msconfig has run away

[MeeTheZero]

I tried running MSCONFIG today for a routine look at my
startups, but I couldn't. Windows "cannot find"
MSCONFIG. Now, I forget where it normally lives, but now
there's a working copy
in "C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles\i386\". Also, the "Help
and Support Icon" gives me a similar error message.
Again, there's a working copy
in "C:\Windows\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\Binaries\helpctr.exe". I
don't know what else is affected.

Ad-aware gives me a clean bill of health, as does Norton
Antivirus. Taskmgr works fine (some viruses/adware
disable it). I see no stray processes.

I think that ServicePackFiles is a backup of important
files. What would have deleted the original files? How
can I restore them to the correct places? Do I need to
reinstall? I just reinstalled Windows a month ago to fix
this same problem, thinking it was a fluke. Apparently
not.

-MeeTheZero

 

[Dana]

Aloha,

Why does Task Manager, MSCONFIG, or REGEDIT disappear while opening?
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/ToolsQuit.htm

HTH
- Dana