# Control panel missing in XP



## kalulu (Sep 18, 2007)

Hi 

I am using Windows XP (5.1 Build 2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254: service pack 2) on my laptop and early this week i started only to realize I did not have the log off / shutdown bar and the control panel link.

I Have researched on the web, tried out a few fixes (Hijack this, Spybot and even downloaded tweakui.exe). I do not seem to be getting anywhere. Will I have to re-install the computer?

Its the first time i am expriencing such a problem. I can see the data on the computer and Msoffice appears to be running fine. However Control panel is a significant cog on the day-to-day running of the computer.
Can someone please help me out ?


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## justpassingby (Mar 11, 2007)

Hi kalulu and welcome to TSF !

Do you have an XP install disk or a recovery CD ? What's the brand and model of this laptop ?

Run a check disk : start => run => chkdsk c: /F /R (if c is the volume letter that corresponds to your system drive). Answer no when it asks to unmount the volume then yes to schedule the test at next restart and reboot the laptop. You can use the task manager (press ctrl+atl+del) to access the shutdown command. 

Create the recovery disks if you have none, check whether there's an i386 folder on the root of the CD and if there is then go to start => run and type sfc /scannow. This should replace missing or corrupt system files with a good copy. It will ask you for the CD if it can't find a backup of the file on your drive. If sfc asked for the CD and the recovery disk you have didn't work then find a friend who has an XP CD that's the same version as what you're using (Home SP2 if you're using XP Home SP2) and redo the sfc scan.

The problem may also lie in the registry. Go to start => run and navigate to the following entries :

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
=> is there an entry called Start_ShowControlPanel and what's its value ? If it's different from 2 then set it to 2.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
=> in each location is there an entry called NoControlPanel and what's its value ? If it's different from 0 then set it to 0.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
=> is there an entry called NoClose and what's its value ? If it's different from 0 then set it to 0.

Source : Kelly's corner.

If that didn't work, see whether creating a new user account solves the problem. If so copy your user profile to the new account (you'll need a third temporary account to be able to move the files from the first one to the second one) :
How to copy data from a corrupted user profile to a new profile

If those solutions did not work and if the CD you have access to is a recovery CD then the remaining option will be to recover the system to the state it was when you first bought it. Backup your personal data on an external drive and do the recovery.


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## speedster123 (Oct 18, 2006)

Also
I was wondering if you tried a system restore in safe mode.


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## Geekgirl (Jan 1, 2005)

So when you click Start you do not see the Control Panel icon? 

Click Start/Run and type in *control* and hit enter. Does the Control Panel open? 

This may or may not apply:
Right click Internet explorer
> Select properties
> Click ADVANCED tab
> Navigate down to "Enable third party browser extentions", and de-select (remove the tick)
> Restart your computer.

Control Panel Does Not Open


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## kalulu (Sep 18, 2007)

No. When I click Start i do not see the Control Panel icon. I tried the second option of Clickind Start/Run and typed in control and hit enter. Control Panel did not open and i got this error message " This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system Administrator"

I also tried Right clicking Internet explorer and got the following error message " This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system Administrator"


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## outlawzgosu (Jun 7, 2007)

Sounds like you're not on an administrator account. When you click start, what name do you see at the top of the start menu.


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## speedster123 (Oct 18, 2006)

Do have a xp disk, was this operating system on your computer when you obtained it?


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## kalulu (Sep 18, 2007)

Yes I am logging in as the administrator


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## kalulu (Sep 18, 2007)

Thanks for your reply. Here are the answers to your questions.

The laptop is a Toshiba Tecra A3. I asked the owner who works as a consultant with us about the XP install Disk and he only gave me the recovery CD. He is also apprehensive that with a re-install he may lose some rare programs because he does not have the license numbers.

As such I am trying as much as possible to get back the control panel without messing his data/programs.



In the registry, the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
=> there is no entry called Start_ShowControlPanel.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer =>there is no entry called NoControlPanel 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
=>there is an NoControlPanel entry whose value is 01 00 00 00

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
=> is there no entry called NoClose.

its the first time I am experiencing such a problem and i appreciate your help


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## Geekgirl (Jan 1, 2005)

Performing a Repair Installation seems to be in order. If you place the recovery cds in the drive and boot you may get a chance to perform a nondestructive repair, if not you will have to format and reinstall.


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## justpassingby (Mar 11, 2007)

Have you run chkdsk ? Start => run => chkdsk c: /F /R ? You'll need to answer no when asked to unmount the volume then yes to schedule the start at next restart. Reboot the computer and the scan will run before Windows loads. 

If you can't access the shutdown/log off options in the start menu then you can access them from the shutdown menu in the task manager : press ctrl+alt+del to access the task manager. The run command is also available from the file => new task menu in the task manager.

If chkdsk reports errors then go to the device manager : start => run => devmgmt.msc. Expand disk drives and look for the drive's model ID (the device's name). Google with that name to find to which manufacturer it's related then download the latest diagnostic utility for that drive, burn the bootable CD and scan your hard drive with it (the long/extended test).

Once chkdsk and the manufacturer's diagnostic reported your drive as clean then defrag it : start => run => dfrg.msc.

Try *Geekgirl*'s suggestion. If you don't see a "non-destructive" or "repair" option then exit and try the following steps before reinstalling from scratch.

Have you tried a system restore as suggested by *speedster123* ? Repeatedly press F8 when the computer starts to access a new menu and choose "last known good configuration" there. If that didn't help, go back to that menu and choose safe mode. Once in safe mode go to start => all programs => accessories => system tools => system restore and choose a date in bold prior to when the problem started. See if that helps.

Have you tried sfc /scannow with the recovery disk ? If the i386 folder exists in the root of the recovery CD then simply run sfc /scannow and insert the CD when prompted to do so. Else browse for that i386 folder on the CD and if it exists copy its content somewhere on the drive. Then go to the registry editor : start => run => regedit. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion and change sourcePath to the path where you copied that folder. Rerun sfc /scannow.

Have you tried creating another user account ?
How to copy data from a corrupted user profile to a new profile

Please start by checking that your drive is allright (chkdsk and the manufacturer's diagnostic utility) before proceeding with other steps.


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## J Walker (Jan 11, 2008)

kalulu said:


> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
> =>there is an NoControlPanel entry whose value is 01 00 00 00
> 
> Hey, I know nothing about this but did anyone notice that the value was NOT 0?


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## n10sity (Jan 10, 2008)

Is your laptop part of a domain? If so, there is a possibility that a group policy is in place that disables your control panel. It wouldn't matter that you are logged in as administrator.


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