system information/help and support

[Eric]

I've got a weird problem -- starting yesterday, I noticed that if I go to
system information (through start-programs-accessories-system tools),
instead of the usual system information utility showing up, the Windows XP
Help and Support Center opens. Very weird.

When I went to the spot where the system information application is located
(c:\program files\common files\microsoft shared\msinfo) I found the file
there (msinfo32.exe). But once again, if I click on it, Help and Support
shows up.

Here's the really weird part. I tried re-loading msinfo32.exe from my office
xp CD, and I copied the file to my c: drive, overwriting the problematic
msinfo32 that was on my machine. This seemed to succeed -- in fact, the icon
changed when I copied the file, back to the little computer that system
information usually has. (This is when I realized that the offending
msinfo32 had had the wrong icon -- basically it was the my computer icon,
plus a question mark.)

Anyway, after a few seconds, the icon changed back. I tried to open it, and
it was the Help and Support Center. I tried copying it over again from my
CD, and if I opened it right away, the System Information application
opened. But each time, the icon changed after a few seconds, and it became a
link to Help and Support.

I then tried just deleting the thing, and it REAPPEARED. I tried this over
and over, and the same thing kept happening, regardless of whether I deleted
the thing from the recycling bin.

Weird.

Anyway, I've run a complete spyware scan (Ad-Aware and Spybot, actually),
and I updated by virus definitions and ran a full virus scan. Didn't help. I
also did a system restore to a week ago. Also didn't help.

I'm stumped. Anyone have any ideas?

Eric

 

[Kelly]

Hi Eric,

Check your paths here: Start/Run/Regedit

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSInfo

Path value = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft
Shared\MSInfo\msinfo32.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
Paths\msinfo32.exe

Default value = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft
Shared\MSInfo\MSInfo32.exe

Path value = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo

Msinfo32 Batch File - To Gain Access (Line 172)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Troubleshooting Msinfo32 - System Information
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_m.htm#msinfo32

Restore System Information (Msinfo32) - Line 221
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

 

[Eric]

So I tried all this stuff, and the only thing that (sort of) works is
something I tried before: putting /categories +all -loadedmodules in the
command line for the shortcut to system information. (I don't know how to
create a batch file, so I couldn't do that.)

Anyway, doing the above kinda works, although it seems to open system
information within Help and Support. Isn't there a way I could just get
System Information to be back the way it used to be?

(I tried your other suggestions, and they didn't make a difference.)

Thanks for all your help, by the way.

Eric

 

[Kelly]

Thanks for the feedback, Eric. Will check more into this. Good luck in the
meantime and keep us posted.

 

[DILIP]

Hi
Have you tried the system file checker? start> run> sfc /scannow

 

[Eric]

Yeah, I did that. Didn't help.
Any other ideas?

Hi
Have you tried the system file checker? start> run> sfc /scannow

 

[Eric]

Hey, it's fixed! I started up my machine with the Windows XP CD and had it
do a repair. Now, System Information is System Information again. Very nice.

Of course I still don't know what caused the problem... but anyway now it's
fixed!

e

 

[Kelly]

Great, Eric....glad to hear all is well. )

Hey, it's fixed! I started up my machine with the Windows XP CD and had it
do a repair. Now, System Information is System Information again. Very nice.

Of course I still don't know what caused the problem... but anyway now it's
fixed!

e

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