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Control panel hangs in safe mode only (XP SP2)

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by jjmonnat

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Hello,

I have all the latest update for my windows XP SP 2.
I just noticed that the control panel is hanging when I am trying to open it safe mode. In the taskmanager, the explorer.exe process is maxing out.

It is working fine, when I am accessing it in normal mode. But I need it, if I need to troubleshoot any issue.

Is there any way to diagnose this problem.

Thanks you

1 reply

by zzy1000

Try "rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL" in Start->Run, this is another way to open control panel.

It is really strange that issue only happened in safe mode but not in normal mode. In normal mode windows will load driver of network, video, sound etc. In safe mode they don't be. If some problem has happened with the original system files of OS, it will be replaced by other good file in normal mode. Maybe it can explain why it only happened in safe mode. I just guess that. So you'd better follow some steps to check .cpl and control.ini files. Here are articles I found from MS KB, some of them are apply with 95/98/Me, but you still can try with yours.

How to Troubleshoot Control Panel Issues in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=299923&sd=RMVP

Control Panel Does Not Open
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=221153&sd=RMVP

Control Panel stops responding in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;843551

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