Can't access the Control Panel

  • Thread starter Thread starter Winklebuns
  • Start date Start date
W

Winklebuns

I am running Windows XP Home SP2.

When I try to access the Control Panel I get the error message "Windows
Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close".

The error report window that comes up refers to shell32.dll.

I tried a system restore to several days ago with no luck.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

TIA
 
Try this:

Put your windows CD in the CD Rom Drive
Go to the Start Menu
Run
sfc.exe /scannow
This will repair/restore any damaged or missing files
Reboot

if this doesent work and the restore didnt work, I recommend backing up any
data that you ahve on the system, deleting the partition, and fully
reinstalling.
 
Winklebuns said:
Thanks for that info. I will give it a try as soon as I can find the
Windows CD.


Winklebuns:
Tim's suggestion is a good one insofar as invoking the scannow process, and
of course backing up whatever files are important to you. There's a good
chance that will work. But if that doesn't correct your problem I would hold
off on making a fresh install of the XP OS - at least for the moment.

It would probably be worthwhile to undertake a Repair install of the OS. At
least if that's successful your installed programs/data would be retained
although you still would need to download/install all the MS critical
updates since SP2. (I'm assuming you would be undertaking the Repair install
with an XP installation CD containing SP2).
Anna
 
Anna,

Thanks for that suggestion.

This is on a Dell Dimension 2400 that's atleast 3 years old that I bought
for my daughter. [She's Winklebuns, not me :-) ] If SP2 was around back then
then the CD should have it when she finds it.

I forgot to mention that an error box also pops up about DrWatson Debugger
or something like that. I'm not near the PC so I don't recall the exact
message. But a google search on "Can't Access Control Panel" did turn up a
few references that included the DrWatson error also although no definitive
answer was given for the problem. Besides, I have a lot more faith in any
answer I might get here versus some other unfamiliar forum. You guys and
gals are the best.

Joe
 

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