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General discussion

Control Panel<Administrative Tools Faulty

Nov 11, 2009 1:16AM PST

About ten days ago I reinstalled Windows XP on to my Dell Dimension 4500 and some problems arose. After updating some of the drivers, now Control Panel< Administrative Tools no longer opens along with some of the other Control Panel subroutines. Please can someone suggest a solution? I have no idea which driver download caused the problem.

thyde




My System

Dimension 4500, 2.53GHz processor, 1024Mb, XP, 160Gb hard disk, 80Gb hard disk, Roxio CD R/RW, Blueyonder Broadband & LAN, Dell Photo All-in-One printer. Iomega 500Gb hard disk, Toshiba 1Tb hard disk.
Dimension 4100, 1GHz processor, 256Mb SDRAM, ME, 20Gb hard disk, Adaptec CD R/DW, HP Deskjet 840C, Scanjet 3300c, Blueyonder Broadband & LAN.
Inspiron 8600, 1.4 Ghz processor, 512Mb SDRAM, XP, 40Gb hard disk, Philips CDRW/DVD disk drive, Blueyonder Broadband & LAN.

Netgear router.

Discussion is locked

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Just sharing a lesson learned.
Nov 11, 2009 8:54PM PST

Don't use Microsoft's Driver Update button.
Don't use drivers from Microsoft.
Don't update drivers when the drivers are working fine.

Do test along the way when installing things so you know where and what breaks it as others can't guess what you did, when it broke.

Do avoid all registry cleaners.
Bob

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Control Panel<Administrative Tools Faulty
Nov 12, 2009 12:22AM PST

To R.Proffitt: Thanks for your reply but it does not help. I need to know how to restore the Control Panel operations.

thyde337

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It does help.
Nov 12, 2009 2:32AM PST

It details what to do NEXT TIME you install the OS. Keep track of what you are doing and when you break it then you can repeat it all again and not repeat what breaks it.

I hear you loud and clear that you want a fix but you didn't tell me what broke it. So I'm left with the generic "Play it again Sam" answer.
Bob

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Control Panel<Administrative Tools Faulty
Nov 12, 2009 2:25PM PST

To R.Proffitt. Thanks again for your reply. I presume that your reply implies that a reinstall of the operating system is required since I don't know what caused the Control Panel to malfunction

thyde

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More than implies.
Nov 12, 2009 11:13PM PST

There are too many reasons for control panel to fail from a stopped service to registry cleaners to a bum software or driver. I didn't offer what you find at google with "BLANK CONTROL PANEL" since you would do that on your own.

But making a good install plan is important. Only those that have install troubles tend to downplay this.
Bob