Where oh where is my msconfig.exe?
Do I still have it and it's been hidden by an installed app or is something else going on?
Thursday, March 20, 2008 by BigDogBigFeet | Discussion: Personal Computing
Hi all,
Well as a result of Po's thread Virtual Memory Question I've discovered that when I click on start, run and type in msconfig and press enter ...... nothing happens. I fired up explorer and searched my windows sub, no go and did a system Search twice and again no go. Did some web searching and discovered one of 2 possibilities an installed app has it hidden from my through a system key setting or in the worst case malware. At present I'm not suspecting malware. System has no other problems currently and it's possible any of these progs could have it hidden: Ad-Aware 2007 Free, SpyBot Search and Destroy (I'm new to both of these) I also have Tune-Up Utilities 2006 and please don't gasp, Norton System Works(well mostly, lol).
Anywho, I thought I'd post to see if anyone has some insight as to what's caused this and what Reg Key(s) might be involved. I'm thinking that's probably what's happened.
 |
|
Page 3 of 8 | |
|
|---|
vStyler
Reply #42 Friday, March 21, 2008 8:57 PM
Reply #42 Friday, March 21, 2008 8:57 PM
Po... ur not running WB?
All i am running is WB and SKS6, and until a few minutes ago Impulse.
Now I could unsinstall everything SD..but.. sometimes an application can leave something buggered up even after its uninstalled.
I suppose I could ODNTZapper my system and see what happens..? Whats the bet theres' still tons of registry entries even if I do?
All i know is AS OF today I also do not have a functioning MSCONFIG.
All i am running is WB and SKS6, and until a few minutes ago Impulse.
Now I could unsinstall everything SD..but.. sometimes an application can leave something buggered up even after its uninstalled.
I suppose I could ODNTZapper my system and see what happens..? Whats the bet theres' still tons of registry entries even if I do?
All i know is AS OF today I also do not have a functioning MSCONFIG.
yrag
Reply #43 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:13 PM
Reply #43 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:13 PM
First off, everyone running XP who can't see msconfig do a system search for: DWMAPI.DLL.
It is a Vista file that has (for some) been associated with IE7 (and it's updates) as it relates to Vista (it should not be on an XP machine), thus my original recommendation to Bigdog to try a re-install of IE as that might have been the easiest way to fix it. That accomplished nothing other then to suck 30 minutes out of his life he'll never get back....
There is a system fix that is certainly more complicated and it will reset permissions for the entire Registry. If anyone wants it, I'll post it. Without knowing which delay-load dependency module is being affected in XP, that's also a dead end. Personally, if your msconfig is working (if it shows in TM, it is) and just not showing on screen, I'd let it be until we figure out what is going on. You could fix it, run the problem app again (whatever it is) and be right back at square one. So, why bother.
I don't know what is causing this. I guessed at Impulse only because this problem is not happening anywhere else, just here. That eliminates a lot of 'stuff'. Eventually, as always, we'll find it....in the interium......fireup them backup proggies!
It is a Vista file that has (for some) been associated with IE7 (and it's updates) as it relates to Vista (it should not be on an XP machine), thus my original recommendation to Bigdog to try a re-install of IE as that might have been the easiest way to fix it. That accomplished nothing other then to suck 30 minutes out of his life he'll never get back....
There is a system fix that is certainly more complicated and it will reset permissions for the entire Registry. If anyone wants it, I'll post it. Without knowing which delay-load dependency module is being affected in XP, that's also a dead end. Personally, if your msconfig is working (if it shows in TM, it is) and just not showing on screen, I'd let it be until we figure out what is going on. You could fix it, run the problem app again (whatever it is) and be right back at square one. So, why bother.
I don't know what is causing this. I guessed at Impulse only because this problem is not happening anywhere else, just here. That eliminates a lot of 'stuff'. Eventually, as always, we'll find it....in the interium......fireup them backup proggies!
ZubaZ
Reply #44 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:19 PM
Reply #44 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:19 PM
I don't know what is causing this.
I never thought I would here this. So very sad. 
yrag
Reply #45 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:25 PM
OK...I'll make you feel better.....
You're causing this.
Reply #45 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:25 PM
I never thought I would here this. So very sad.
OK...I'll make you feel better.....
You're causing this.
eieio
Reply #46 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:25 PM
No problems on waiting, here
Reply #46 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:25 PM
Eventually, as always, we'll find it....in the interium......fireup them backup proggies!
No problems on waiting, here
vStyler
Reply #48 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:29 PM
Reply #48 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:29 PM
I have DWMAPI.DLL. only on my Vista (E:)drive. Not found on XP (C:) drive.
I havent checked for same problem in Vista..
Im having the problem on XP sp2 w\IE6.
I also find it odd that Camtasia is doing exactly the same thing. Showing in TM only.
I havent checked for same problem in Vista..
Im having the problem on XP sp2 w\IE6.
I also find it odd that Camtasia is doing exactly the same thing. Showing in TM only.
firebrick
Reply #49 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:36 PM
Reply #49 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:36 PM
no problems here.. yet (crosses fingers) xp home/sp2 stardock apps installed.. wb ip od+ impluse and of course sdc. good luck every one. (
Daiwa
Reply #50 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:37 PM
Reply #50 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:37 PM
OK...I'll make you feel better.....
You're causing this.
You're causing this.
PoSmedley
Reply #51 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:38 PM
ditto
No. Still unloading all the 'extras' HP loads into the PC, since I reformatted. I wanted to clean it up good before I started loading all the SD software again.
I am only running
Impulse
ObjectDock
CursorXP
nothing else. I haven't even downloaded anything else yet.
I also cut back on my security apps (on advice from yrag- I had way to many)
Currently running
AVAST
SPYBOT
ZONELARM FREE
SPYWAREBLASTER
CCLEANER
and also cut my FF add-ons way back. I had about 50 running and cut back to 15. I also deleted Real Player cause it wasa forever running in the background.
I don't know if any of this info will help or not.
------------------------------------------------------------------
I really don't want to reformat again. It's taken me about 3 days to get things where I want them since the last restore. This blows. I've never gone this long without my SD app's . I don't know weather to load 'em all up again or wait til they figure out if it is a SD app causing the issue.
Worse case scenario...let's say it is an SD app. From what I went through, there turned out to be 16 errors on my HD that the manufacturer's diagnostic tool found..and then fixed. (I used SeaTools for Windows and SeaTools for DOS) If the app caused those errors, might I recommend that all experiencing this problem run a diagnostic on their HD. I have no way of knowing if I had done this PREVIOUS to the System Recovery if it would have fixed it and spared me all the the hassle of doing a System Recovery, but it may save someone else from going through what I went through.
Reply #51 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:38 PM
I'm running the latest build of Spybot and I can still pull up msconfig without disabling it so it can't be Spybot
ditto
Po... ur not running WB?
No. Still unloading all the 'extras' HP loads into the PC, since I reformatted. I wanted to clean it up good before I started loading all the SD software again.
I am only running
Impulse
ObjectDock
CursorXP
nothing else. I haven't even downloaded anything else yet.
I also cut back on my security apps (on advice from yrag- I had way to many)
Currently running
AVAST
SPYBOT
ZONELARM FREE
SPYWAREBLASTER
CCLEANER
and also cut my FF add-ons way back. I had about 50 running and cut back to 15. I also deleted Real Player cause it wasa forever running in the background.
I don't know if any of this info will help or not.
------------------------------------------------------------------
I really don't want to reformat again. It's taken me about 3 days to get things where I want them since the last restore. This blows. I've never gone this long without my SD app's . I don't know weather to load 'em all up again or wait til they figure out if it is a SD app causing the issue.
Worse case scenario...let's say it is an SD app. From what I went through, there turned out to be 16 errors on my HD that the manufacturer's diagnostic tool found..and then fixed. (I used SeaTools for Windows and SeaTools for DOS) If the app caused those errors, might I recommend that all experiencing this problem run a diagnostic on their HD. I have no way of knowing if I had done this PREVIOUS to the System Recovery if it would have fixed it and spared me all the the hassle of doing a System Recovery, but it may save someone else from going through what I went through.
yrag
Reply #52 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:46 PM
And there's the rub...msconfig isn't the only thing disappearing. Others are related to:
> Search Companion
> User Accounts
> Windows Update
> Help and Support
> System Restore
> Media Player
> IE print function
John: Start/ Run: regsvr32 jscript.dll and try your cam app.
Reply #52 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:46 PM
I also find it odd that Camtasia is doing exactly the same thing. Showing in TM only
And there's the rub...msconfig isn't the only thing disappearing. Others are related to:
> Search Companion
> User Accounts
> Windows Update
> Help and Support
> System Restore
> Media Player
> IE print function
John: Start/ Run: regsvr32 jscript.dll and try your cam app.
PoSmedley
Reply #54 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:54 PM
Help and Support went out on me, to.
So did defrag. The panel would show nothing was happening, but Winpatrol said the control panel was running and so was defrag.
Both are working fine now.
Reply #54 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:54 PM
Others are related to:
Help and Support went out on me, to.
So did defrag. The panel would show nothing was happening, but Winpatrol said the control panel was running and so was defrag.
Both are working fine now.
yrag
Reply #55 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:55 PM
Your idea of 'cutting back' and mine are light years apart........
Ya know I blamed Zubazski for this mess (just to make him feel better), but the truth of the matter is, this is all your fuckin' fault.........
Reply #55 Friday, March 21, 2008 10:55 PM
also cut my FF add-ons way back. I had about 50 running and cut back to 15
Your idea of 'cutting back' and mine are light years apart........
Ya know I blamed Zubazski for this mess (just to make him feel better), but the truth of the matter is, this is all your fuckin' fault.........
yrag
Reply #56 Friday, March 21, 2008 11:01 PM
Damn....
John: are you the only user on your machine and do you want to try the system fix? All my machines are working properly so I have nothing to test it on.
Reply #56 Friday, March 21, 2008 11:01 PM
Negatory - No diff.
Damn....
John: are you the only user on your machine and do you want to try the system fix? All my machines are working properly so I have nothing to test it on.
PoSmedley
Reply #57 Friday, March 21, 2008 11:01 PM
I tried. I really did. It was hard. You don't know . I still have the Backzilla back up of my last FF settings. I can't bring myself to delete it.
Out of curiosity... I WAS able to bring up MSCONFIG with Launchy. I've been wondering if that's what hid it to begin with. Is anyone else running Launchy?
Reply #57 Friday, March 21, 2008 11:01 PM
Your idea of 'cutting back' and mine are light years apart.
I tried. I really did. It was hard. You don't know . I still have the Backzilla back up of my last FF settings. I can't bring myself to delete it.
Out of curiosity... I WAS able to bring up MSCONFIG with Launchy. I've been wondering if that's what hid it to begin with. Is anyone else running Launchy?
vStyler
Reply #58 Friday, March 21, 2008 11:03 PM
Reply #58 Friday, March 21, 2008 11:03 PM
Hard to have anyone else on my machine when im on it 18 hours a day.
Bring it on.
Bring it on.
Leo the Lion
Reply #59 Friday, March 21, 2008 11:04 PM
Reply #59 Friday, March 21, 2008 11:04 PM
Ya know I blamed Zubazski for this mess (just to make him feel better), but the truth of the matter is, this is all your fuckin' fault.........
yrag
Reply #60 Friday, March 21, 2008 11:06 PM
Heard that.
I'll PM it to you. It's not for the novice, but you should have no problems with it.
Reply #60 Friday, March 21, 2008 11:06 PM
Hard to have anyone else on my machine when im on it 18 hours a day.
Heard that.
I'll PM it to you. It's not for the novice, but you should have no problems with it.
Please login to comment and/or vote for this skin.
Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:
- Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums and downloading skins.
- Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
- Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
- It's simple, and FREE!
|
|
Page 3 of 8 | |
|
|---|
Reply #41 Friday, March 21, 2008 8:50 PM
I'm running the latest build of Spybot and I can still pull up msconfig without disabling it so it can't be Spybot