Windows Registry – Consequences of Manually Adding an Entry to Uninstall Key

programsandfeatureswindows-registrywindows-server-2016

We have an application, lets call it 'App A', that when you run it checks the registry to see if another app, lets call it 'App B', is installed. It does this by searching HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall for any entry with a DisplayName equal to 'App B'.

Now, App A doesn't actually need App B to run correctly and we've lost the ability to install App B on our systems. So my question is…

Are there any consequences to creating a registry entry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\App A with the appropriate display name? I think this could be accomplished with a *.reg file containing the following…

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\App 1]
"DisplayName"="App 1"

Best Answer

I also asked this question on SuperUser, here's the answer...

https://superuser.com/a/1701965/131296