By default Windows XP keeps some built-in programs – like WordPad – out of the Add/Remove Programs box, but it’s not hard to make them show their faces. The IntelliAdmin site reports that removing the word ‘HIDE’ from the application name in the %SystemRoot%\Inf\Sysoc.inf file does the trick. In order to access Sysoc.inf you must have Windows XP setup to display system files and display hidden files and folders.

Windows XP comes with a bunch of pre-loaded software. Lots of it you can’t even find in Add/Remove programs…By simply opening up the file Sysoc.inf, and removing the word ‘hide’ you can force these programs to show up.

Although you will be able to get all the unhidden applications to show up in Add/Remove Programs, you will not be able to remove everything that shows up. You will however, be able to remove most applications. As IntelliAdmin warns: make backups of the Sysoc.inf file before you edit. Just in case.

Show hidden software in Add/Remove programs [IntelliAdmin]