING it should be OK to just delete the line about LongSide. You may or may not need to reboot for the file change to take affect. But proceed at your own risk

/* edit */
p.s. Do any of those component names look familiar? Could they possibly be different Desktop themes? IDK but is just another guess
 
It worked!

This is my best GUESS (and why)
> And since it's only a guess, please proceed at your own risk, back things up, etc.

I couldn't find anything specific about Longside but here's my guess

1. INF files tell windows how to setup/config some components and features
2. The Longside component/feature is already missing its INF file (longside.inf). So, whatever it is, it's already not gettting set up
3. So i'd first make a backup copy of sysocf.inf then delete the entry for Longside

Also... While i'm not sure what Longside is, i think it's something you added when you installed something and it's not t a native part of Windows (as i looked at the sysocf.inf file on a couple other XP systems. I didn't find LongSIde or some of the other components at the end of your version of sysocf.inf in native Windows (examples of some things added in your version not in native Windows)
Code:
Kimbra, =ocgen.dll,OcEntry,Kimbra.inf,HIDE,7
LongSide=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,LongSide.inf,HIDE,7
Noir=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,Noir.inf,HIDE,7
RoyalMod=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,RoyalMod.inf,HIDE,7
SgndThms=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,SgndThms.inf,HIDE,7
LunaRoyale=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,LunaRoyl.inf,HIDE,7

So i'm GUESSING it should be OK to just delete the line about LongSide. You may or may not need to reboot for the file change to take affect. But proceed at your own risk

/* edit */
p.s. Do any of those component names look familiar? Could they possibly be different Desktop themes? IDK but is just another guess


I removed the line about longside and when I tried opening Add/Remove Windows Component, it worked! although, a message appeared saying "There is more than one instance of component 'Royal'. Setup is continuing, however it may not function as expected"

The 'Royal' it was talking about was a theme I'm currently using. Isn't that strange?
And yes, most of the component names look familiar, most of them are themes I have, except for longside.

Thanks for the help LookinAround. :)
 
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