KNOWLEDGE BASE LINKS
CONTROL PANEL
Last updated May 14, 2005
Click here to refresh this page & its menu bar.

General

• Description of Control Panel (.CPL) Files {KB 149648} Win95 SP1, Win98, Win98 SE, Win ME
• How to Run Control Panel Tools by Typing a Command {KB 192806} Win95, Win98, Win98 SE, Win ME, NT 4, Win 2000 SP1

  Type the following at a command prompt. (You may have to be in the Windows folder.) Not all computers have all listed items.

  • Accessibility Options control access.cpl
  • Add New Hardware control sysdm.cpl add new hardware
  • Add/Remove Programs control appwiz.cpl
  • Date/Time Properties control timedate.cpl
  • Display Properties control desk.cpl
  • FindFast control findfast.cpl
  • Fonts Folder control fonts
  • Internet Properties control inetcpl.cpl
  • Joystick Properties control joy.cpl
  • Keyboard Properties control main.cpl keyboard
  • Microsoft Exchange (or Windows Messaging) control mlcfg32.cpl
  • Microsoft Mail Post Office control wgpocpl.cpl
  • Modem Properties control modem.cpl
  • Mouse Properties control main.cpl
  • Multimedia Properties control mmsys.cpl
  • Network Properties control netcpl.cpl (in NT4, control ncpa.cpl
  • Password Properties control password.cpl
  • PC Card control main.cpl pc card (PCMCIA)
  • Power Management (Windows 95) control main.cpl power
  • Power Management (Windows 98) control powercfg.cpl
  • Printers Folder control printers
  • Regional Settings control intl.cpl
  • Scanners and Cameras control sticpl.cpl (Not in Win ME)
  • Sound Properties control mmsys.cpl sounds
  • System Properties control sysdm.cpl
• How to Troubleshoot Control Panel Issues in Windows {KB 299923} Win95, Win98, Win98 SE, Win ME

  Control Panel does not open as you expect, or one of the following may occur: Error message (illegal operation or error opening file); computer stops responding; or computer tries to connect to the Internet.

  SOLUTION

  • Test for a corrupt file. Search for all files with the .cpl file extension. Click each one to launch it until you encounter the error. To confirm that this is the problem, rename each problem file, reboot, and try to open Control Panel again: If it opens find, replace the problem file.
  • Rename Control Panel Initialization File. Search for the CONTROL.INI file. Rename it. Reboot. Test Control Panel.
  • If no resolution, reboot to Safe Mode. If no problem in Safe Mode, do clean boot troubleshooting.

Error Messages

Only a few Control Panel error messages are listed below. Primarily, they are listed on the KB Links: Windows Error Messages pages. You may also wish to use the Site Search.

• “An Error Occurred While Windows Was Working with the Control Panel file C:\Windows\System\DESK.CPL” {KB 217752} Win98, Win ME (video driver or utility issue)
• “C:\Windows\System\MESSAGES.DRV is missing” {KB 300109} or
  “Error opening c:\windows\system\MESSAGES.DRV” {Q300109} Win98, Win98 SE, Win ME When opening Control Panel.
• “Explorer has caused an error in unknown.” {KB 276405} Win ME When opening Control Panel.
• “Explorer has caused an error in KERNEL32.DLL.” {Q276405} Win ME When opening Control Panel.
• “Explorer has caused an error in filename.cpl.” {Q276405} Win ME When opening Control Panel.
• Fatal Exception Error When Opening or Closing Control Panel {KB 175211} Win 95, Win98 When opening or closing Control Panel.
• Icons Displayed Incorrectly in Control Panel {KB 133733} Win 95, Win98, Win ME, NT 4 (corrupt ShellIconCache file)
• “Unable to Load Language Resources” Error Message When You Attempt to Open Control Panel {KB 299929} Win98, Win98 SE, Win ME

Other

• ADD NEW HARDWARE: Computer May Stop Responding (Hang) When Installing Updates or Adding New Hardware {KB 281967} Win ME With Norton System Works 2001
• ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS icon or tabs missing {KB 195064} Win95, Win98
• ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS: All installed programs may not appear {KB 240348} Win95 OSR1, Win98, Win98 SE, NT4
• ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS: Program Missing from Add/Remove Programs Tool {KB 214704} Win98, Win98 SE
• Control Panel Does Not Open {KB 221153} Win95, Win98, NT 4, Win 2000
• NETWORK: Cannot Open Network Tool in Control Panel {KB 192323} Win95, Win98, Win ME
• Unable to Start Control Panel Tools After Using TweakUI to Disable “Show Control Panel” {KB 274849} Win ME
• USERS: Description of the Users Tool in Control Panel {KB 176059} Win95, Win98, Win ME