CAN'T OPEN FOLDER OPTIONS UNDER CONTROL PANEL

[Lee Chiu]

Hello,

I tried to open "folder options" under Control Panel in
Windows XP, however, I'm unable to. Instead of a flash
window coming up for a second and then gone. Do you know
what is wrong to my system and how to fix it?

Thanks for your help in advance.

Lee

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

As in Tools/Folder Options? If yes, can you access this selection in any
other folder, can you access this in Windows Explorer.

If this is a relatively recent issue, you might try using System Restore to
take you back to a time prior to when this began. Start\All
Programs\Accessories\System Tools\System Restore.

If that doesn't resolve it, check Event Viewer to see if it is registering
any errors that correspond to this event. Open Control Panel, open
Administrative Tools\Open Event Viewer, look for errors that correspond to
when this happens, double click the error, the information contained within
may give a clue as to the source of the error.

Be sure your antivirus software is up to date and run a virus scan on your
system.

Download, install and run Ad Aware:
www.lavasoftusa.com.

Is there anything that might have happened recently, something you might
have changed or deleted that might have caused this issue.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

The following assumes you have an actual XP CD as opposed to a restore CD or
restore partition supplied by your PC manufacturer.

Go to Start, type sfc /scannow in the run box and press enter. Note, there
is a space between sfc and the forward slash. You will be asked for your XP
CD. Be aware, upon inserting the CD the XP setup screen may appear, this is
not a part of sfc /scannow, rather it is being invoked by autorun. Simply
minimize the screen and allow sfc to continue.

If the above fails to resolve the issue, try a repair install as follows:



Be sure you are well backed up in case there is a problem from which you are
unable to recover. NOTE, while a repair install should leave your data
files intact, if something goes wrong during the repair install, you may be
forced to start over and do a clean install of XP. If you don't have your
data backed up, you would lose your data should that eventuality occur.



Boot from the CD. If your system is set to be able to boot from the CD, it
should detect the disk and give a brief message, during the boot up, if you
wish to boot from the CD press any key.



Once you have pressed a key, setup should begin. You will see a reference
asking if you need to load special drivers and another notice that if you
wish to begin the ASR (Automatic Recovery Console) depress F2. Just let
setup run past all of that. It will continue to load files and drivers.



Then it will bring you to a screen. Eventually, you will come to a screen
with the option to (1) setup Windows or (2) Repair Windows Installation
using the Recovery console.



The first option, to setup Windows is the one you want and requires you to
press enter. When asked, press F8 to accept the end user agreement. Setup
will then search for previous versions of Windows. Upon finding your
version, it will ask if you wish to Repair your current installation or
install fresh. Press R, that will run a repair installation. From there
on, follow the screens.

 

[GrimChaos]

i have the same problem my "folder options" won't open. I have tried
virus scans, spy/adware...etc. but it hasn't help. system restore
doesn't go back far enough to fix it(if it could fix it). i searched
microsoft's website with nothing usefull; not even an email address to
them so i can ask them.


GrimChaos

 

[GrimChaos]

it tells me to enter the admin password when i try to repair??? how do i
get pass this? i don't have a password (at least one i'm aware of)


GrimChaos

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

For the ID, try using the word "administrator" without the quotes and leave
the password blank and press enter. If that doesn't work, use your own user
ID, leave the password blank and press enter.

 

[GrimChaos]

it just asks for the password... i have tryied everything i could think
of including leaving it blank. Nothing has worked let. where can i
find/change this password?


thanks for all your help so far


GrimChaos

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

While we've had posts from some who have mentioned the system asks for a
password for a repair install, I've never seen it which doesn't mean it
can't happen. But for the sake of what we are doing, when you get to the
"repair" function, are you passing it by as I instructed because the first
repair function will take you to the "Recovery Console," not the Repair
Install and the Recovery Console does require a password.

Please check the instructions below because many people make this error,
they see "repair" and choose it thinking it's the repair install:

Boot from the CD. If your system is set to be able to boot from the CD, it
should detect the disk and give a brief message, during the boot up, if you
wish to boot from the CD press any key.

Once you have pressed a key, setup should begin. You will see a reference
asking if you need to load special drivers and another notice that if you
wish to begin the ASR (Automatic Recovery Console) depress F2. Just let
setup run past all of that. It will continue to load files and drivers.

Then it will bring you to a screen. Eventually, you will come to a screen
with the option to (1) setup Windows or (2) Repair Windows Installation
using the Recovery console. ***This is where many go wrong, you want the
first option "Setup Windows."***

The first option, to setup Windows is the one you want and requires you to
press enter. When asked, press F8 to accept the end user agreement. Setup
will then search for previous versions of Windows. Upon finding your
version, it will ask if you wish to Repair your current installation or
install fresh. Press R, that will run a repair installation. From there
on, follow the screens.

 

[GrimChaos]

there is no option to repair it... i have the option to format and
install or leave the files intact and install . i choose to leave the
files and intact and install then i had a choice to install to a
different dir. or delete and install.

i don't see an option to repair within the windows setup.

thanks yet again for all your help


GrimChaos

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

That sounds like a recovery CD supplied by your OEM not a retail XP CD.
Nonetheless, it sounds like an install leaving the files intact is what you
want.

 

[GrimChaos]

i had a another windows XP cd which let me repair but it didn't fix th
problem. i still can't open "folder options"

any other ideas?
thank

GrimChao

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

This is all I have left. If the information below doesn't resolve it, you
might start removing applications one by one to see if any of them are the
cause of this issue. If not, you can go into Add/Remove Programs in Control
Panel, scroll to hotfixes and remove them one by one. Hotfixes are the
updates you download from Windows Update or when prompted if you have
Automatic Update enabled and one of the updates might be the cause.

If this is a relatively recent issue, you might try using System Restore to
take you back to a time when this worked properly. If that doesn't resolve
it, try the information below.

The following assumes you have an actual XP CD as opposed to a restore CD or
restore partition supplied by your PC manufacturer.

Go to Start, type sfc /scannow in the run box and press enter. Note, there
is a space between sfc and the forward slash. You will be asked for your XP
CD. Be aware, upon inserting the CD the XP setup screen may appear, this is
not a part of sfc /scannow, rather it is being invoked by autorun. Simply
minimize the screen and allow sfc to continue.