Display properties won't come up

Windows XP Pro. Right-click on desktop and hit Properties won't bring up display properties (to adjust resolution for example). Tried that in control panel to bring up display stil doesn't do it. I click it and nothing happens.

I have checked over and over again there's no graphic card problem or conflict, or monitor conflict etc. All components the same when it worked before.

Please don't tell me I have to reinstall XP :(

Thanks.

Mr. M

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25 posts since Feb 2005

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7 Years Ago

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Make sure you have the latest Video Card drivers from your video card manufacturer. This is very important...and it possibly might reset your display properties to make viewable the sections you need. If this doesn't work, here we go :P Disclaimer: The following will only work if you have administrator access or access to the registry.

go to Start >> Run >> type 'regedit' >> hit ok, or press return

Now once you do you need to navigate to this folder:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

If you see any of the keys below: NoDispCPL, NoDispBackgroundPage, NoDispScrSavPage, NoDispAppearancePage, or NoDispSettingsPage then DELETE THEM, or change their values from 1 to 0.

Values Restricting Access to Display Properties

NoDispCPL - Disable Display Control Panel. If the value is set to 1, the Display Properties property sheet is not accessible.

NoDispBackgroundPage - Hide Background Page. If the value is set to 1, the Background property page on the Display Properties property sheet is hidden.

NoDispScrSavPage - Hide Screen Saver Page. If the value is set to 1, the Screen Saver property page on the Display Properties property sheet is hidden.

NoDispAppearancePage - Hide Appearance Page. If the value is set to 1, the Appearance property page on the Display Properties property sheet is hidden.

NoDispSettingsPage - Hide Settings Page. If the value is set to 1, the Settings property page on the Display Properties property sheet is hidden.

Hopefully this will get you up and running. Please let me know how it turns out and good luck! :)

TKS

TKS

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OMG....I didn't think anyone would even respond let alone know anything about it......thank you sooooo much [img]http://www.finheaven.com/boardvb2/images/smilies5/hail.gif[/img]

Mr. M

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No problem! We enjoy helping people at Daniweb...its part of being a community. Make sure you let everyone know about us here and where they can come for help ;p

TKS

Posting Pro in Training

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Oops. Just tried it (on home PC where the problem is) and clicked all the way down to ...CurrentVersion\Policies.....no System folder. Nothing related to display anywhere. [img]http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/images/smilies/scratch.gif[/img]
No problem! We enjoy helping people at Daniweb...its part of being a community. Make sure you let everyone know about us here and where they can come for help ;p
Surely I already have. Some people on the other forums I to which I belong wish I would shut up about it already. :cheesy:

Mr. M

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hace you tried to get it to display in another user account ,if you don' have another go to users in control panrl and create one and try it !you may have a corrupt acct.
also spyware/trojan could cause this ,check out the spyware abd other nasties section of this fourm

caperjack

I hate 20 Questions

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I run Ad-Aware every week, so that's not it.

I will try creating a new account though. It makes sense since I've been using this account since the last format, maybe a year ago. [img]http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/images/smilies/up.gif[/img] Thanks.

Mr. M

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7 Years Ago

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Can you get to the properties of anything else? If you right click on my computer, or the network thingy, can you get it's properties window to load?

Comatose

Taboo Programmer

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Yeah, I can get the Properties of everything else. Just the Display properties seems to be locked out. No error message or anything, just inaccessible.

Mr. M

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follow Tks's advice about the registry with the values... but instead of going to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

try:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\currentversion\policies\system

I've found stuff hiding in that one :)

Comatose

Taboo Programmer

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7 Years Ago

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Nope. Created new user account and still doesn't work. :(

WTH????? :evil:

I'm totally leaning towards reformating, not looking forward to it though. :(

Mr. M

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25 posts since Feb 2005

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7 Years Ago

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before you format ,try this .
,,,,,,,,,
This problem could occur because of Spyware , go on over to the Security section of this fourm and post you problem along with a hijackthis log .
Spyware & Trojans and Other Nasties
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Please Don't post the hijackthis log in this section Thanks .
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Please do this.
Download 'Hijack This!'. HijackThis
Save it in a convenient permanent folder such as C:\HJT\, double click HijackThis.exe, and hit "Scan".

Or HERE if that link fails to work or you don't have a zip program installed .

Your copy of HijackThis needs to be in a folder of it's own. When HJT fixes anything, it makes backups of the original files in the folder it is in. Since Temporary folders are emptied now and then (the files are DELETED), it would not be a good idea to have your backups there. Those backups would be VITAL to restoring your system if something went wrong in the FIX process!

1. Please go to you're 'My Documents' folder, right-click and select 'New > Folder' then name the folder 'HJT'.

2. Copy and paste HijackThis.exe to the new folder.

3. Close ALL windows except HJT

4. SCAN with HJT

5. POST the new log in this thread using 'Add Reply'

DO NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES OR CLICK "FIX CHECKED" UNTIL WE CHECK THE LOG, AS SOME OF THE FILES ARE LEGIT AND VITAL TO YOUR COMPUTER'S HEALTH

caperjack

I hate 20 Questions

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I have the same thing going on, on one of my computers. I can get to the properties of everything else on my computer but my display properties. I need to change my settings but can't get there from the control panel either. I'm running Windows XP also. I have taken a look at all the registry ideas and I don't have any of them in the registry. Any other ideas to try :cry:

feehanam

Newbie Poster

1 post since Mar 2005

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7 Years Ago

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I have a similar question.

My IT department has disabled my display properties at work (when I right click on the desktop and click properties I get "your computer administrator has disabled the display proerties". If I change the registry value will they know about it ? Also recently they made it so I cant adjust the time.

TheDelk

Newbie Poster

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I have a similar question. My IT department has disabled my display properties at work (when I right click on the desktop and click properties I get "your computer administrator has disabled the display proerties". If I change the registry value will they know about it ? Also recently they made it so I cant adjust the time.

the delk, welcome to the forums, but all new members are reminded to please not piggy back other threads, though your problem is just as important, it is also important that your issue is addressed seperatly.

Killer_Typo

Master Poster

781 posts since Apr 2004

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7 Years Ago

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I have a similar question.

My IT department has disabled my display properties at work (when I right click on the desktop and click properties I get "your computer administrator has disabled the display proerties". If I change the registry value will they know about it ? Also recently they made it so I cant adjust the time.

and would assumme for good reason !now get to work!LOL

caperjack

I hate 20 Questions

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13,068 posts since Aug 2003

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7 Years Ago

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Just a note on this whole policy bit: It's only available in Windows XP Pro. Group Policy, which controls these settings in the registry, doesn't show up in XP Home. I'd agree with the possibility of a trojan, or some virus, possibly.

As to TheDelk, despite piggybacking a thread, I'll answer your question, since my answer is somewhat related. DON'T MESS WITH IT. I think not being able to adjust your Display properties is dumb, but I'm not your IT department. They might have some requirement to allow handicapped users to run at a certain resolution, I don't know. But, suffice it to say, it's not your system, and you shouldn't monkey around with how they want it set up. Even if you could make the changes you want to do, what happens if they do find out? If your IT policy is like any company I've ever worked for, you could get fired.

alc6379

Cookie... That's it

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And Beyond That, Chances are that if you get the error message (about the system administrator disabling things) attempting to change the registry probably won't work. It may let you change it, but I bet if you close regedit, and open it back up again, the value will be what it was before you changed it ;)

Comatose

Taboo Programmer

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I know that this thread is abandoned for quite some time, but it's on top of a Google search on this topic... and after headaches over this issue, I found a solution for my case, and decided to share you guys

Find a file named WindowsShell.Manifest in other working windows installation (hidden, system file; I don't know if you can use it from diferent versions of Windows XP) and copy that to your Windows folder. Restart and that's it.:cheesy:

Just in case, my copy:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?> Windows Shell

Copy/paste in notepad and test

Al

Windows XP Pro. Right-click on desktop and hit Properties won't bring up display properties (to adjust resolution for example). Tried that in control panel to bring up display stil doesn't do it. I click it and nothing happens.

I have checked over and over again there's no graphic card problem or conflict, or monitor conflict etc. All components the same when it worked before.

Please don't tell me I have to reinstall XP :(

Thanks.