Add/remove programs will not populate list

Hi this is Windows XP system. Since today morning I am facing some problem with the same. Whenever I go to Add and Remove Program it says "Please wait while the list is being populated..." I keep waiting for hours but the list never gets populated. Some times the PC freezes at this message and need to hard reboot the system.

I thought it could be virus issue hence I updated my Antivirus and performed deep scan but it dint found anything suspicious. So it cannot be virus problem as well. Any idea what is causing the problem? Everything was working fine until yesterday. Problem started today itself. Please help.

Hello Chucky. Just check out the following MS KB Article describing You might try this MSKB article:Add/Remove Programs tool displays installed programs incorrectly. According to the article you just need to run REGSVR32 APPWIZ.CPL -i and the problem will be solved. Try out and let me know the problem.

The problem I was having was that there were no programs showing up in the Add/Remove Programs window. I tried the microshaft's help and followed the directions as best I could (which is pretty good) but still no resolution. I read thread after thread but still no fix. I was down to the final frontier. The place where you Insert Original XP disk and reinstall when I thought.... I wonder if it does this in safe mode too.

I started the machine up in safe mode, then rebooted normally. POOF, there they were.

Not very technical I know, but if you, like me, have tried all the other suggestions and still have problems give it a try.

I'm not sure if your problem was similar to mine, but I initially thought windows installer didn't fully populate but it infact just put about 3 pages of white space and when I scrolled down to the bottom the rest of my programs magically appeared..

Is your HDD whiring?! HDD LED flasing?!

Mine was and I thought, "Maybe it is populating, only slowly!"
I waited 5 minutes and viola! It populated!
Try waiting a few minutes. Might work for you.

Peter your reply to a post thats now over 5 years old with an insult about checking the time..... fortunately billgillin post worked for me which means the anwser is completey unrelated to the time of day/week/month.


please dont take the piss when people are offering a solution online, unless the forum is wiped regulary its a good way to increase web traffic and therefore increase user base.

also you question doesnt actually make sense. what are you refering too?


anyway thanks billgillin

Thanks billgillin, I had the same problem and low and behold all I had to do was scroll down to the bottom of the pages and...it worked!!

Thank you again!