After badly messing up some scenery files, I've recently found the need to uninstall/reinstall FS 2004. The problem is, if I try to uninstall, either from the disk or the start menu option, the program hangs up during the "initializing uninstall" phase and won't complete. If I try from the add/remove programs option I get no response. This is a new one on me. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Something has overwritten the uninstaller, I guess.Still it doesn't matter, as the only thing the uninstaller does that is `clever` is remove the registy entry for FS - and if you're resintalling to the same location that won't matter anyway.Just rename the FS folder, then reinstall the `new` version of FS to the same folder and directory as before. That will give you a clean and a dirty version of the sim. You can then either copy over the files from the dirty version one at a time (which will enable you to find the scenery problem and fix it) and also mean that any addons you have do not need to be reinstalled, just copied over.FWIW I always keep a clean (and now patched) version of FS on another drive for troubleshooting and as a repository for files which can be corrupted or messed up. Allcott

Many thanks! Your solution worked perfectly. I'll pass it along to other flightsimmers in the same fix.