Display Properties Error 2

[stained124]

Please help me!!

I have a problem with opening the Display properties (DP) panel in any way, be that from right click and desktop or control panel etc.

When i select to open the DP panel all i get is the loading sand timer thing for a split second, then it dissappears and leaves me back where i started, nothing loading at all.

I don't think it's a problem with my graphics card because i cannot open the DP panel from a button within the card's setting management software either. (i have a Nivida GeForce FX 5200)

Thanks a lot for any help,

Alex

 

[bcastner]

First, do you have an issue with any other control panel applet?

Try Start button, Run, control desktop

Does it appear now?

 

[stained124]

All the other control panel things work ok.

Tried start run but no joy.

 

[bcastner]

Are there any Group Policy settings that deny you access to this applet?

If in a Domain, you should talk to the sysops.

 

[stained124]

It's just my own PC, and i am admin.

 

[linney]

Is this a standalone machine or are you the victim of a Group Policy setting?

How long has this been occurring for? Is it something that might be fixed by System Restore?

Do you have Display Properties while in Safe Mode?

Tabs missing in Display Properties
thread779-914486

 

[stained124]

It is a standalone machine and this has been happening for as long as i can remember.

I'm a bit of an XP novice to tell you the truth, how do you start up in safe mode?

 

[bcastner]

Hit the "F8" key early and often.
If you do it too quickly you may see your BIOS setup screen.

 

[stained124]

Nope, no luck there either.

 

[bcastner]

I was advising how to access Safe Mode, not addressing the Display Properties issue.

Lets address that issue now. Start, Run, SFC /Scannow
Have you XP CD at hand.

 

[stained124]

Yes, i do have a CD.

 

[bcastner]

Then, Start button, Run, and type in the command box that opens: SFC /Scannow

 

[stained124]

Done that, black box poped up for again, for a split second, before closing itself.

 

[bcastner]

Now, Start, Run, eventvwr.msc
Look to see the results of the SFC

I still believe a display adapter driver update is suggested in your case, or a roll-back through Device Manager of the existing driver set.

 

[stained124]

In the case of eventvwr.msc; what exactly am i looking for? (i have the event viewer up)

I will try updating drivers now.

 

[stained124]

Sorry for the double post.

Drivers updated, still nothing.

 

[bcastner]

Anything in the three catagories with a red icon at the time in which you ran SFC. I believe the entries made by SFC are in the Application log.

But update you adapter driver set. Be sure to reboot before testing.

 

[linney]

What is this black box you are talking about? Before we only had mention of the hourglass. One reason for seeing a black box could be an incorrect SFC /Scannow (notice the space) command in the Run box. It is hard to follow the actual time spacing in the posts but a black box for a split second may indicate that you actually never ran the System File Checker. If it runs it should take about 20 - 30 minutes and ask for the XP CD, unless you have previously on purpose set it up to run from the hard drive, in any case you should see a progress box while it checks the system files. Can you just confirm that SFC ran and completed?

SFC leaves a report in the Event Viewer (System).
Event Type: Information
Event Source: Windows File Protection


Also while you checked this fault in Safe Mode can you confirm that you used the Administrator User rather than your own Username thus eliminating a possible corrupt profile?

 

[stained124]

bcastner - i do have a few errors in the event Viewer, although none of them are sourced from Windows file protection.
I did re-boot before testing the new drivers.

linney - I am talking about the black command box that you get after typing certain things (like cmd, for example) into the Start > Run box. I have just ran it in normal mode fine, will now try safe mode, although it didn't like my XP CD a minute ago so i had to abort.

 

[bcastner]

I think SFC throws and RPC error in Safe Mode. If you ran it in normal mode this should be fine.