Msconfig

[Guest]

I'm loosing you here: Can you try again?
safe w/diagnostic mode like it should but no deal, nothing except that on
reboot after my system was completely up I looked into Running processes
again and it was running like it should have been by not visable.

doesn't work during normal startup!
but in safe mode???

 

[Calebrot]

I am having a problem with MSCONFIG. When I type it into run, my cursor
goes to busy and then stops but nothing comes up. When I go to Task
Manager and look into running processes it's there as if it's runnning
but no window.

I have searched the net and this forum for an answer and it is
definitely not a virus, spyware, trojan, or worm. I have run every scan
there is out there either from what I have locally or online scans and
my system is completely clean. So please don't waste your time and mine
by referring me to all the virus pages written on this subject because
it is NOT the case.

Now if I boot into Safe Mode and run it, it works fine. I even tried
unchecking something and rebooting to see if the System notified me
that I was in diagnosis mode like it should but no deal, nothing except
that on reboot after my system was completely up I looked into Running
processes again and it was running like it should have been by not
visable.

Any ideas?

I also have tried creating a new user account and trying it but no go.

 

[Calebrot]

Not sure what you didn't get, but yes, it doesn't show in normal
startup, it runs but doesn't show. It is listed in running processes.
Under safe mode it runs and is visible so I selected something not to
start and then when I rebooted there is usually a screen that pops up
as says that you are in diagnostic mode, but that screen never comes
up, but again if I look in running processes it's there.

 

[Guest]

when you made the change, does it then prompt you to restart?

 

[Calebrot]

Yes it prompted me and all of that. I don't think you understand exactly
what my problem is. I cannot see msconfig running under normal boot
mode. When I start it, it is running under processes in task manager
but there is no screen on my desktop to configure. Under safe mode it
works just fine. I only made the change in safe mode to see if it would
bring up that Selective Start-up warning screen that it gives you when
you reboot in normal mode but it didn't, but again it was listed under
running processes. It's there but just not showing. If your still
confused let me know and I'll try to say it another way. Even using
Nortons Process Viewer, if you select msconfig.exe and select switch
to, or bring to front, it comes back and says there is nothing to
show.

 

[Guest]

did you already do all the virus scans that were suggested and removed all
viruses?

sounds like maybe you need to get a new msconfig file!!

Did you try the suggestions from the other day?

Why does Task Manager, MSCONFIG, or REGEDIT disappear while opening?
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/ToolsQuit.htm

Creates usable copies of REGEDIT, MSCONFIG and Task Manager
v1.2 - 07/26/2004
© Doug Knox
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_emerutils.htm

 

[Guest]

the first time you started msconfig in safe mode it opened up.
you rebooted but didn't get warning that you were in diagnostic mode but
showed up in running proceses. now it is just like it is behvaing in normal
mode.
so how can you say it works fine in Safe mode.

I guess what I think it is !!!!
is that at one time you choose NOT to be notified when in diagnostic mode!!!
question is how to reset!!!!

i'll work on that!!

 

[Calebrot]

I don't mean to jump on you for trying to help, but I am now entering
Day four of this cry for help.

IT IS NOT A VIRUS OR SPYWARE< every scan I have run is clean. And
besides that the virus' and spyware that cause this problem also
disable Task Manager and CMD and that is not the case, my problem is
only with MSCONFIG. It runs, just doesn't show up on the screen.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MSCONFIG FILE< it works fine in safe
mode, same file is used so if the msconfig file was damaged it uses the
same file in safe mode so it wouldn't run there either.

I did run into a topic somewhere that was exactly the same issue as
mine but it was dated back in 2003 and there was no resolution so I was
just trying again, to see if there was possibly an answer.

HP's answer was to return the computer back to factory default but that
is not a valid answer because other than setting me two weeks behind in
actually using my computer to be productive, the same results will be
accomplished because once I reinstall everything it's going to do the
same thing. How do i know this? Well right before the whole Hard-drive
crash thing happened I was having the same exact problem but never
tried to cure it before the hard-drive died, so the problem needs to be
fixed in my current configuration because if I go through all the steps
and restore to factory default and then reinstall all 45 apps that
would need reinstalling the end result will be the same, because it
happened before with the same software ultimately being installed. So
in essence I was trying to seek a cure to what ails my computer in the
current configuration because the software that I have is always going
to be there. This is just so freaking annoying and I have lost too much
productive time trying to solve this.

Let me ask this, is there a way to compare the registry that boots in
safe-mode versus the registry that boots in normal boot mode and see
what values possibly get changed causing this issue?

 

[Guest]

Yeah.

Maybe you owe an apology to those that suggested it was a
"Stardock" problem!!

 

[Calebrot]

No I have never chosen not to be notified, and thanks for that tip
because I thought of that also, but since I know that I didn't choose
that option, that couldn't be it. But great news the problem has been
fixed sort of.

Thanks to a purchase that everyone on the Windows Tips site on Yahoo
groups said not to make I eliminated and deducted what the problem is.
I purchased Norton Systemworks after trying all programs that offer
free trials that do the same thing, I didn't like any of them, so I
ended up purchasing Systemworks anyway, against the advice of the yahoo
group Win-Tips. Well my point is that it has a program called Process
Viewer which is better than the Task Manager. Well I ran the Process
viewer once msconfig and Help and support which I was also having
issues with was running but incorrectly and then I used the module
option to see what dll's were being used by the process and one common
dll in both msconfig.exe and helpctr.exe was iprepair.dll which is a
component of Stardock Object Desktop IconPackager. I uninstalled
IconPackager and viola MSCONFIG and Help & Support now work as they
should. I had a feeling it was something related to Stardocks products
but was unsure and they swore my problem was not in their software so I
sought advice elsewhere, but in the end it was indeed their product that
caused my problems with both msconfig and Help and Support.

Thanks for all your suggestions and YAAAAHOOOO it's fixed,
unfortunately for right now I have to live with the boring Windows
icons until Stardock addresses the issue with their bad dll.

Thanks again.
Joe

 

[Calebrot]

There has been no suggestion in this entire thread that it was a
Stardock problem, you and I were the only two going back and forth on
it, and getting support from Stardock is not very easy, but if I
offended anybody in another thread on this subject I'm sorry. I have
been offered a refund from Stardock because of the problems I have with
it, and maybe it would be best if I just remove their "Crap" from my
computer. I called it "Crap" in a series of emails with Stardock
Support and they took high offense to it, actually closed my support
request until I apologized for calling it "crap" and as it turns out it
is how I called it..."Crap", so there is no apology going to Stardock
from me, so I can't get any more support from them until I apologize
and that is not going to happen with this latest situation that has
caused me four days of total grief. Having a "pretty" computer is not
what it's all cracked up to be especially when it causes four lost days
of productivity and all the headaches that it has caused. Not to mention
the bald spots I have from pulling my hair out.

 

[Guest]

I don't even know what Stardock is. good thing I guess.
I think you figured it out, not me!!

congrats!!

 

[Guest]

one more thing. i lost track of or you never really said. how did this
msconfig issue waste 4 days of productivity.

the fact/time consumed trying to figure it out?

or did you actually need to use the msconfig utility in some way?

Yeah.

Maybe you owe an apology to those that suggested it was a
"Stardock" problem!!