Control Panel Disappeared...

[substrate001]

Hi:

When I click Start> Control Panel I get a window, but no icons at all to click on. I've tried to use System Restore, but apparently I didn't have a point far enough back before this happened. My OS is Vista Home Premium. Anyone else experience this? Thanks, Jeff.

[Murf]

Double-clicking on the System icon in Control Panel, choosing the Hardware tab, and clicking Device Manager, under Graphics should tell you. nVidia drivers have been known to cause this.

[Miz]

You should be able to access the System applet...since the Control Panel is blank...by right clicking on My Computer, left clicking Properties.

If that opens the System applet, you can then access Device Manager through the link in the left-hand pane.

Also check out this Kelly's Korner page (http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_c.htm#cpiconsmissing) under the heading, "Control Panel - Icons Missing." It's for XP but it may apply to Vista.

[Murf]

DUH..Thx MIZ what a no-brainer can't believe I posted that - don't have a control panel.....:D

[substrate001]

You should be able to access the System applet...since the Control Panel is blank...by right clicking on My Computer, left clicking Properties.

If that opens the System applet, you can then access Device Manager through the link in the left-hand pane.

Also check out this Kelly's Korner page (http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_c.htm#cpiconsmissing) under the heading, "Control Panel - Icons Missing." It's for XP but it may apply to Vista.
Hi:
Thanks for helping. Here's what I found: If I opened Win Explorer by using the 'windows key>E' shortcut, I could then expand the Control Panel section in the left pane, and all the applets were there, and if clicked on would open up the corresponding window. Also, when I searched for .cpl files, search also found all of those .cpl extensions, so they were still there. I restarted the computer, and lo and behold I was given the option at the boot screen to use 'Last known good configuration'; I di, and now my CPL is back. BTW: during all of this time, I could still use the "Windows Key>pause/break key shortcut to access Control Panel> System applet, and the dvice manager was available from there. So, strange as it may seem, all my icons are back after all of the poking, prodding, searching and a restart. Thanks again for getting me thinking about ways to fix this. Jeff.

[Murf]

Great,

Thx for letting us know, you fixed it yourself.