Control Panel Applets Gone

[Savage1701]

All of a sudden whenever I try to access several of my control panels I get the following message: "Application not found" and then WinXP offers to let me open the applet with a choice of programs. Any ideas? I have some control panel applets, but not others. I can't tie this into anything. Thanks.

This is now occurring after a clean install of WinXP Pro. Now I'm really lost. I have an identical system sitting next to it, same MB, processor, etc. and it is fine.

 

[Goalie]

You say you did a "clean install." Can you be more precise? Was this a formatted drive, or did you install over top of an existing install?

Did you do a repair install?

If you open a command box, and use the command "rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL sysdm.cpl" (replace sysdm.cpl with the appropriate file name as indicated in the table halfway down here with a file you're having problems with.), what happens?

You say you "have some control panel applets, but not others." Which ones do you have, which ones do you not have? This might give us a better idea of what you're seeing, and where, and thus how to fix it.

 

[Savage1701]

Clean install = Formatted drive and re-installed. No repair. I can't do your command because no name for folder options exisits in the table you linked. But if I open a DOS prompt and type "Control Folders", the Folder Option applet launches just fine. I have not tried it with the "Taskbar and Start Menu" because I don't know the abbreviated name for it. Those are 2 that can't be accessed from the WinXP desktop.

 

[Goalie]

ok.. if you did a clean install, did you import anything or change any settings?

Edit: Have you installed any software after the clean install? If so, what?

On first boot, are the options in the control panel?

(note, I"ll edit this later with more information after I find the link I'm looking for (mutter mutter saw it yesterday..) )

Edit:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] Look at that registry key. Do you see a "nofolderoptions" key? If so, delete it. "NoSetTaskBar" should fix your taskbar and start menu settings.

 

[Savage1701]

No changes or imports. Lots of software installed. All applets are present in the control panel on first boot. I have 2 hardware identical systems (MB, CPU, RAM, Hard Drive) that this is occurring on. Common denominator: These are the only systems I use WinXP Pro Full Retail. All my other systems are XP Pro OEM. These are my first two builds with XP Pro Retail. Coincedence? I doubt it. I think it is something in WinXP Pro Retail packs. As I said before, I can access the control panel applets from DOS prompt, so I know they are there.

 

[Goalie]

ok.. what software has been installed? Maybe one of them are responsible...

Did you check the registry keys mentioned?

 

[Savage1701]

I'll check the registry key. At the beginning of the clean install the applets still don't work, so it does not matter what programs are installed. The problem is there at the first boot of WinXP Pro after the clean install.