Where oh where is my msconfig.exe?

Do I still have it and it's been hidden by an installed app or is something else going on?

Published on March 20, 2008 By BigDogBigFeet In Personal Computing

Hi all,

Well as a result of Po's thread Virtual Memory Question I've discovered that when I click on start, run and type in msconfig and press enter ...... nothing happens. I fired up explorer and searched my windows sub, no go and did a system Search twice and again no go. Did some web searching and discovered one of 2 possibilities an installed app has it hidden from my through a system key setting or in the worst case malware. At present I'm not suspecting malware. System has no other problems currently and it's possible any of these progs could have it hidden: Ad-Aware 2007 Free, SpyBot Search and Destroy (I'm new to both of these) I also have Tune-Up Utilities 2006 and please don't gasp, Norton System Works(well mostly, lol).

Anywho, I thought I'd post to see if anyone has some insight as to what's caused this and what Reg Key(s) might be involved. I'm thinking that's probably what's happened.

Comments (Page 7)

BigDogBigFeet

on Mar 22, 2008

ok here is what I did I uninstalled all my sd programs via sdc after uninstalling impulse. Still no go..
So I check startups and find a logitech mouse setpoint driver. Deleted it and uninstalled the program. Deleted all prefetch files in windows prefetch folder. ran %temp% and deleted all temp files in the temp folder. Then restarted the computer ... after the restart ran a reg cleaner called Clean My PC registry cleaner. Ran msconfig and it's back and everything is normal.
I suspect it is a conflict with maybe the set point driver for logitech caused the problem and it may have reacted with a sd program like impulse maybe?
Anyone else have any luck as this or running like wise programs?

I don't have a logitech mouse driver and my startup folder is empty. I don't know what windows prefetch folder and windows prefetch files are. Where are they located? I need to know the path to the $temp$ folder you mentioned also. I have 2 different registry cleaners so I should be covered there.

eieio

on Mar 22, 2008

BDBF,

Click on Start/Run .. type this into the box %systemroot%\prefetch .. hit OK .. that's prefetch

Click on Start/Run .. type this into the box %temp% .. hit OK .. that's temp folder

BigDogBigFeet

on Mar 22, 2008

Ok, My startup is empty. I deleted everything in prefetch and everything in temp. Rebooted and ran a reg cleaner rebooted again and no go. Problem still exists.

eieio

on Mar 23, 2008

I did a system restore and got msconfig back .. along with fixing a couple other oddities. I'm guessing something I installed in the past 2 weeks caused the problem. Haven't re-installed Impulse yet .. but did update with SDC

BigDogBigFeet

on Mar 23, 2008

I've use system restore points but, I can't get them to work. Windows won't restore using the restore points. Can this be done in Safe Mode or by booting to the recovery console?

yrag

on Mar 23, 2008

I fired up a bench machine and installed everything related to Stardock....msconfig still shows and no other oddities show up.

Still think it's the permissions. Haven't heard back from John yet in regards to the fix I sent him....maybe it blew his machine up......

BigDogBigFeet- run #15 again and post results .....

BigDogBigFeet

on Mar 23, 2008

Ok, I think this will do it. Looks the same as before.

yrag

on Mar 23, 2008

OK. I need someone who 'fixed' (via restore or backup) the missing msconfig to run that and post the same snap.

BigDogBigFeet

on Mar 23, 2008

bumb

100

eieio

on Mar 23, 2008

Fixed with System Restore. here's Dependency Walker shot now:

101

BigDogBigFeet

on Mar 23, 2008

Hi. I got it fixed. I de-installed some beta apps using SDC and rebooted. All problems are gone. I let HG and Hippy know in IRC plus whoever else was hanging around. I also sent an email to Stardock support detailing the steps I used.

102

Daiwa

on Mar 23, 2008

I de-installed some beta apps

Care to be a little more specific, BDBF? Might be helpful to the rest of us.

Thanks.

103

vStyler

on Mar 23, 2008

yeah... which apps?

Hate to say it but i knew it was something Stardock

104

BigDogBigFeet

on Mar 23, 2008

I first used Windows to de-install Impulse: result was no change. I used SDC to de-install latest beta of IP and WB (both were installed using Impulse) and rebooted: result everything fixed. I then set SDC to show only stable releases (no betas) and re-installed WB and IP: result system stable.

The thing that forced me to find a solution is the memory leaks that were happening. My system at boot-up was using about 150MBs too much RAM so.. I had to find a solution other than full system re-install. I just went through that this past Xmas.

105

vStyler

on Mar 23, 2008

Hmm.. doesn't help me seeing I have to use latest releases.. I wonder whether it was IP or WB.. naturally i HAVE to have WB

I'm gonna try one at a time see if I can narrow it down.

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