mouse applet missing from Control Panel

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sheryl
  • Start date Start date
S

Sheryl

The Mouse applet is missing from the Control Panel applet list. I'm running
Vista Ultimate SP1, so this is not the problem:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936686

I also looked at my registry, and it's not among the "don't load" items.

It does exist on my system. I can launch the Mouse CP applet using this
command:

control.exe /name Microsoft.Mouse

So why isn't it in the Control Panel list? And what else is missing from the
list?

Thank you.
 
I can't tell the filename from the command used to launch it, but judging
from what I've read, the filename for the Mouse control panel applet is
main.cpl, and that's already in the expected directory.
 
To add to what I wrote... I just realized you are thinking the name of the
file is Microsoft.Mouse. This is not the case. This is just the syntax for
launching Control Panel applets from the command line in Vista. I have no
idea what the actual filename is - I'd have to go hunting in the registry.
But as I said in my other post, I believe it's main.cpl (that's the usual
name) and it's already in the expected directory.
 
The filename is main.cpl, as I thought. Here's the exact string from the
registry:

%SystemRoot%\System32\main.cpl,@i-100

The file for the keyboard is the same, with what I guess is a different
parameter:

%SystemRoot%\System32\main.cpl,@i-200

This doesn't help me get the Mouse and Keyboard applets to show up in
Control Panel, though - or I don't see how it does.
 
My guess would be you have a corrupt copy of main.cpl. You can repair all
system files by running SFC.

Click Start, and then type cmd in the Start Search box.
In the results area, right-click cmd.exe, and then click Run as
administrator. You will be prompted to type the password for an
administrator account. Click Continue if you are the administrator or type
the administrator password. Then, click Continue.
At the command prompt, type Sfc /scannow, and then press ENTER.

The scan may take some time. Windows will repair any corrupted or missing
files that it finds. If information from the installation CD is needed to
repair the problem, you may be prompted to insert your Windows Vista CD.


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Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
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My main.cpl isn't corrupt. It launches just fine from the command line. Also,
this is a brand new installation - I installed Windows Vista (clean install)
just yesterday and have done almost nothing on the computer since installing.
 
Hey - I got it back! It's a quirky thing I noticed about Vista in another
context. I went into the Group Policy editor and enabled the configuration of
what displays in Control Panel. I confirmed that it worked, and then I
disabled it again - set it back to "Not Configured". When I looked back in
Control Panel, Mouse and Keyboard were both there!

I had a similar thing happen with the desktop. Before I changed any
settings, it looked like autoarrange was off (it wasn't checked), but my
desktop was acting like it was on. I turned it on then turned it off again,
and it worked.

This is a very newly installed copy of Vista. It seems that the actual
defaults are not always in sync with what the settings appear to be. If I
toggle the setting on and off, it resets correctly.
 
There's something wonky going on in Vista. This has to be a bug. If I'm in
Explorer and expand Control Panel, all kinds of things are missing, but it's
intermittant. Every time I try it, a different set of CP applets displays.
And the mouse applet never displays.

But if I click on Control Panel so it opens in another window, then I see
the mouse in both the new and traditional views (which I didn't before).
 
There's something wonky going on in Vista. This has to be a bug. If I'm in
Explorer and expand Control Panel, all kinds of things are missing, but
it's
intermittant. Every time I try it, a different set of CP applets displays.
And the mouse applet never displays.

But if I click on Control Panel so it opens in another window, then I see
the mouse in both the new and traditional views (which I didn't before).
Click to expand...

Sheryl, I'd like to see if I can reproduce this problem, so we can see if it
is a Vista bug, or something specific to your installation.

But I don't understand your phrase "if I'm in Explorer and expand Control
Panel".

So, starting with a blank desktop, would you describe click-by-click what to
do to bring up the fault? Then I'll report back on what happens.

SteveT
 
Sure. Double click on "Computer" (which I have on my desktop - part of the
Classic view, I think). I'm looking at the Classic view and I pulled up the
divider so I don't see the Favorites - only the Folders. Hover the mouse
cursor over Control Panel so you see the little arrow to expand it, and click
that to see what's in Control Panel. A list appears below Control Panel.
That's what's missing applets - and also sometimes changes spontaneously. The
Mouse and Keyboard applets are not listed.
 
Firstly, though, how do you live with the
Classic view? It's horrible! I'd forgotten all about it, as it predates
XP, as you will know.
Click to expand...

Well, my first PC ran DOS - Windows had not yet been released. In fact, my
computer at work (Citibank, at the time) was a DEC Rainbow, which allowed you
to switch between DOS and CP/M (DOS wasn't yet the dominant OS). So I am used
to running computers at a low level and having a lot of control. The new
interface drives me crazy! I can't find anything. I also turn off all the
wacky stuff that hides files and extensions (very confusing!), and prompts me
for confirmation for every adminstrative task (very annoying!).
However, I can't make it change - it is always the same list of 21 items.
Click to expand...

I saw the list change after I'd been playing around in the Group Policy
Editor - configuring and then unconfiguring the applets displaying in Control
Panel. Right after I did that, it started displaying a category list with
items beneath each category. Then it spontaneously switched back to the 20+
(I have 22) items you mention. Notice that many of these items have arrows
suggesting they are expandable categories, but they are not.
It looks to me like it might be a design decision, although I can't really
understand why. If you think it's a bug, you probably should report it.
I'm not sure how to do that - perhaps someone else could tell us how.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure this is a bug. I can't think of any possible design reason
to randomly omit applets from the list. Also, the fact that it changes when
you go into Group Policy Editor and the in-error expand arrows suggest it's a
bug. And the fact it's in a part of the interface that apparently most people
don't use (though I can't understand why!) makes it even more likely it's a
bug.

I have no idea how to report bugs to Microsoft. I've found many bugs in
Windows and IE over the years - bugs that stay from version to version. I
don't know where to report them, or if anyone would listen if I did.
 
Notice that many of these items have arrows
suggesting they are expandable categories, but they are not.
Click to expand...

Yes, mine's the same. You click on them and they disappear. You are
probably right - a bug.

STeveT
 
Sheryl said:
I have no idea how to report bugs to Microsoft. I've found many bugs in
Windows and IE over the years - bugs that stay from version to version. I
don't know where to report them, or if anyone would listen if I did.
Click to expand...

At this point it is extremely doubtful that any bug reports - no
matter how accurate they might be - would be considered.

There is a second service pack for Vista in beta. The next version of
the OS is also in beta.

Give it up.
 
There is a second service pack for Vista in beta. The next version of
the OS is also in beta.
Click to expand...

Bearing in mind that W7 is actually version 6.1, there's a good chance the
bug will be carried forward into Windows 7.

SteveT
 
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