I've discovered a "MSN Gaming Zone" in my Program Files. I neither have anything like that (I'm not a Gamer) nor have I installed anything (that I know of) on those lines. R-Clicking - Delete says it's in use and won't let me delete it. A search of the registry (I'm notorious for aggressive registry deletions) doesn't find such an entry.

Why is it present, and how do I get rid of it???

XP-Home, SP2, all updates which will install. (There are some which just won't.)

I have it too. I think it's so you can play the free games that come with xp, online against others.

It is installed with XP. You will find the Games listed under All Programs > Games

You will also find it listed under Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Add/Remove Windows Components > Accessories and Utilities > Details > Games > Details

Removing here will only remove shortcuts as far as I know. Windows makes it very difficult to remove embedded software but you can remove the indications of it.

After you turn it off in Add/Remove I think you can delete the folders and files.

OK. Thanx All.

Thanks for the advice on how to remove msn gaming zone. I followed your advice and was able to successfully remove the files but I have not been able delete the folders. At least the files are gone. It was so frustrating to watch them copy themselves back into the folders. Thanks again. Paul

More ideas here:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_a.htm

Add Programs to Add/Remove

To add additional components to the Add/Remove Programs list (Windows Components):

Tools/Folder Options/View/Show Hidden Files and Folders and Show Extensions for known file types. Then go to Windows Explorer/Inf Folder/Sysoc.inf (Double Click it). You will find several lines that include the word 'hide'. Simply remove the word 'hide' (but leave the comma). Save and exit. From there you will be able to remove it from add/remove.

Add and Remove - Show All Files

Windows XP doesn't let you add or remove all the programs it installs by default. Multimedia applications, the XP messenger, games, accessories, and accessibility options do not show up in the Add/Remove Programs dialog box. What if you want to get rid of them? Here's how to make Windows treat these applications just like it treats all the others.

Go to Windows Explorer/Inf. In the right pane, scroll down to sysoc.inf, double click it. Scroll down to:

[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,fp4 0ext.inf,,7
AutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,au.inf,hide,7
msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7
WMAccess=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wmaccess.inf,,7
RootAutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,rootau.inf,,7
IEAccess=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,ieaccess.inf,,7
OEAccess=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,oeaccess.inf,,7
WMPOCM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wmpocm.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

The word "HIDE" in an entry hides that application from your Add/Remove Programs dialog box. To add games to the Add/Remove menu, delete the word HIDE from its entry (but leave the commas that surround it). You also have to remove "HIDE" from "AccessUtil=" for this tip to work.

Save the file. Check for the new entries in the Add/Remove Programs dialog box after you restart your computer.
HOW TO: Add or Remove Windows XP Games
http://support.microsoft.com/support.../q307/7/68.asp
http://support.microsoft.com/default...N-US;q307768#2