Windows seems to be built for the masses. No wonder that there may be programs installed on your system that you may never use, like maybe Windows Messenger or Windows Automatic Update.

With the default installation you have no option to remove these unwanted components from your system, because if you look at Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Components, Windows Xp seems to have conveniently "forgotten" about them.

Fortunately there is a way to help Windows regain its memory of them and enable you to remove them from your system.

Go to your Windows\INF folder and look up the file called: sysoc.inf

(Note:
If you cannot find said folder or file, you may need to go into Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, View, Advanced Settings, select "Show hidden files and folders", uncheck "Hide extensions for known filetypes" and uncheck "Hide protected operating system files". Don’t forget to reverse these settings when done!)

Here is an example of this file:

[Version]
Signature = "$Windows NT$"
DriverVer=07/01/2001,5.1.2600.0

[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
AutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,au.inf,hide,7
msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7
RootAutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,rootau.inf,,7
IEAccess=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,ieaccess.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

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

The entries in this file with the parameter hide are the ones that will no longer show up in Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Components.

Removing the word hide from the line will make these options re-appear in the selection presented. Do not remove the comma in front or after the word hide.

CAUTION
Removing COM+ or Distributed Transaction Coordinator will definitely prevent your system from functioning properly.!!!