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Xetava

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Add/Remove Programs Control Panel Won't Run

Howdy! When trying to execute the Add/Remove Programs control panel in a newly installed Windows 2000, SP4 server box, nothing happens. The window flashes but the Add/Remove programs control panel never opens. I am logged in as a Domain Administrator. If I look at the process list, I can see an instance of MSHTA.EXE running for each time I double-click Add/Remove. I've tried killing all the MSHTA.EXE processes and starting over but that has no effect. I've rebooted. I've re-applied SP4. I'm out of ideas...

Your assistance is gretly appreciated!
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sunray_2003
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go to start --> run --> type in "sfc /scannow" and press "enter"

check if this would solve the problem

Sunray
Avatar of sirbounty
Try this:
Start->Run->CMD
Type in (in the command window that opens):
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,1
or
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,0
Avatar of adonis1976
adonis1976

sirbounty,

i'm just curios.. what does those two command do?
also chck this

Mshta.exe Error Message Appears When You Start the Add/Remove Programs Tool in Control Panel
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=285195

Sunray
sirbounty,

will control.exe work in windows 2k as in windows xp to open control panel.

xetava, just try that

Thanks,
Sunray
Yes it will (control.exe).
The prior post (from me) will manually open the Add/Remove wizard.  I believe the one with the 0 is for XP and "1" for 2K.
Once you can get this up, you may want to try removing 'suspicious' items or anything recently installed.

Sunray has a nice link for virus/spyware removal JIC. . .(if you don't mind :)

Additionally, probably not necessary with a 'new' build, but JIC, before the SFC /Scannow, run SFC /Purgecache (won't hurt if already run).  Have your install CD handy. . .
Oops - sorry Sunray the /Purgecache was in your link. . .
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ASKER

Thanks for your quick responses! I'm still trying to get sfc /scannow to run. This is a remote server so I'm waiting for someone to put the CD in the drive. It's annoying that you can't specify another location with windows file protection... Anyway - as soon as I get it to run, I'll let you know. Thanks!
     
actually, you CAN, but it has to be accessable to the SYSTEM account-  which nixes all NETWORK sources-  You can however copy the file you need to the C: drive of the target machine and point to it.
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ASKER

windows file protection doesn't give me the option to browse to a new source. It just asks for the CD. I've already assigned the HKLM\Software\Mirosoft\Windows\Setup\Source value to point to a copy of the i386 directory on the hard disk... How else could I get it to read from the hard disk instead of the CD?
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ASKER

OK - I've been able to try all the proposed solutions here and still haven't made any progress. Here are the results:

sunray_2003: sfc /scannow ran but didn't solve the problem.

sirbounty: rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,0 - it would accept the command but then nothing would happen. The add/remove cpl never came up.

sunray_2003: The KB article was relevant but the proposed solution had no effect.

sirbounty: I can run control.exe and open the control panels (the problem wasn't with opening the control panels but with running the add/remove control panel).

Any other ideas? I'm considering having the local admin just reformat the box... Thanks!
Try replacing the appwiz.cpl file from a working copy (another machine or extract it from the installation CD).
To test it, you can simply do Start->Run->appwiz.cpl <enter>
It should bring up Add/Remove.  If not, then you've got an underlying library problem that SFC "should" have resolved. . .
You might also try to install the latest SPs, etc.

Try http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
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ASKER

Yeah -- this is strange. I've reapplied SP4 countless times. Replaced appwiz.cpl from a known good server... I'm giving up and telling the local admin to reformat the box since it's a new install anyway. I've wasted too much time on this issue as it is. Thanks to everyone for your help!
I've had the same problem on my windows 2000 server after upgrading to internet explorer 6.
Look at article http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;265829
Basicly what you need to do is start in safe mode with networking support and verify that the problem is resolved and then restart. Hope that will work for you too.
I had all these problems listed above-- I did this and it worked first try

Start a command session by going to Start, Run and typing
cmd
Enter each of the following commands (click OK to each confirmation that appears):
regsvr32 mshtml.dll
regsvr32 shdocvw.dll -i
regsvr32 shell32.dll -i
Close the command session by typing
exit

Then start add/remove from control panel -mine worked right away
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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gemarti
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Hey, hosenfeffer  - I just wanted to say thanks because your suggestion worked instantly and you saved me from having to rebuild a server - thanks a lot!
Hey, Hosenfeffer - I just had this problem and couldn't work out what was going on. After searching I came accross your fix. You are worth more money!!!
I was also experiencing the same problem but registering the dll's did not correct the problems.

I ended up running doing the following:

Goto Start>Run> and type SFC /PURGECACHE
after that run SFC /SCANNOW

After verifying the correct windows dll's I was able to run add/remove.

Trav
Hey HOSENFEFFER, you saved ME TOO! Thanks!
Thanks that worked for me!!!
hosenfeffer's solution worked for me, as well.  KUDOS!!!
The fix for add/remove programs not coming up and no error for us is reregistering some dlls as outlined here:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;329891#kb2
I had all the same problems and tried the registry entries.  They allowed me to finally begin to open the Add/Remove Programs window but then I got an IE Script Error.

It reads:
Line: 21, Char: 1, Error: Object doesn't support this property or method, Code: 0, URL: res://appwiz.cpl/default.hta

Then asks me if I want to continue running scripts on this page.  If I answer Yes, then I get a partial program display and it gets more and more jacked looking as I click the usual buttons on the left.

Any ideas?
Thanks hosenfeffer...fixed me too!
I just had a similar issue.  Make sure that msiexec.exe, msi.dll, and msihnd.dll are in c:\windows\system32.  I copied them there from the dllcache folder and then ran msiexec /regserver and add/remove programs started working again.