Share via

Changing Program Name In Add/Remove Programs

  • Article

Question

Wednesday, October 22, 2008 12:33 PM

Using Visual Studio 2005, I've created a "Setup" project.  When I install my app, it appears, by default, that the "ProductName" shows up in the "Add/Remove Programs" list.  I'd prefer that the "Title" be used instead.  How do I modify what gets displayed in "Add/Remove Programs"?

All replies (2)

Wednesday, October 22, 2008 3:26 PM ✅Answered

By default, an MSI package will use the value assigned to the ProductName property as the name displayed by Add/Remove Programs.  So, you have two choices:

  1. Change the value of the ProductName property.
  2. Create a set of custom uninstall registry values under your own custom uninstall key (under HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall) and distribute your MSI installation as a system component (see below).

To do the latter:

  • Set the value of ARPSYSTEMCOMPONENT to "1" in your installation package.  This will add a REG_DWORD registry value named SystemComponent under the default MSI uninstall registry key with assigned data of "1", which prevents the MSI uninstall registry values from being displayed in Add/Remove Programs.
    • NOTE: You should thoroughly research the impact of distributing your application as a system component by searching the MSDN and TechNet online libraries as there are some things you won't be able to do.  For example, if you distribute patch packages to update your application then the patches will not show up under Add/Remove Programs. 
  • Add the appropriate uninstall registry values to your installation package with whatever assigned data you want.  See the MSI help topic Configuring Add/Remove Programs with Windows Installer for a list of the MSI properties that are used to control the data assigned to the default uninstall registry values under the default MSI uninstall registry key.

 

Saturday, October 25, 2008 3:07 AM ✅Answered

Thanks, Colby, your item #2 gave me the clue to the solution I used to conquer this problem.  I'd still prefer to have the program title displayed in "Add/Remove Programs", but so far nobody has responded with a way to accomplish this and I haven't been able to find anything on my own.

 

I used the "registry" page of the setup project to store my own "DisplayName" value under "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\ProductCode]".  This overlays the default value.