Control Panel/My Computer, can't access.

I'm not sure if this is a Windows XP problem or something else, but I'll start here. I'm running XP home edition and for some reason I can't access my control panel or my computer, either from the start menu or the desktop. I've had this problem before and I know there's an easy fix, but for the life of me I can't remember what it is. I've tried running Norton, that didn't help, I've tried restarting, that didn't help either. Any suggestions?

Wendy

 

Ladyarwen1--Do you mean you now longer have these items on the Desktop or in the Start menu?
If yes, simplest may be to right click on a blank in the Taskbar (next to the clock)|Properties|Start Menu|Customize|Advanced|check the circles next to "Display as link" for both My Computer and Control Panel.
If that does not work, Start|Run|type sfc /scannow|OK. Have your WinXP CD ready since you probably will be asked to insert.

 

control panel no access

No, I'm sorry I should have been clearer. The icons are visible in the start menu, and I have my computer on the desktop, however when I double click, right click and scroll to open, or use the start menu on either my computer or control panel, nothing happens. According to Norton systemworks there's nothing wrong with Windows, so I'm clueless. Like I said this has happened before, a long while ago, but I don't remember how I fixed it.

 

Boot to safe mode, log in with user name Adminstrator.
If you did not password protect this account, leave the password blank.
If things work there, you can try one of two things.
First is a system restore to before this started (Start/programs/ accessories/ system tools/system restore / restore my PC)

Second would be to create a new user account and give it full admin privileges and reboot to windows and login to it and see if there are any problems.
If it works, you can try copying that profile to the damaged one by going to control panel/ system/ advanced/ user profiles/ settings
Select the good profle and choose copy to the bad one.
Reboot and login to the other profile and see if it is fixed.

 

Ladyarwen1--Regardless what Norton SW says, I would still try the sfc /scannow thing. You have nothing to lose.
P.S. while not fixes you may find, as workarounds
A) Try to open My Computer by
1) WinKey+E to get to Windows or
2) WinKey+Pause/Break to get to System Properties
B) And concerning Control Panel, find your control.exe file and click on it.
If that does not work, you have something corrupt. One solution may be
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=221153&sd=RMVP
I think these instructions would work in WinXP, although the C:\WINNT folder is C:\Windows in WinXP.
But sfc /scannow should be easier to try first.

 

control panel/my computer still no access

Ok, here's what I've tried. sfc /scannow ran, but didn't fix anything. WinKey+E, nothing happened at all. WinKey+Pause/Break brought up system properties, but I can access that by right clicking My Computer and scrolling to properties. However I can't access open, explore or search when I right click my computer. Finding any file is difficult since I can't open my computer, can't explore and can't search for files. So instead of finding control.exe, I ran it, again nothing happened. I had already tried microsoft support at the link you provided, however according to their instructions I need to create a temp file then copy .cpl files to it. But I can't access .cpl files because My Computer isn't letting me. Unless you know of another way to access system files, I tried all the ways I know, none work.

I also tried system restore, that keeps coming up incomplete. Of course the only suggestion the help desk had to offer was trying a different restore point, which of course I did, five times, all to no avail. I even tried Norton Go Back, that didn't work either. As far as creating a new user account, well that option isn't in the start menu that I can see, and I have a sneaking suspicion that I can only create a new user account through My Computer, which of course, isn't working. I seem to be stuck in a vicious circle here folks. In order to fix the control panel I need access to My Computer, but I haven't been able to find anything online that tells me how to fix it. I can't access Windows Explorer either. I'm stumped.

 

ps

By the way I've also tried running virus scans, spybot and adaware, none of that worked either.

 

Boot to your XP CD and get into the recovery console. That will give you enough access to the windows folder to do the copy work.

From the command prompt
copy file1+file2+file3 newfile.tmp will create newfile.tmp and append files 1,2,3 into it.

 

still no access to control Panel my computer

the response to copy file1+file2+file3 newfile.tmp was can't find specified files. Maybe I should ask this. So far everyone has had suggestions on how to fix my control panel access problem, but no suggestion on how to access My Computer problem. Perhaps if I can fix the latter, the former will be fixed in the process, I doubt the two are unrelated. So if possible I'd like to concentrate on how I can get access to My Computer.

 

I gotta ask - did you use the full file name of the .cpl files you needed rather than file1, file2, etc. For instance (and I don't know which ones they recommend) and assuming the are all in windows\system32

cd c:\windows\system32
copy intl.cpl+main.cpl+desk.cpl newtemp.tmp

Not ignoring you about the My Computer piece but you probably will have to get the other done first.

I don't see mention in the earlier parts of this thread of your ever doing chkdsk c: /r and that would probably be a good idea. At this point, best done while booted to the CD and the recovery console.

 

No access control panel/my computer

Yes I did a check disk while I was in recovery, figured I may as well since I was there. As far as specific files to copy, the microsoft help link didn't specify files, they just said copy all .cpl files. I suppose I could give that a try and see what happens.

 

Restore the Control Panel

To use the Regedits: Save the REG File to your hard disk. Double click it and answer yes to the import prompt. REG files can be viewed in Notepad by right clicking on the file and selecting Edit.



#256 left from
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

 

control panel/my computer still no access

Ok, I'm beginning to feel like a nimwit here hehehe. The regedits suggestion I didn't understand at all. I probably got it out of context or I've been awake too long.

In reference to following the fix control panel problem instructions provided by microsoft and the suggestions on how to access the files and copy them in order to do so. Well I've encountered a few problems. First of all no matter what I do DOS will not let me copy more than one file at a time. When I try to copy a second file seperately since more than one won't work, I'm asked if I want to overwrite the location I saved the previous file to. In addition it occurred to me, even if I manage to figure out a way to copy all of the .cpl files to a temp folder per the instructions, how do I access those files to open them without being able to open My Computer? For that matter because I can't search for files I can't even find the one .cpl file I did copy to newfile.tmp. I thought I could just copy and open them one at a time, but that's not working.

I'm getting more confused by the minute and it's a miracle I remembered any of the DOS commands at all.

 

You could always try a repair install.

Do you have your data backed up? Can you back it up?

You may need help afterwards "taking possession" of files from your current account (might not) but it may prove the easiest thing .


http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm

Scroll down the list to about the 25th link, "How to Run a Repair install "

 

control panel/my computer still no access

Well I managed to work around My Computer sort of. I wrote down the names of all the .cpl files, then back in XP instead of searching for them I used run/browse instead, then right clicked each file and moved it to the temp folder per instructions. I found 3 of the .cpl files would not open, all the others are fine. However nothing I do removes the files from their original location which is one of the instructions. Move files to temp folder then open control panel. That didn't work. I tried deleting the files from the system folder but they won't delete. So I can't follow the instructions. I can't even just delete the 3 cpl files that don't work.

As far as the repair install goes. Only one problem with that, I have to reinstall both service packs if I do. You have no idea what it took for me to get service pack 2 installed, it took hours, all of it spent on the phone with Microsoft I do it again they'll charge me for it and I'm poor and God knows I don't remember all the things I had to do to get the bugger installed.

You know it's really strange, as I said this problem has happened to me before, my computer and control panel not opening when I click on them. But I didn't have to go through all this to fix it. I swear someone made some simple suggestion a one step process and it fixed it right up, I wish I remembered what it was. I have a hunch I'm up a creek.

 

Hello Ladyarwen1,

As far as the repair install goes. Only one problem with that, I have to reinstall both service packs if I do.
No, you would only have to install SP2 which is cummulative.

Regards - Charles

EDIT: In re reading this thread, something else sticks out:

I also tried system restore, that keeps coming up incomplete. Of course the only suggestion the help desk had to offer was trying a different restore point, which of course I did, five times, all to no avail. I even tried Norton Go Back, that didn't work either.
System Restore and GoBack are not supposed to work together. I don't use GoBack so this is not from personal experience, but I'm wondering what effect this is having on the system.

 

Ladyarwen1--I suspect we have gone beyond this, but can you open Internet Explorer? If so, type C:\ in the Address line and click OK. Are you in the C:\ part of My Computer (aka Windows Explorer)?

 

Problem Fixed

Ok, I fixed the problem using a combination of your suggestions. In the end it was disgustingly simply.

Here's what I did. I couldn't open files using my computer, nor could I search or explore, and I couldn't access control panel.

Someone had suggested creating a new user account, but without access to control panel I didn't know how to do that.

Someone also suggested using the microsoft fix, copying cpl files.

In the end I went to the start button, clicked on run, and ran the cpl file whick is for account users in the control panel nusrmgr.cpl. I created the new account, and discovered that everything worked properly on that account and simply deleted the user account with problems after copying documents that I didn't want deleted (which I was prompted to do). Everything is kosher now.

Thanks for your suggestions, without them I'd never have figured out how to fix the problem.

Wendy

 

Glad it worked. I will have to remember that as an alternate method to create a new user account when one becomes corrupt.
This is an example of the reason why it is helpful to always have at least two accounts which are admin enabled on XP, just in case.