Hey Dennis, I don't actually know how to get XP to rebuild the add/remove programs tree. However, I believe it generates the list from the registry file. The following link will take you to a microsoft page on how to manually remove programs from the Add/Remove programs list. Its not a solution, but I imagine if you start here, you may be able to figure out how to get rid of the space.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q247501 I also did a quick search and found the following utility... http://www.christensen-software.com/freeware.htm Darcy -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Dennis Saputelli Sent: October 24, 2005 3:02 PM To: Open Topic Forum Subject: [OT] Re: help w/ XP add /remove programs list which has a HUGE gap does anyone know if there is away to force XP Pro to rebuild the add/remove programs list ? no i don't want to reformat the drive and reinstall all the programs (which took *DAYS* ) :) i got a nifty new box which ran well for a while, then things started going flaky, spontaneous re-boots, dropped LAN connections, inability to copy large files successfully over the LAN, reboot cannot connect to Internet, on and on all pointing to differing possible causes the white box builder traced it to bad RAM (both of the 1 gigs!) they proved it was that with some nifty basic troubleshooting (see * footnote) So the Add/Remove Programs list both before and after the repair has a HUGE gap programs listed up through first letter 'A' are seen and that appears to be all the programs installed ! when i showed it to the vendor they said scroll down duh i tried that, just white space 'keep scrolling' they said so about a mile down the list resumed with all the rest of the programs this is maybe 30 or so pages of white space in the list below A they said they have seen this from time to time and that it is an XP thingy it doesn't seem to really matter, everything seems to work ok and all the programs are there, but it does seem a little flaky so to repeat the question is there a way to rebuild the Add/Remove list ? Dennis Saputelli * footnote here is what they did when they got the box back with my complaints they have been building these things since the early days of PCs and when i complained of multiple symptoms they didn't want to use just a memory test program they pulled out my hard drive to save my setups, no real data at risk, just a bunch of tedious work they put in a fresh hard drive in and attempted to install XP - no go, multiple crashes now they pulled the RAM and put it in another box with a fresh mother bd and moved or put in another hard drive and attempted to install XP no go conclusion, bad RAM they returned the 2 gigs RAM (2 sticks) to their supplier and got new ones so far so good, it all feels quite solid now except for the 'GAP' i thought their troubleshooting approach was simple and interesting _______________________________________________________________________ Integrated Controls, Inc. Tel: 415-647-0480 EXT 107 2851 21st Street Fax: 415-647-3003 San Francisco, CA 94110 www.integratedcontrolsinc.com Darren wrote: > Hi Dennis, > > >>i get paste stencils for about $320 USD, so that seems in >>line w/ what you are all saying > > > Yep. > > >>they usually take about 1 day turn since i am near silicon valley >>actually my assembler gets them but i pay for them > > > I haven't been able to get them in less then about 3 days, most > suppliers are interstate, and a few are coming from china now. > > >>the trouble is they sure prove to be a disincentive to what i >>feel to be the worthy goal of 'continuous improvement' >> >>if we build 100 pcs of board before a rev spin we are doing well so i >>guess $3.20 a board for a stencil is not too bad but when we do 5 >>different protos and then spin all the revs to the inevitable >>rev 'B' it sure adds up to a lot of trashed stencils and money >> >>seems like there ought to be a better way > > > Agree, I have been thinking about it for a while. Inkjet style > device is what is needed. > > >>the only thing i have come up with is putting 2-4 different >>boards on a 15" x 15" with about 1" between, this can save a bunch, >>especially on protos > > > Yes, I do the same often. > > >>camtastic (2000!) makes it pretty easy >> >>darren, not sure what you mean it 'takes a while to burn that >>w/ manual paste placement' > > > As in the labour cost to paste the boards, V the cost of the > stencil, which still takes a lot of time to paste a few boards > and then clean up. > > >>are you saying you can do a lot of bds for $320 ? >>yes, maybe 2- 5 bds depending on the features > > > Well it still take time to setup the stencil, screen the > boards and clean up. Then what do you do with the old > stencils .. > > >>what do you use ? > > > I have one of these > > http://www.apsgold.com/p_place.html > > The MPP21. > > and for an oven.. > > http://www.apsgold.com/reflow.htm > > >>a manual time/pressure dot dispenser like EFD? >>i have one of those and it is gathering dust now (actually we >>sometimes use it for gluing things but not bd parts) > > > I run it on full manual, much faster then setting the time for > each size pad. You get very fast at it. > > >>for protos i gave up on that and just hand solder with the good old >>metcal and a big jug of flux with a teensy needle tip on the end, it >>does a better job i think - no solder balls > > > I use a metcal style iron, hakko in fact to do the fine pitch > stuff, too much trouble to paste, place reflow and then rework > the fine pitch. Paste placement is just not controlled well enough. > > >>either way both methods take a LONG time to build one or three boards > > > Yes, it is very time consuming. > > >>i realize that w/ QFNs and BGAs a stencil is a must so i use >>those only if they are a must do > > > I haven't done much BGA stuff in house yet, but I will have to > address that soon. > > >>in fact after switching over to 0603s i am now switching back >>to 0805s due to low volumes and the greater ease of >>troubleshooting and mods > > > 0603 can be small, but after doing some 0402 stuff, they don't > seem so bad. I remember 20 years back when 1206 seemed to be > small. :| > > >>back to SIPAD... >>it appears that somewhere along the process, unless i have been >>misinformed, they make a stencil and do what the assembler >>would do just at a different point in time >>still, it does allow storage and therefore time shifting of >>that process > > > To me I can't see much gain. > > Regards, > Darren Moore > > > >>ds >> ____________________________________________________________ You are subscribed to the OT discussion forum To Post messages: mailto:[email protected] Unsubscribe and Other Options: http://techservinc.com/mailman/listinfo/ot_techservinc.com Browse or Search Old Archives (2001-2004): http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] Browse or Search Current Archives (2004-Current): http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] ____________________________________________________________ You are subscribed to the OT discussion forum To Post messages: mailto:[email protected] Unsubscribe and Other Options: http://techservinc.com/mailman/listinfo/ot_techservinc.com Browse or Search Old Archives (2001-2004): http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] Browse or Search Current Archives (2004-Current): http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
