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Clicking Control Panel I Get Nothing, So I Can't Add Remove Screwed Up Programs. Can Anyone Tell Me An Alternate Way?
Thanks In Advance.
Terri

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Short summary and targeted next steps based on the thread: lost normal access to Control Panel / system tools after removing IE/Outlook Express; tried the obvious Run path and had success with a safe‑mode AV scan, while reports the .CPL files themselves still exist. Those clues point away from a missing program and toward either (a) a policy/registry or control.ini problem that hides/disables applets, or (b) damaged/malicious system files. The checklist below is ordered from least‑to‑invasive to most‑invasive.

Try a direct test of a Control Panel applet (no UI required). Control Panel items are implemented as .CPL files in the Windows system folder; you can invoke an applet directly to see whether the applet itself runs (for example, Add/Remove Programs is appwiz.cpl). A direct launcher format that works on Win9x is:

rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl

If an individual .CPL runs, the files are present but something is stopping the Control Panel shell from listing them. ()

Check for policy/registry or control.ini restrictions. Some malware or a policy can set the registry value NoControlPanel under:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Remove or set those values to 0. Also look for RestrictCpl / the “don’t load” list (and the legacy Control.INI file) which can hide applets; renaming Control.INI to Control.old and rebooting is a known Microsoft troubleshooting step for Win95/98 if the file is corrupt. Back up the registry before edits. (geoffchappell.com)

If registry/INI fixes don’t help, restore system files and the registry. Use the Windows 98 registry checker backups (Scanreg) to roll the registry back to a date before the problem:

Scanreg.exe /restore

If a system binary (for example control.exe, rundll32.exe or a .cpl) was replaced by malware, extract a clean copy from the Win98 CD (the base .CPLs are on the CD in Win98 cabinet files) or run an in‑place Repair/Setup. Always work from a known‑good source and match the OS edition (Win98 vs Win98SE). (support.microsoft.com)

Cautions: export registry branches before editing, test one change at a time, and if malware is suspected perform offline scanning or use a known‑clean rescue disk before copying system files. If these steps are unclear or the machine is heavily infected, an image/backup and a clean reinstall may be safest.

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Member Avatar for Zachery

Alternate way to do what? What are you trying to remove specificly?

You can try

Start > run > control

Which should bring up the control panel..

Member Avatar for STUFF

Re: No Control Panel Can't Add Or Remove
Thanks so much for responding. It's not just the control panel but other system tools such as task manager ect. Specifically, it was advised, and so I mistakenly downloaded Internet Explorer 6.0 that included the new Outlook Express version. IE came bundled with a batch of spyware-about blank ect, so I uninstalled it, which didn't uninstall the new Outlook Express. It now doesn't work. I need to access ADD REMOVE PROGRAMS to remove it. I did as you suggested, START-RUN-CONTROL, and all I got was an error message "Cannot find the file CONTROL (or one of its compnents). Make sure the path and File Name are correct and that all required libraries are available. Sounds like maybe this girls in trouble huh?
Terri

Member Avatar for Zachery

What version of windows are you running? I am guessing ME or 98 due to the fact you needed to download IE6 :/

Member Avatar for STUFF

It's windows 98

Member Avatar for crpetersena

I am experiencing a similer problem with windows 98. I have been working on a system with many users , someone who thinks they are pritty hot stuff with the computer removed the entire control panel.

I have tried everything I can think of , I have looked at the Control.exe file, this should take me to the control panel, but no, take me to the control panal screen, but no icons are there.

Makes me wonder if someone didn't move all of the control panal icons, or delete them. I have compaired many of the windows 98 files from a sister system with 98 on it and many of the files seem to be there, but I really don't know what I am looking for . I have tried to track down where all of the icons are on the working system and when I do a right mouse click on any of the CP icons it dosent give me an option to follow a link or tell me where it is located.

Would like to get this system up and functioning again so I may be able to use my thumbnail drive with it (USB) and put some new games on the computer.

Thanks

Corey

Member Avatar for jbennet

Boot into safe mode? (does that exist in 98?)

Member Avatar for crpetersena

Well after looking around on the net yesterday I found that all the files I am looking for are there, in the *.CPL when I do a search , now I just need to get them back where they should be, should not be too hard of a problem to deal with. I should get it done today. Did get the 'Boat ancor' of a system to recognise my thumb nail drive so that is a plus. I will most likely get it back up running at 50% today. Ha ha.

Corey

Thanks for the info..

Member Avatar for Tim446

I had this too. Asked an IT expert who said start computer in safe mode, i.e. on starting the computer, continually press F8 until the screen comes up saying Start in Safe Mode.

Then after opening in safe mode, run the free AVG (Anti-Virus). When done, restart your computer, then it should work as it did for me

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