IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the
registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information
about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the
"Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.
SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to change display properties using the Display tool in Control Panel or by
right-clicking the Desktop and then clicking Properties, you may receive the following error
message:
An error occurred while Windows was working with the Control Panel
file C:\Windows\System\Desk.cpl.
CAUSE
This error message can occur if there is a problem with a third-party video driver or utility.
RESOLUTION
WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require
you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting
from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help
topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and
"Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry
before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency
Repair Disk (ERD).
To resolve this error message, start your computer in Safe mode, and then follow these
steps:
1.Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display.
2.Click the Settings tab, and then click Advanced.
3.Click the Adapter tab, and then click Change.
4.Click Next, click Display a list of all the drivers in a specific location, so you can
select the driver you want, and then click Next.
5.Click Show All Devices.
6.In the Manufacturers box, click Standard Display Types.
7.In the Models box, click Standard Display Adapter (VGA), click OK, and then click
Next.
8.Click Next, click Next, and then click Finish.
9.Click Close, click Close again, and then click No when you are prompted to restart
your computer.
10.In Control Panel, double-click Add/remove Programs, and then remove any
third-party display utilities by clicking the utility on the Install/Uninstall tab, clicking
Add/Remove, and then following the instructions on your screen.
11.Using Registry Editor, delete the display manufacturer's folder (if it exists) in the
following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Controls
Folder\Display\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers
12.You should also delete the following two keys after uninstalling Diamond InControl
Tools:
Hkey_local_machine/software/Diamond Multimedia
Hkey_current_user/software/Diamond Multimedia
or
Hkey_local_machine/software/Diamond
Hkey_current_user/software/Diamond
13.For Diamond video adapters, also locate the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Controls
Folder\Display\shelex\PropertySheetHandlers
Under this key, remove any folders referring to Diamond Viper, Diamond 3D, Diamond
TV, or Gamma, as well as any other previous video adapters.
14.Quit Registry Editor and restart your computer.
15.After uninstalling Diamond InControl Tools, extract a new copy of the Deskw95.cpl file
from your original Windows 98 CD-ROM to the Windows\System folder. Rename the
extracted file to Desk.cpl.
For information about how to extract files, see the following article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:
Q129605 How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files
16.Install the appropriate video drivers included with Windows 98 or obtain the latest
drivers from the manufacturer
