Tabs missing in Display Properties 1

[devastator]

All the tabs in display properties are missing on all the Windows XP SP2 workstations. They are visable on the Windows 2000 Servers and Windows 2003 SBS Server. I though maybe it was a group policy thing at first but that would have prevented them from being seen on the servers as well. It is strange that it opens, no tabs, but if you click on the left at the top where the tabs are suppose to be it changes the options as if clicking on the tabs. Click anywhere else nothing happens, just over on the left.


Any ideas???

 

[wolluf]

Question might be better in forum96 or forum931.

is this a recent event? (eg, since SP2)

I haven't a lot of experience with managing 2k or 2k3 server domains, but can't you apply policies to workstations and not to servers on the domain?

 

[devastator]

Maybe you can but the issue is is that i haven't applied anything like that and its not working. It worked last week so I guess i need to look there and see if something got activated. I did load and run Pest Patrol Corp Edition on all the workstations this week so maybe that disabled something.


Not that it is a huge deal but it is kind of annoying. Weird that it still works even though the tabs are gone.

 

[webmarek]

Yep I'm working on a PC with the same problem. Also the Tabs are visible in safe mode, just not when running standard.

Sorry, but there is no fix for this problem. I am working on a machine which was upgraded from windows 98 to xp pro. I've tried many different driver versions for the onboard ATI RAGE PRO LT. The drivers have opengl support and all the tabs are still gone! So that's proof that Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 283751 is full of BS. And more importantly, nearly 4 years after posting that article and having released SP2 for XP, THIS PROBLEM STILL REMAINS UNFIXED! It remains so unfixed, that the only solution seems a complete XP reinstall. Complete reinstall of OS with reinstallation of all software would take several days on this pc, and the client will not go for that.

I cant believe that installing SP2 over this installation will not fix the problem.

There are no third party programs/themes installed. Its a pretty clean upgrade installation.

And yes, of course I've checked all the registry entries and there are no settings that prohibit the tabs from being shown.

I've tried also some programs that claim that they can fix this... and they can't.

So much time has passed since this problem has surfaced. THERE IS STILL NO SOLUTION?! AHHHRGH!! BIG THUMBS DOWN TO MS FOR THIS BS.

Dammit DAmmmmit DAMMMNNNNIT!

 

[bcastner]

http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/q283/7/51.asp&NoWebContent=1

http://www.theeldergeek.com/desktop_tab_missing_from_display.htm

Finally, Start, Run, regedit
Navigate to this key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

This key exists only if you have set an option whose flag is stored in the key. (Each value's description begins with the text related to that option on the Local User Properties property sheet.) A value set to 0x00000001. disables access. Deleting a value or setting its data to 0 enables access.

Values Restricting Access to Display Properties

NoDispCPL - Disable Display Control Panel. If the value is set to 1, the Display Properties property sheet is not accessible.

NoDispBackgroundPage - Hide Background Page. If the value is set to 1, the Background property page on the Display Properties property sheet is hidden.

NoDispScrSavPage - Hide Screen Saver Page. If the value is set to 1, the Screen Saver property page on the Display Properties property sheet is hidden.

NoDispAppearancePage - Hide Appearance Page. If the value is set to 1, the Appearance property page on the Display Properties property sheet is hidden.

NoDispSettingsPage - Hide Settings Page. If the value is set to 1, the Settings property page on the Display Properties property sheet is hidden.

 

[devastator]

I looked on two of the workstations and there is that System folder but none of those values exist.



Drew

 

[JoeFrish]

I have a client with this same problem, once SP2 was installed all the display tabs are hiden, is there any registry entries except for the one listed above that affect the display tabs?...I've been researching this problem for a week, only fix so far is format and reinstall email me if any fix's surface. -Joe

 

[bcastner]

The newer ATI Catalyst drivers require that the .NET framework is installed.

 

[JoeFrish]

I have an nvidia geforce 4 mx 440 and I've updated all drivers nuthing works yet...

 

[linney]

Display Properties Missing a tab
thread779-621965

 

[bcastner]

Linney,

Yes, the Classic Shell switch. Kelly Theriot does this and a bit more with here .reg file: Line 285, right side

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

 

[devastator]

Yeah neither of these solutions have fixed the issue. At this point i don't care. As long as the can "magically" change it if they want then fine.

 

[JoeFrish]

restore display tabs,,,,.... doesn't work

 

[bcastner]

If you applied the "fixes" listed above, then the registry for XP is correct. The only missing element is the display adapter driver itself, as it becomes controlling at this point.

Try both an update (if a newer version is available) or a reversion to an earlier driver to see if the issue is resolved.

 

[wdmcmh]

Well, with the help of some of the links from Mr Castner, I now has all of my display properties tabs showing and can set wallpaper. As long as it is larger than 1024x768 I can see it something is still launching screen.html Properties of that file identify it as \\c:windows\screen.html, which I deleted, but I'm still seeing that same 1024x768 white box under the icons. I'm pretty sure its just an advanced virus/ad/spy/malware thing now and I'm getting pretty good with those.