Cannot get msconfig to start.

[Bill Kunert]

I've searched this problem everywhere I can think of. Start-Run-msconfig-OK - nothing happens. msconfig.exe is where it is supposed to be inWindows and the proper entry in the registry points to it. Double clicking on the exe file in windows will not start it. I've run virus scans and spyware scans and I'm not finding anything. I ran HiJack This and don't see anything that looks like it shouldn't be there. I don't want to have to reload XP unless absolutely necessary. XP is up to date with all patches. Using Explore 7 latest beta. Everything else seems to work. Any ideas?

Thanks
Bill

 

[DaiShan]

Are you using an Administrator class account? Have you tried restarting?

 

[imported_LoKe]

If you open up the CMD prompt and type it in manually, do you get any errors back?

 

[Bill Kunert]

I have only one account and it is administrator level. Trying it from a command prompt gives me a message that it's not a recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. Thanks for the quick replies. The program did work till about a week ago.

Bill

 

[lxskllr]

I can't really help you, but I've had the same thing happen to me. Calculator dissappeared from my system, as well as some other non-essential utilities. I attributed it to overclocking my system, but who knows. Maybe you could pull it off the install cd, and manually place it where it belongs. It goes in the system32 folder I think. I'm not in front of a Windows install atm to check.

 

[nova2]

"Trying it from a command prompt gives me a message that it's not a recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."
that's normal.
go to C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries (or whereever it is for you) and try running it.


else, i suggest running filemon and regmon from sysinternals. (google it)

they can be very useful when I find a program doesn't start and gives no error messages.

 

[Bill Kunert]

Originally posted by: nova2
"Trying it from a command prompt gives me a message that it's not a recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."
that's normal.
go to C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries (or whereever it is for you) and try running it.


else, i suggest running filemon and regmon from sysinternals. (google it)

they can be very useful when I find a program doesn't start and gives no error messages.

It won't run by double clicking the exe file in windows\pchealth\helpctr\binaries either. I downloaded and installed a fresh copy of the exe file and it wouldn't work either. All other exe files seem to work so I doubt an infection that is changing exe files. I'll try your other suggestion.

Bill

 

[The J]

What did you type into the command prompt? Just typing in "msconfig" gives me the command not found message also. Try typing in "start msconfig" and see what happens. That works for me.

 

[corkyg]

I think it might be an Explorer 7 (Beta) bug. Report it to MS. Revert to IE6 and verify. Start/Run/MSCONFIG works perfectly here - and I have all the latest updates - but no betaware.

 

[John]

Get rid of IE 7 beta and do an XP recovery console repair (chkdsk /r) or a repair install.

 

[Bill Kunert]

Tried start msconfig at the command prompt - doesn't work
Reverted back to IE 6 and ran chkdsk - doesn't work.
Keep them coming. I'll try everything except a reformat. That is a last resort. What puzzles me is that it won't run by doubleclicking on the msconfig.exe file.

Bill

 

[TeeJay1952]

I think you need a bug hunt in Safe Mode. I have had in the past bugs that turn off Anti Virus & msconfig to prevent you from finding and fixing. Try Safe Mode with Network and get a online virus scan.

 

[John]

Bill, in case you weren't aware my "repair" suggestions don't involve formatting anything. It takes about 20-60 min for either repair to complete depending on the speed of your pc. The latter will install windows over the top of your current install.

 

[Bill Kunert]

Tried an online virus scan in safe mode. Didn't turn up anything.

Can't run a repair install. The option isn't available after booting from the install cd. It's an upgrade cd that has had SP2 slipstreamed onto it. Booting with it gives me a message after accepting the license agreement that it can't find a previous version of windows. I put my win98 disk in the drive for verification and continuing on only gives the option to overwrite or install on a different partition.

Bill

 

[porcorosso]

Can't say that I have much to contribute. Had this very behavior occur on a friend's computer. I didn't think to check, at the time, that his msconfig.exe file was okay. I suppose, after what you've said about replacing yours, that yours is okay. Just thought I would post the MD5SUM -- just in case: 4FD22142F54692463A7B98B7DE175573

Also, the buddy's computer stopped running msconfig.exe after he used an automated registry cleaner, something I would avoid like the plague. I did find a difference betwen his registry and mine, vis-a-vis msconfig.exe.

Both of us had the key you mention which contains the path to msconfig.exe in the "C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries" subdirectory. But his registry was missing 2 REG_BINARY entries in the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\MUILanguages\RCV2\msconfig.exe

Unfortunately we didn't experiment with recreating those entries to see if they would re-enable msconfig.exe. His system had a lot of other problems that were probably caused by the registry cleaner, so he nuked it.

Regards,
Ross

 

[John]

You can still do a recovery console repair.

[*]boot to the XP cd
[*]hit 'R' at the first screen
[*]select windows partition (usually 1) and hit enter
[*]enter the password if applicable
[*]chkdsk /r

 

[Bill Kunert]

Originally posted by: John
You can still do a recovery console repair.

[*]boot to the XP cd
[*]hit 'R' at the first screen
[*]select windows partition (usually 1) and hit enter
[*]enter the password if applicable
[*]chkdsk /r

Did a chkdsk /r. Still doesn't work. Thanks for the input

Bill

 

[John]

Can you open the task manager and run regedit?

I know you mentioned that you've run spyware and virus scans, but which programs were you using?

 

[rasczak]

**edit** nvm misread your OP

 

[Bill Kunert]

Originally posted by: John
Can you open the task manager and run regedit?

I know you mentioned that you've run spyware and virus scans, but which programs were you using?

Task manager and regedit work fine. I've scanned with Ad-Aware, AVG, ewido anti spyware, Spybot, Spyware Blaster,and MS Defender, plus a couple of online scans whose names I don't remember. They aren't finding anything sinister.

Bill

 

[John]

[*]enable hidden files and folders
[*]look for the boot.ini in the root drive(usually c and rename it to boot1.ini
[*]see if msconfig will open

DO NOT RESTART until you rename it back to boot.ini

 

[Bill Kunert]

Originally posted by: John
[*]enable hidden files and folders
[*]look for the boot.ini in the root drive(usually c and rename it to boot1.ini
[*]see if msconfig will open

DO NOT RESTART until you rename it back to boot.ini

Yes that allows me to run msconfig. The boot.ini file reads
[boot loader]
timeout=5
[operating systems]

There is also a boot.bak file which has several more lines in it.

It reads
[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating system]
multi(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft windows XP Home Edition" /FASTDETECT

I renamed this to boot.ini and msconfig will open. I'm assuming the .BAK file was created when I tried unsuccessfully to load VISTA on my machine, but that's another story. This .ini file looks correct from what I've seen reading up on the net so I'm gonna try booting with it.

PROBLEM SOLVED Rebooted with the renamed .BAK file and everything works great. Thank you very much for your help. I doubt I would have suspected the boot.ini file because it was not named in any search result.

Thanks again

Bill