Missing MSCONFIG (e.g. - it won't run)

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Guest

when I do a Start>Run>msconfig nothing happens.

That is, msconfig does not come up on the screen. I've compared the (a)
Registry , and (b) \windows\system32 on a laptop where msconfig works
correctly versus my workstation (msconfig not working) and can't find a
meaningful difference.

How do I get MSCONFIG to run properly?
 
You may have a virus/trojan/worm.

Task Manager, MSCONFIG, or REGEDIT disappear while opening
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/ToolsQuit.htm

Msconfig.exe does NOT belong in the \windows\system32 folder.

Msconfig.exe belongs in...
C:\WINDOWS\pchealth\helpctr\binaries
and this folder
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache
or if it exists, this folder
C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386

Try these commands...
Paste the following lines into Start | Run and click OK...

msconfig.exe

%windir%\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\msconfig.exe

%windir%\system32\dllcache\msconfig.exe

%windir%ServicePackFiles\i386\msconfig.exe

Do any of those commands work?

%windir%\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\msconfig.exe is the copy that normally
gets used.

This registry key makes it possible to type msconfig without an extension or
path in the Run command.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\App Paths\MSCONFIG.EXE
Value Name: (Default)
Data type: REG_SZ
Value Data: C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\MSConfig.exe


If Msconfig.exe has been disabled by some Group Policy.

Try this.

Open the Registry Editor...
Start | Run | Type: regedit | Click OK |
Navigate to >>>
HKEY CURRENT USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\System

Look in the right hand pane for a value called Disablemsconfig. If the
value exists, double click on Disablemsconfig and set the value to 0. If it
doesn't exist, right click in the right pane and select New, DWord value.
Name it Disablemsconfig and leave it set at 0.

You may also want to investigate the following registry keys for a
Disablemsconfig value.

HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\System

HKEY USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\System

from...
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_21843287.html

Or just do a Search in the registry for Disablemsconfig.

Open the Registry Editor.
Hit F3.
Paste Disablemsconfig in the Find What box.
Click the Find Next button.
To keep searching if it finds Disablemsconfig, hit F3 again.
Keep hitting F3 until you see the Finished searching through the registry
message.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
My MSCONFIG file is in ....PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\MSConfig.exe

I tried all your Start>Run recommendations ...

There were no Disablemsconfig statements in Regedit ...

.....and still no msconfig window appear.

----------------------
 
Did scanning for viruses and other malware turn up anything?

Have a look at these, if they even exist.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun
and/or
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun

A Value of DisallowRun or RestrictRun here...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

These are the only references to msconfig.exe that I have in my registry...

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\MSCONFIG.EXE REG_SZ
C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\MSConfig.exe

HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\MUILanguages\RCV2\msconfig.exe
0 REG_BINARY 52 04 28 0A 01 00 05 00 00 00 28 0A 01 00 05 00
1 REG_BINARY 4E 77 FE 8A 67 33 5C 0D 8A 3F AB 14 01 FC 7F 1E 48 F2 4E 15 E9
68 9C 77 89 F7 DA BA 83 A0 1D 83

HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Control\Nls\MUILanguages\RCV2\msconfig.exe
0 REG_BINARY 52 04 28 0A 01 00 05 00 00 00 28 0A 01 00 05 00
1 REG_BINARY 4E 77 FE 8A 67 33 5C 0D 8A 3F AB 14 01 FC 7F 1E 48 F2 4E 15 E9
68 9C 77 89 F7 DA BA 83 A0 1D 83

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\MUILanguages\RCV2\msconfig.exe
0 REG_BINARY 52 04 28 0A 01 00 05 00 00 00 28 0A 01 00 05 00
1 REG_BINARY 4E 77 FE 8A 67 33 5C 0D 8A 3F AB 14 01 FC 7F 1E 48 F2 4E 15 E9
68 9C 77 89 F7 DA BA 83 A0 1D 83

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Replies to far LEFT of your info

MSCONFIG window still does not appear

--------------------------------

Craig Sharrow REPLIED TO >> "Wesley Vogel" wrote:

NO > Did scanning for viruses and other malware turn up anything?
Have a look at these, if they even exist.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun
Click to expand...

NONE > HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun
and/or
Click to expand...
NONE > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun
Click to expand...
NONE > A Value of DisallowRun or RestrictRun here...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

These are the only references to msconfig.exe that I have in my registry...
Click to expand...
YES > HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
Paths\MSCONFIG.EXE REG_SZ
C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\MSConfig.exe
Click to expand...
NO >
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\MUILanguages\RCV2\msconfig.exe
CONTROL> 0 REG_BINARY 52 04 28 0A 01 00 05 00 00 00 28 0A 01 00 05 00
SET001 > 1 REG_BINARY 4E 77 FE 8A 67 33 5C 0D 8A 3F AB 14 01 FC 7F 1E 48
F2 4E 15 E9
68 9C 77 89 F7 DA BA 83 A0 1D 83
Click to expand...
YES >
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Control\Nls\MUILanguages\RCV2\msconfig.exe
0 REG_BINARY 52 04 28 0A 01 00 05 00 00 00 28 0A 01 00 05 00
1 REG_BINARY 4E 77 FE 8A 67 33 5C 0D 8A 3F AB 14 01 FC 7F 1E 48 F2 4E 15 E9
68 9C 77 89 F7 DA BA 83 A0 1D 83
Click to expand...

YES ----HAVE CONTROL SET004 instead of Set001----YES >
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\MUILanguages\RCV2\msconfig.exe
 
I do not know what is wrong, Craig.

Just for fun, try this. Navigate to C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries,
right click on msconfig.exe and click Copy. Right click on your Desktop and
click Paste. Double click on msconfig.exe. Either it runs or it doesn't.
If it doesn't, right click msconfig.exe, click Rename and rename it bob.exe.
Double click bob.exe or right click bob.exe and click Open. Does it run?

Here's a little info on control sets.

A control set contains system configuration information such as device
drivers and services. You may notice several instances of control sets when
viewing the Registry. Some are duplicates or mirror images of others and
some are unique.

There may be several control sets depending on how often you change system
settings or have problems with the settings you choose.

\ControlSet001
\ControlSet002
\CurrentControlSet

ControlSet001 may be the last control set you booted with, while
ControlSet002 could be what is known as the last known good control set, or
the control set that last successfully booted Windows NT. The
CurrentControlSet subkey is really a pointer to one of the ControlSetXXX
keys.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Select contains the following values:
Current
Default
Failed
LastKnownGood

Each of these values contain a REG_DWORD data type and refer to specifically
to a control set. For example, if the Current value is set to 0x1, then
CurrentControlSet is pointing to ControlSet001. Similarly, if LastKnownGood
is set to 0x2, then the last known good control set is ControlSet002. The
Default value usually agrees with Current, and Failed refers to a control
set that was unable to boot Windows NT successfully.
from...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/100010

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Nope, copying msconfig.exe to the Desktop and/or renaming the file didn't
work. Neither did getting a fresh copy of msconfig.exe from Microsoft.
 
Try this one, download it to your desktop, double click to open.

Download msconfig.exe Version 5.1.2600.1106
http://www.techadvice.cc/files/y44b1/win-xp/msconfig.exe

If that doesn't work, I have run out of ideas.

Get one or both of these if you wanted to use msconfig as a start manager.
These work better than msconfig anyway.

StartMan has an option that takes you to
http://www.sysinfo.org/startupinfo.html
when your right click an entry and select Identify.

Also with StartMan, clicking on the Help menu, you can select Identifying
Startups (Pacman's Portal)... It sends you to
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm

[[StartMan is an extended 'msconfig' Startup Manager, designed to take
control of all those pesky programs and background services that load and
run at logon - most of which you probably don't need. As well as providing
the usual trouble-shooting options to enable or disable startups, StartMan
also permits the removal of startups.
Duplicate Detection and Removal, a unique feature of StartMan, can be
configured to remove all duplicates automatically, with or without
prompting.
Orphan Detection and Removal. As above, for orphaned startups.
Executable Detection and Removal. As above, for executables.
Includes a full range of sorting options to make it easier to locate a
specific startup - by name, by filename - even by command line parameter! ]]

StartMan v1.3.96
http://www.pt.lu/comnet/desc/startman.html

StartMan v1.3.96 Direct download
http://www.pt.lu/comnet/files/utils/startman10396.exe
-----

Startup Control Panel is another pretty good application.

[[Startup Control Panel is a nifty control panel applet that allows you to
easily configure which programs run when your computer starts. It's simple
to use and, like all my programs, is very small and won't burden your
system. A valuable tool for system administrators!]]

Download the EXE Version and just extract the executable wherever you want.

Startup Control Panel
http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
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