I browsed trough microsoft knowlege base and first similar issue is connected with a program called "Visual IP InSight" from Visual Networks. If you installed it recently, according to them, it will cause such problems. (following is copy-pasted)

1.Click Start, click Run, type appwiz.cpl, and then click OK.
2.Click Visual IP InSight in the Add or Remove Programs list, and then click Remove.
3.In the Confirm File Deletion dialog box, click Yes.

It would be useful if you provided me with names of recently installed software, drivers, upgrades (like Service packs) and such to narrow down a list of possible causes and cures.
And, ofcourse, which windows are you using also.


If you have automatic windows update enabled, you can get a list of updates installed on your system on windows (or microsoft) update page ("Review your updates" link).

Well I am using xp home edition. I havent downloded any service packs. Its been about two months since I havent been able to use that feature in control panel; I thought it would just blow over. At start up I amalso getting a dialog box that says "runtime error 372". since I cant use control panel I opened "Set program access and defaults" yesterday and the second time I tried to open it it gave me a similar message about the system 32 shell dll.

https://www.quickbase.com/up/baepfhd.../va/MsiFix.exe

Might just do the trick.

You can try File signature verification tool. Just click RUN on your start menu and type "sigverif.exe". Might help.

thanks

Did it work?