MSConfig Failing

[Patrick Moloney]

I've been having a problem with MSConfig not working on one machine.
This Dell PC is running XP-Pro, and I believe it used to work. It just
doesn't respond. No error message, nothing.

I've seen all the usual reponses to similar messages, and I don't find
any of those problems, and the alternate solutions don't work.

Further, there are enough messages from people with the same problem
where the replies never work for them either. Surely somebody, maybe
back at Microsoft must know what's missing. Are there dependencies that
are failing? Why no message? Can it be that a problem with one of the
INI files it checks could make MSConfig fail silently?

BTW, the machine is working okay and I could ignore this, but this
should work.

 

[Peter Foldes]

Does it work if you access it directly from the System32 folder? Is the shortcut for
MSConfig broken?

 

[smlunatick]

I've been having a problem with MSConfig not working on one machine.
This Dell PC is running XP-Pro, and I believe it used to work. It just
doesn't respond. No error message, nothing.

I've seen all the usual reponses to similar messages, and I don't find
any of those problems, and the alternate solutions don't work.

Further, there are enough messages from people with the same problem
where the replies never work for them either. Surely somebody, maybe
back at Microsoft must know what's missing. Are there dependencies that
are failing? Why no message? Can it be that a problem with one of the
INI files it checks could make MSConfig fail silently?

BTW, the machine is working okay and I could ignore this, but this
should work.

MSConfig also read the Registry, which is not any INI file.

Check your system for any possible anti-virus / spyware infection
before anything else.

 

[Peter Foldes]

LOL. Norton,MacAfee,Trend

 

[smlunatick]

What's an "anti-virus infection"?

OOPS! Besides the fact that several anti-virus system can take over
your PC, as Peter's response, it should have been 'virus" instead of
"anti-virus."

 

[Unknown]

I agree. Anti-virus or virus-----no difference.

What's an "anti-virus infection"?

OOPS! Besides the fact that several anti-virus system can take over
your PC, as Peter's response, it should have been 'virus" instead of
"anti-virus."

 

[Patrick Moloney]

It is none of these things, which are the usual replies people get for
this problem. They are valid, but I already checked them.

There must be something msconfig fails on if it's not just what it
expects, or it calls something else that fails.

My IPConfig opens a cmd window but promptly closes it. Looks like there
is some data there. Not sure if this is related, but probably.
It I open the cmd window, I can use it. IPConfig works in the cmd window.

When I try to execute msconfig in the cmd window it says it is not
recognized as an internal command. If I navigate to where it is stored,
I don't get a message, it just comes right back to the command prompt.

 

[_Z]

Patrick Moloney's original post:

I've been having a problem with MSConfig not working on one machine.
This Dell PC is running XP-Pro, and I believe it used to work. It just
doesn't respond. No error message, nothing.

I've seen all the usual reponses to similar messages, and I don't find
any of those problems, and the alternate solutions don't work.

Further, there are enough messages from people with the same problem
where the replies never work for them either. Surely somebody, maybe
back at Microsoft must know what's missing. Are there dependencies that
are failing? Why no message? Can it be that a problem with one of the
INI files it checks could make MSConfig fail silently?

BTW, the machine is working okay and I could ignore this, but this
should work.

It is none of these things, which are the usual replies people get for
this problem. They are valid, but I already checked them.

There must be something msconfig fails on if it's not just what it
expects, or it calls something else that fails.

My IPConfig opens a cmd window but promptly closes it. Looks like
there is some data there. Not sure if this is related, but probably.
It I open the cmd window, I can use it. IPConfig works in the cmd
window.

IPConfig is not a GUI program. You need a CMD window to see its output.

When I try to execute msconfig in the cmd window it says it is not
recognized as an internal command. If I navigate to where it is
stored, I don't get a message, it just comes right back to the
command prompt.

In a CMD window, type PATH.
Msconfig is not recognized by CMD because PATH env-var does not include
the path to Msconfig.exe which resides in
C:\WINDOWS\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\Binaries
Your shortcut should have a target:
C:\WINDOWS\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\Binaries\msconfig.exe

Your Msconfig.exe may have been hijacked by malware.
Rename that file to Msconfig.com and see what happens when you launch that.

 

[Kelly]

I have seen this many times and in my cases it was due to computer
infection.

Suggestions:

Sypware Cleaners that WORK!

Line 393 - Right Hand Side: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Or see: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_s.htm#spy

*Note: Update all (except HijackThis) before using.

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

[Patrick Moloney]

I have seen this many times and in my cases it was due to computer
infection.

Suggestions:

Sypware Cleaners that WORK!

Line 393 - Right Hand Side: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Or see: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_s.htm#spy

*Note: Update all (except HijackThis) before using.

Kelly,
Thanks. I checked your site but did not acquire any new anti-virus
software. I did run a Full Scan using my existing anti-virus with no
hits. I didn't really believe that was it.

I just want to let you know how I did fix this.
I was having two problems, both of which I've posted here with no
resolution. Turns out they are related. My pc was booting with a prompt
to select the Operating System - both XP Pro - which I believe were
identical. My earlier question was how to remove that. I was also unable
to start MSConfig.

The problem was that my Boot.ini had no Operating System listed. Just
that normal first line. and the [Operating systems] label.
I added my one and only operating system, XP Pro. That fixed both
problems! I guess MSConfig will no run without that line in the
Boot.ini. Or maybe if the [Operating systems] label was not there, too.
That was the only problem. FYI

Patrick Moloney
New York

 

[Kelly]

Hi Patrick,

Thanks for the update. In this case, I have seen msconfig missing the
complete boot.ini tab - not just crippled per se'. )

To test: Start/Run - cmd and enter:

dir/ah boot.ini

If it doesn't present the Volume info then this needs to be recreated :
example

[boot loader]
timeout=05
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect



--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

I have seen this many times and in my cases it was due to computer
infection.

Suggestions:

Sypware Cleaners that WORK!

Line 393 - Right Hand Side:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Or see: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_s.htm#spy

*Note: Update all (except HijackThis) before using.

Kelly,
Thanks. I checked your site but did not acquire any new anti-virus
software. I did run a Full Scan using my existing anti-virus with no hits.
I didn't really believe that was it.

I just want to let you know how I did fix this.
I was having two problems, both of which I've posted here with no
resolution. Turns out they are related. My pc was booting with a prompt to
select the Operating System - both XP Pro - which I believe were
identical. My earlier question was how to remove that. I was also unable
to start MSConfig.

The problem was that my Boot.ini had no Operating System listed. Just that
normal first line. and the [Operating systems] label.
I added my one and only operating system, XP Pro. That fixed both
problems! I guess MSConfig will no run without that line in the Boot.ini.
Or maybe if the [Operating systems] label was not there, too. That was the
only problem. FYI

Patrick Moloney
New York