Add/Remove programs cpl gone & Welcome screen as well...

[Mathieu]

Hi -

I've been scouring the internet for a while now, and I can't find any
answer to my problem.

I no longer have access to Add/Remove Programs in the control panel, nor
can I access most of the panels of the Administrative Tools. Add/
Remove Programs is simply gone (and I can't run it from the cmd line
either), and the Admin panels don't react when clicked upon.

Things I've tried:
- sfc /scannow: no reaction.
- regsvr32 /u appwiz.cpl: an error pops up "Loadlibrary (appwiz.cpl)
failed - a dynamic link library (DLL) initialization routine failed".
- same thing with regsvr32 appwiz.cpl

Also, I no longer have the welcome screen, but the classic login window.
I'd like to reinstate the welcome screen, but I just can't.
(Modifying User Accounts/Change the way users log in doesn't change a
thing).

I have this feeling both problems are linked, but I wouldn't know why...

System is Win XP SP2 v.2135

Thanks in advance..

 

[Guest]

It sounds, to me, like your computer has been hijacked either by spyware or a
worm. Have you installed Windows Anti-spyware and tried that? Is your virus
protection up-to-date? You sound pretty knowledgable so I hope the answer to
both these questions is "yes" but let us know. If you've done these things,
then we'll take another look at your problem.

John
http://www.keystonecomputerconcepts.com

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Does appwiz.cpl exist in

C:\WINDOWS\system32
and
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Mathieu]

I'd like to think so too, as this would make the problem more tangible

Alas, I do not think any spyware or worm has invaded this system.
Anti-spyware (Spybot) and anti-virus (AVG) are both up to date and
running. FYI, here's the Hijackthis log:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.2
Scan saved at 21:50:03, on 5/03/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2, v.2135 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2135)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.40607\aspnet_admin.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe
C:\Program Files\BitComet\BitComet.exe
C:\Program Files\Opera75\opera.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\LaundroMat\Desktop\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page =
http://www.google.be/
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [{0228e555-4f9c-4e35-a3ec-b109a192b4c2}] C:\Program
Files\Google\Gmail Notifier\gnotify.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [REGSHAVE] C:\Program Files\REGSHAVE\REGSHAVE.EXE
/AUTORUN
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PtiuPbmd] Rundll32.exe ptipbm.dll,SetWriteBack
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_EMC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O16 - DPF: {4E330863-6A11-11D0-BFD8-006097237877} (InstallFromTheWeb
ActiveX Control) - http://tw.msi.com.tw/autobios/client/iftwclix.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) -
http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.c...ls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1109015758781


Cheers already,

Mathieu

 

[Mathieu]

Aha, yes it does. If I try to run it from C:\WINDOWS\system32 nothing
happens, but from C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache the dialog appears! Now how
do I get it back to the Control Panel? And how do I get the admin panels
to work? (I'm guessing the problems are related?)

Getting closer, aren't we?

(Strange though: searching for it yields no results, except in the Recent
folder. Advanced search through system files was on ofcourse).

Thanks for the quick responses!

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Mathieu,

Drag appwiz.cpl from C:\WINDOWS\system32 to the Desktop. WFP will replace
the one that was moved with a copy of appwiz.cpl from
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache. This will happen real quick!

Check the Event Viewer to make sure. After appwiz.cpl gets replaced delete
the one on the Desktop.

Add the Administrative Tools folder to the Start menu.

1. Right-click the Start button, and then click Properties.
2. On the Start Menu tab, click Customize.
3. On the Advanced tab, under Start menu items, click System Administrative
Tools.
4. Click to select either the Display on the All Programs menu or the
Display on the All Programs menu and the Start menu option.
5. Click OK, and OK again to save the change.

All Administrative Tools are *.msc files in C:\WINDOWS\system32 & one or two
elsewhere.

You haven't said if Pro or Home.

Pro...
adsiedit.msc = ADSI Edit (Active Directory Services Interface)
certmgr.msc = Certificates
ciadv.msc = Indexing Service
comexp.msc = Component Services
compmgmt.msc = Computer Management
Console1.msc = Console 1
devmgmt.msc = Device Manager
dfrg.msc = Disk Defragmenter
diskmgmt.msc = Disk Mangement
eventvwr.msc = Event Viewer
fsmgmt.msc = Shared Folders
gpedit.msc = Group Policy
lusrmgr.msc = Local Users and Groups
ntmsmgr.msc = Removable Storage
ntmsoprq.msc = Removable Storage Operator Requests
perfmon.msc = Performance
rsop.msc = Resultant Set of Policy
secpol.msc = Local Security Settings
services.msc = Services
sidwalk.msc = sidwalk - [Console Root\Security Migration] SID Walker
wmimgmt.msc = Windows Management Infrastructure (WMI)
-----

Home...
certmgr.msc = Certificates
ciadv.msc = Indexing Service
comexp.msc = Component Services
compmgmt.msc = Computer Management
Console1.msc = Console 1
devmgmt.msc = Device Manager
dfrg.msc = Disk Defragmenter
diskmgmt.msc = Disk Mangement
eventvwr.msc = Event Viewer
fsmgmt.msc = Shared Folders
lusrmgr.msc = Local Users and Groups
ntmsmgr.msc = Removable Storage
ntmsoprq.msc = Removable Storage Operator Requests
perfmon.msc = Performance
services.msc = Services
sidwalk.msc = sidwalk - [Console Root\Security Migration] SID Walker {Part
of Support Tools on the XP CD}
wmimgmt.msc = Windows Management Infrastructure (WMI)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Mathieu]

The problem is that many of the Admin tools don't start up either. I can
see their icons in the Admin control panel (and in the Start menu), but
nothing happens when clicking on them... So I couldn't check the event
viewer.

I was able to drag appwiz.cpl from dllcache/ to the desktop, but its icon
did not suddenly appear in the Control Panel window (classic mode). It is
present in the Category View however (but again: clicking on it doesn't do
a thing). Also, running the .msc files from the command line doesn't help.

I'm using Pro, by the way.

Thanks for the quick replies already!

Mathieu,

Drag appwiz.cpl from C:\WINDOWS\system32 to the Desktop. WFP will
replace
the one that was moved with a copy of appwiz.cpl from
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache. This will happen real quick!

Check the Event Viewer to make sure. After appwiz.cpl gets replaced
delete
the one on the Desktop.

Add the Administrative Tools folder to the Start menu.

1. Right-click the Start button, and then click Properties.
2. On the Start Menu tab, click Customize.
3. On the Advanced tab, under Start menu items, click System
Administrative
Tools.
4. Click to select either the Display on the All Programs menu or the
Display on the All Programs menu and the Start menu option.
5. Click OK, and OK again to save the change.

All Administrative Tools are *.msc files in C:\WINDOWS\system32 & one or
two
elsewhere.

You haven't said if Pro or Home.

Pro...
adsiedit.msc = ADSI Edit (Active Directory Services Interface)
certmgr.msc = Certificates
ciadv.msc = Indexing Service
comexp.msc = Component Services
compmgmt.msc = Computer Management
Console1.msc = Console 1
devmgmt.msc = Device Manager
dfrg.msc = Disk Defragmenter
diskmgmt.msc = Disk Mangement
eventvwr.msc = Event Viewer
fsmgmt.msc = Shared Folders
gpedit.msc = Group Policy
lusrmgr.msc = Local Users and Groups
ntmsmgr.msc = Removable Storage
ntmsoprq.msc = Removable Storage Operator Requests
perfmon.msc = Performance
rsop.msc = Resultant Set of Policy
secpol.msc = Local Security Settings
services.msc = Services
sidwalk.msc = sidwalk - [Console Root\Security Migration] SID Walker
wmimgmt.msc = Windows Management Infrastructure (WMI)
-----

Home...
certmgr.msc = Certificates
ciadv.msc = Indexing Service
comexp.msc = Component Services
compmgmt.msc = Computer Management
Console1.msc = Console 1
devmgmt.msc = Device Manager
dfrg.msc = Disk Defragmenter
diskmgmt.msc = Disk Mangement
eventvwr.msc = Event Viewer
fsmgmt.msc = Shared Folders
lusrmgr.msc = Local Users and Groups
ntmsmgr.msc = Removable Storage
ntmsoprq.msc = Removable Storage Operator Requests
perfmon.msc = Performance
services.msc = Services
sidwalk.msc = sidwalk - [Console Root\Security Migration] SID Walker
{Part
of Support Tools on the XP CD}
wmimgmt.msc = Windows Management Infrastructure (WMI)

 

[Mathieu]

Nobody?

The problem is that many of the Admin tools don't start up either. I can
see their icons in the Admin control panel (and in the Start menu), but
nothing happens when clicking on them... So I couldn't check the event
viewer.

I was able to drag appwiz.cpl from dllcache/ to the desktop, but its
icon did not suddenly appear in the Control Panel window (classic mode).
It is present in the Category View however (but again: clicking on it
doesn't do a thing). Also, running the .msc files from the command line
doesn't help.

I'm using Pro, by the way.

Thanks for the quick replies already!

Mathieu,

Drag appwiz.cpl from C:\WINDOWS\system32 to the Desktop. WFP will
replace
the one that was moved with a copy of appwiz.cpl from
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache. This will happen real quick!

Check the Event Viewer to make sure. After appwiz.cpl gets replaced
delete
the one on the Desktop.

Add the Administrative Tools folder to the Start menu.

1. Right-click the Start button, and then click Properties.
2. On the Start Menu tab, click Customize.
3. On the Advanced tab, under Start menu items, click System
Administrative
Tools.
4. Click to select either the Display on the All Programs menu or the
Display on the All Programs menu and the Start menu option.
5. Click OK, and OK again to save the change.

All Administrative Tools are *.msc files in C:\WINDOWS\system32 & one
or two
elsewhere.

You haven't said if Pro or Home.

Pro...
adsiedit.msc = ADSI Edit (Active Directory Services Interface)
certmgr.msc = Certificates
ciadv.msc = Indexing Service
comexp.msc = Component Services
compmgmt.msc = Computer Management
Console1.msc = Console 1
devmgmt.msc = Device Manager
dfrg.msc = Disk Defragmenter
diskmgmt.msc = Disk Mangement
eventvwr.msc = Event Viewer
fsmgmt.msc = Shared Folders
gpedit.msc = Group Policy
lusrmgr.msc = Local Users and Groups
ntmsmgr.msc = Removable Storage
ntmsoprq.msc = Removable Storage Operator Requests
perfmon.msc = Performance
rsop.msc = Resultant Set of Policy
secpol.msc = Local Security Settings
services.msc = Services
sidwalk.msc = sidwalk - [Console Root\Security Migration] SID Walker
wmimgmt.msc = Windows Management Infrastructure (WMI)
-----

Home...
certmgr.msc = Certificates
ciadv.msc = Indexing Service
comexp.msc = Component Services
compmgmt.msc = Computer Management
Console1.msc = Console 1
devmgmt.msc = Device Manager
dfrg.msc = Disk Defragmenter
diskmgmt.msc = Disk Mangement
eventvwr.msc = Event Viewer
fsmgmt.msc = Shared Folders
lusrmgr.msc = Local Users and Groups
ntmsmgr.msc = Removable Storage
ntmsoprq.msc = Removable Storage Operator Requests
perfmon.msc = Performance
services.msc = Services
sidwalk.msc = sidwalk - [Console Root\Security Migration] SID Walker
{Part
of Support Tools on the XP CD}
wmimgmt.msc = Windows Management Infrastructure (WMI)