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The "Not Quite Amiga but still computer related category" => Alternative Operating Systems => Topic started by: HopperJF on December 07, 2007, 11:40:33 AM

Title: XP Control Panel Problem
Post by: HopperJF on December 07, 2007, 11:40:33 AM
Hello all,
Never really post non-Amiga topics but this is beginning to bug me.
Recently I installed Ubuntu as a dual boot with XP, was pretty impressed but removed it following the official instructions.

After rebooting my system would not boot but just came up with "grub error 17". It would not auto-boot from CD or floppy either, thus making my system useless.
After disabling HD from startup, I managed to get it to boot from the XP disk. I formatted the old partitions and repaired my XP installation. I thought things would be back to normal.

Everything seems to be fine except I cannot use "Add or Remove Programs" in the Control Panel. Instead of giving me a list of programs installed I just have a plain white window.

I have tried:-

 - Disabling my personalised theme and reverting to Windows Classic settings

 - Rebooting

 - Clicking in the window to see if anything became selected (nothing)

 - Changing icon/menu colours from white to black

 - Waiting to see if anything eventually appears

But there just doesn't seem to be anything in the window.
Any suggestions anyone?  :roll:


There is a screenshot of my problem here  (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/mikepowell2005/controlpanelproblem.jpg)

My set up is pretty humble, but it is usually fine and quick enough for me: AMD Athlon XP @ 1.8GHz, 20Gb HD (partitioned), 448Mb RAM running XP Professional SP 2.

Thanks in advance
Title: Re: XP Control Panel Problem
Post by: orange on December 07, 2007, 11:50:26 AM
i think that problem has nothing to do with Grub&Ubuntu..
Title: Re: XP Control Panel Problem
Post by: HopperJF on December 07, 2007, 12:03:52 PM
Indeed, it is an XP Control Panel problem.
Title: Re: XP Control Panel Problem
Post by: mgerics on December 07, 2007, 12:06:26 PM
Try: Freeware fix
http://www.christensen-software.com/freesoftware/cleanup_add_remove_progra.htm

Also:
Start/Run/REGSVR32 APPWIZ.CPL


emeber, Google is your friend:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=blank+space+add+remove+programs
Title: Re: XP Control Panel Problem
Post by: utri007 on December 07, 2007, 12:43:10 PM
My ques is that your controll panel works just fine, problem is that sometimes it get some empty space before progams.

Can you scrol down? maybe programs are far bottom?
Title: Re: XP Control Panel Problem
Post by: tokyoracer on December 07, 2007, 01:33:29 PM
CCleaner can fix errors in the regestry and backs up the old one automatically just in case (if desired). I have never had issues with it, possibly the most useful freeware in the world!
Title: Re: XP Control Panel Problem
Post by: HopperJF on December 07, 2007, 10:54:39 PM
Quote

mgerics wrote:
Try: Freeware fix
http://www.christensen-software.com/freesoftware/cleanup_add_remove_progra.htm

Also:
Start/Run/REGSVR32 APPWIZ.CPL


emeber, Google is your friend:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=blank+space+add+remove+programs


Thanks for the help, I thought these would help, but they did not unfortunately  :-(

The freeware fix you gave me does not work and comes up with an error:

Quote
The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to terminate the application.


And despite doing the registry command you gave me I am still getting a blank window.
Title: Re: XP Control Panel Problem
Post by: HopperJF on December 07, 2007, 10:55:25 PM
Quote

utri007 wrote:
My ques is that your controll panel works just fine, problem is that sometimes it get some empty space before progams.

Can you scrol down? maybe programs are far bottom?


I can't scroll because there is no scroll bar.
Title: Re: XP Control Panel Problem
Post by: HopperJF on December 07, 2007, 11:09:10 PM
I have managed to get them to appear. It seems that for some reason it takes around 5 minutes for it to load the window contents  :-?

Also since I repaired, the system takes around an extra 60 seconds to boot up, but the HD and everything seem to do nothing in this time, everything comes to a standstill. A bit like a WAIT running or something.

Sounds like I need to do a re-install.

Thanks for the help everyone  :-)
Title: Re: XP Control Panel Problem
Post by: da9000 on December 09, 2007, 07:06:32 AM
Quote

HopperJF wrote:
Sounds like I need to do a re-install.


I'm sorry mate, but it sounds like you need to re-install Ubuntu (or AROS!) and get rid of that Windows garbage once and for all.

PS. to get rid of boot loaders lingering (grub, lilo, and many other non-Linux ones), you can do it by booting off a Windows CD (or floppy) and issuing "fdisk /mbr"

May you find the light (or have it find you) amidst the darkness! :-)