NO FOLDER OPTIONS ON XP Media Center Verison 2005

you've been probably hit by malware...
take a look at this article:
http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/2007/06/28/restore-task-manager-regedit-and-folder-options-disabled-by-virus/

so there's no need to reinstall anything... however, it will only work if your system is already clean

open the group policy editor
Start\Run type gpedit.msc
now move through the left pane to:
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer\
now to the right find the key: Removes the Folder Options menu from the Tools Menu

double click and select: Not Configured

Click ok and restart your computer, you can see folder option in explorer...

The system is not clean and has deteriotated since my first post.  Additional failure modes have appeared:  START does not respond, clock appears when mouse is pointed to the task bar, mouse click will no longer start any program on the desk top.  All appears to be functional when I start in safe mode.
I checked the User configuration while in safe mode and all items show as not configured.  Can't get to the run command in regular boot.  Sounds like virus making progressive mess.

dtm-rwe
If your system is corrupted. It does not matter what any one tells you to do.
And does not matter what you do to the system, you wil HAVE to reinstall it.
You have no other choice.

You could have already reinstalled it by now, and been back up and running.

Windows XP - Delete (C:\ Partition) | Recrete C:\ | Format NTFS | Reinstall OS.
About 45-minutes to your desktop.
Now install all drivers and AntiVirus (Updates)
Then Microsoft Windows Updates.
Then your software that you want.

Total Time: 3:45
That simple and you are good to go.

9:32pm <-- my first post
12:42am <-- your last post
That is more then enough time to have already reinstalled the system.

Good Luck
Carrzkiss

Would have started with the reload, but I wanted to see if any options existed for getting at Outlook files and other data that is in hidden folders.  Already had other data backed up.  By the way, do you know if ANY XP media center repair functionallity exist anywhere?  I have done this before with regular XP SP1&2.

If you just want to try to do a repair.
Then.
Put your XPMCE CD in the drive, Boot up with CDRom Support.
And choose the Repair.
(This takes as long as it does to Install)
Once the repair is complete.
Try to access your Data through Show Hidden Files and Folders.
Then
After you have backed up everything
Reboot the computer.
And [REINSTALL] the system.

I do not care what any one says.
A repair on a corrupted system just hides what is messed up.
I have had to many nitemares of crap like this.

So.
Let me know how it goes.
Carrzkiss

I totally agree.  I am a firm believer that I would rather spend 3 hours on a total reload and know that my system was sound, than spend 12 hours trying to find and fix the problem.  However, my primary goal on this machine was to recover as much data as possible.  (it belongs to a friend.  My system runs ACRONIS to a remote hard drive every night so I have an out if this happened to me).  For example, the lack of functionallity of ITUNES due to the systems problems will make reloading the salvaged 689 songs a bitch.  Some of the embedded pictures etc will be lost.  I also would have liked to searched for particular drivers etc., however, without hidden file access, a lot of what I wanted to do was impossible.  Incidentally, I ran 2 versions of BRONTOK removal tools and found no contamination present.  The system had a new updated version of McAfee on board so I doubt that a virus could have slipped by.  NEXT, the factory disk that came with this Dell DOES NOT have a repair option.  I have found that Dell is notorious for supplying minimal system and driver disk info with their machines. HP does a better job.  But don't get me started on those two.  Anyway, thanks for the advise.  I have already reloaded and will reload the data tomorrow night.

humm.
So all you have is a Restore disk.
If you are going to be doing computer work for others it might be best for you
To go out and purchase the XP CD's.
You can OEM CD's for little of nothing through Newegg.com

Restore disk are a joke, and should have never been made.

You only other choice is to take the Hard drive out and put it in your computer
And retrieve all the data that you want from it that way.

Good luck
Carrzkiss