Computer Management unavailable

[Guest]

From the Start menu I right-click on My Computer, then click on Manage. The
result is the Computer Management window opens but it is totally
unresponsive. I then perform Ctrl/Alt/Del to access Task Manager which shcows
that Computer Management is "running" - but I know better. So I click on End
Task when a pane opens reporting "This program is not responding."
If I click on End now, I get normal working with my PC. Occasionally I get
the invitation to submit an error report to MS - I've done that but got no
reply.
If I click Cancel, it seems the MMC.EXE is the process that is running but
there are a hell of a lot more in that list.

I suspect I need to replace MMC.EXE but I have no idea how, having tried a
number of likely routes.

This is a one-year old Dell Dimension 4550 running XP for which I have
accepted automatic updates form MS ever since I had the machine but I've not
yet installed SP2.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

What happens if you type the following from Start>Run:

compmgmt.msc

 

[Guest]

Will,

Exactly the same symptoms recurred.

Tony

Hi

What happens if you type the following from Start>Run:

compmgmt.msc

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP - Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Try this - put your XP CD into the cd drive and run the following from
Start>Run

sfc /scannow

Or, as you, have suggested, you might have to try putting a fresh copy of
mmc.exe into the %systemroot%\system32 folder.

 

[Will Denny]

Or a fresh copy of Computer Management into the %systemroot%\system32
folder.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Will,

I have a friend emaililng me a copy of compmgmt.msc which I hope will do the
trick. When I inspected the Properties of my copy, it inidicated that it was
last accessed in 2003. Whereas my friend's copy showed todays' date.

If that doesn't work, I may try:
QUOTE
You can do an "in-place upgrade" as described in this Microsoft KB article:
How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q315341
UNQUOTE
Wearily onward,

Tony

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

You can extract a fresh copy from the XP CD with the following command from
Start>Run:

expand X:\i386\mmc.ex_ %systemroot%\system32\mmc.exe

where X is the letter of your cd drive.

 

[Guest]

Will, I am not sure that will help. This is a Dell PC and they supplied me
with a CD that will only re-install. It won't let me get at individual
programs.

However, unfortunately after deletion of the two oroginal copies, their
replacement of my neighbour's compmgmt.msc into the two folders, System32 and
I386 (where I had found copies) followed by a re-boot made no difference.
Perhaps I will also need MMC.EXE. It seems to me that some other component is
preventing compmgmt.msc from springing to life.

Best wishes,
Tony

 

[Guest]

It's getting so bad now that I am having to reply to my own messages.

I can't recall where I got that stuff about "in-place upgrade" from, as the
URL below does not do what it says on the tin.

Looks like I@ll have to Google my way to that place.

Tony

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

There could be an underlying problem that is causing the error. Did you run
sfc /scannow? That will replace any corrupt system files.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

The following article by Michael Stevens show how to perform a 'Repair'
install of XP, but you may not be able to use it because of the XP CD you
have:

"How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install"
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

 

[Guest]

Will,

Without a 'proper' CD - only the OEM re-installation disc - I don't seem to
have access to scannow. If I could get at it from that CD ....


Tony