Control Panel

CP will not open. Have had this problem on 2 comps but I could get into CP with eMachines laptop (even though it would sometimes not collaborate,)Now I am on a new HP desk top all-in-one purchased 7 Feb 2011. No specifications at the moment. Did briefly see CP on first day, but next day it would not open. I have an extra HD which is in use with both comps but not simultaneously. Data on it could be the culprit? I am also thinking that the HP came with W7 loaded which is another point of difference. I also have read many FAQs about CP but my problem seems slightly different in that CP is dead. I have started in safe mode - no result. I have entered "uninstall" into the run slot on start menu. No result. Of course there is little I can do about setting up the HP. Recently I attached a new Brother MCF 990 printer.

Some time ago someone on this forum said the problem could indicate that W7 and eMachines were not compatible but on searching around it turned out to be OK. At present I am working on the start menu - help and support, on the MS pages and the HPs pages.

Any help will be appreciated

This post is an unsolved one however I will monitor all answers and alter the status of the post when appropriate. I am sorry but I haven't yet worked out what the options are. I will be happy to have it pointed out. Thank you all in advance of a happy result

I assume the new computer is running the W7 that came pre-loaded by the OEM. It is very unlikely that two computers using a different copy of Windows and different hardware are experiencing the same issue, unless either a WU patch has messed something up, or we're dealing with a malware infection from that external drive you mentioned.

I would run a thorough malware check on the entire system, the external drive included.

Have you tried running the HP's system recovery with the recovery disks? If that doesn't fix it, call their support system and bug the hell out of them regarding your issue. It's your right and it's their duty to assist you.

Thank you Core however whatever I have tried I cannot delete mywebsearch. It is on all 3 comps upstairs. Downstairs laptop and iPad needd testing. Task Manager has been cleared of everything, comp restarted and MWS is still there. I have still to use malware because a new copy is required.

Thankyou shadowwalk. Will report in a few days.

nof

Thats because MyWebSearch is malware and the designer doesn't want you removing it. I have had a few rounds with MyWebSearch myself on various occasions.

There are a few things you can do to remove it.

1. Try checking for anything listed in Programs and Features.
   • Try typing this in Windows Explorer's address bar to get access. "Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and Features"
2. Use a System Restore Point to a date before contamination.
   • This may need to be done in safe mode.
3. Check for malware with any malware program.
   • Check our Free Software Database

shadowalk, I agree with you. It is HP's (or any other OEM's) obligation to assist their customers, but HP's "assistance" is crap. They were too tight to provide me with a new mouse when my desktop was in the final month of warranty. What they did was take over my desktop remotely, fooled with some adjustments, and got it working. But it only lasted two weeks. I wasn't about to tie up another 70 minutes with HP support, so I bought a new Logitech mouse from Newegg. For less than $15.

Their drivers are no different, you must use the same (OEM) version of Windows 7 for them to work properly. If you clean install the computer with a retail version of 7, only two of the drivers works. This wasn't the case with Dell's drivers, they would work with any version of XP.

I don't care if HP is the largest computer manufacturer in the world, I'll never buy from them again. Their service after the sale is crap. I called them to buy a high performance power supply so that I could upgrade my CPU, all that I got was over 40 minutes of switching back & forth, with no results. My desktop has a notebook type PSU, surely HP makes quad core notebooks that has higher output PSU's. Thanks to their no help, I didn't upgrade.

As to the OP, it certainly sounds like a malware issue, it looks like the issue is solved. I hope so.

Cat

Thank you one and all. I have made some progress e.g. HPs disks, computer is operating normally, mywebsearch has gone! I am working on finding my Ctrl Panel. I can get some help by typing in the bottom left hand menu, say, troubleshooting and a new world may open up.

Where oh where has my Control Panel gone? I notice that the same problem is on social.technet.microsoft.com but it doesn't allow my user name nevertheless I can read...

Still early days

This post is nearly solved! I don't know how or why but the items on the control panel work - sometimes when I have drawn a blank I go back to using the right mouse it says "open" and it does.

I may have triggered a change when I was looking at " customize the taskbar and start menu/properties"

thank you all

nof