I had several problems with Wingate so I chose to re-install it, using custom in the uninstall process and removing everything the uninstall reported, but I found my previous settings where still there after I had re-installed it!
Settings like DHCP scope and reserved IPs Cinema, Superman and Zippo were still reserved to 192.168.0.2, .3 and .4.
Wouldn't it be better to store settings in the WinGate folder instead of in the registry?
Gradually deteriorates
A typical Windows system follows a simple lifecycle: it starts out with a clean Windows installation, which gradually deteriorates as programs are installed, and uninstalled. Eventually, the Windows registry accumulates so much crud that the user is forced to do a clean install. When a user does a clean install that user's system loses all the previously applied security updates, and becomes a sitting duck for worms and other malware.
Thats why I'm such a FreeBSD/Mac advocate.
Also it's MUCH easier to backup and maintain a system without having to extract registry keys for every single program you have installed before doing a re-install of Windows
http://jooh.no/programs_on_d.html
Solution
Choose programs that store their stuff in their own directory and install them to a different partition or harddrive, for instance D:\Programs.
Create a directory, for instance D:\Programs Shortcuts, and put shortcuts there to each program you have in D:\Programs.
Then, after a clean format/reinstall of Windows XP, all you have to do is go to to D:\ and drag the Programs Shortcuts folder to the Start Menu! (hover over the Start button, then hover over the All Programs button, and then place it at the bottom of the list). Keep it at the bottom, and it's easy to remember and quick to use. Gameplay baby!
Edit: Removing advertising content.