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Unable to access MSCONFIG in Win 7 RRS feed

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    I have lost access to MSCONFIG in Win7 Home edition. I get the error message 0x0000142. I cannot open MSCONFIG in safe mode either. I have not installed or updated anything. System restore does not correct the issue. I have run several virus and malware scans: nada. Everything else works properly and there is no unusual background activity. I am using the Win 7 firewall and Microsoft Security Essentials. What can cause this?
    Thursday, December 31, 2009 11:58 PM

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    Please directly launch the program in C:\Windows\System32\msconfig.exe. If it does not work, I suggest you copy the same program from another Windows 7 system and try to replace the corrupt one in the problematic system.

    If you encounter permission problems when trying to replace file, or the issue is not resolved after replacing the program, I suggest you do In-place Upgrade to repair the system.

    Arthur Xie - MSFT
    • Marked as answer by Arthur Xie Monday, January 25, 2010 7:14 AM
    Monday, January 4, 2010 9:26 AM
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    I noticed you said you tried to do an upgrade/reinstall, but you didn't say why it was unsuccessful, it should have given you some kind of error message. I know you're frustrated but we are here to help you. I don't work for Microsoft but the guys (even Microsoft employees) are here to help. All my IT people where I work love Windows 7 and I realize we're able to fix most problems thrown our way but we had I think only a minor problem that required a little bit of configuration and they work well on our domain. So don't give up, we'll get you thre.
    MCSE, MCSA, MCDST [If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.]
    • Marked as answer by Arthur Xie Monday, January 25, 2010 7:14 AM
    Monday, January 4, 2010 12:43 PM
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    The message was that my computer was not compatible with Windows 7 and so the installation was reverting to the prior installation, which happens to be Windows 7.
    I went through the  cbs.log and found the file that scannow was unable to replace: odbcint.dll.mui. I replaced this with a copy of odbcint.dll from an identical Win 7installation on another unit. There was no change, which may relate to the  "mui" part?

    I am curious if this is a corrupted file, corrupted registry or a file ownership issue. The processes that are supposed to initate with MSCONFIG are all seen in task manager. Using a program like CCCleaner I can make changes analagous to what I could with MSConfig although I cannot access MSCONFIG.

    I am resigned to eventually reformat/reinstall but I cannot afford the considerable downtime this will involve at present. If I can get this running properly again I will definitely image the disc this time.
    • Marked as answer by Arthur Xie Monday, January 25, 2010 7:14 AM
    Tuesday, January 5, 2010 1:41 AM

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    Does the MSCONFIG icon appear at the top of the Start Memu when you type in MSCONFIG in the Search programs and files box?
    Carey Frisch
    Friday, January 1, 2010 12:19 AM
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    Yes, but clicking on that or on the file directly, right clicking and choosing run as administrator all yield the same error.
    Friday, January 1, 2010 12:27 AM
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    Try the following:

    Type in CMD in the Search programs and files box, right-click on the CMD icon and select Run as administrator.  When the Windows opens, type in SFC/ SCANNOW and press the Enter key on your keyboard to scan for missing or corrupt system files.
    Carey Frisch
    Friday, January 1, 2010 3:15 AM
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    Thank you for your help. I ran the scan which generates  a log file CBS.log. Despite granting myself access/ownership to this log I am denied access to opening it. I still cannot open MSCONFIG.
    The entries for MSCONFIG in the registry mention only MS Groove, which I had long ago disabled from start up. Nothing else is listed. When I examine the running processes using Task Manager I see the processes that, as I recall, are checked off to load on the now inaccessible MSCONFIG. There must be a way to restore MSCONFIG via the registry or replace that one file.
    Friday, January 1, 2010 6:36 PM
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    What happens if you right-click on the MSCONFG icon and select Run as administrator?
    Carey Frisch
    Friday, January 1, 2010 7:22 PM
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    Same thing. I appreciate your answers but I am utterly disgusted with Microsoft.
    I have also tried an upgrade/reinstall: the upgrade was not successful and the previous version of Windows is being restored, hopefully, as I type this.
    If you search the web you will find many postings about this error message for XP and Vista indicating a structural flaw in the last several iterations of Windows that Microsoft has never bothered to fix: what a surprise.
    If I have to reformat/reinstall I have to beg Microsoft, Adobe et al to reactivate programs I have paid for and they can refuse to reactivate based on the whims of Indians in a call center.
    This is just wrong.


    Saturday, January 2, 2010 1:30 AM
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    Please directly launch the program in C:\Windows\System32\msconfig.exe. If it does not work, I suggest you copy the same program from another Windows 7 system and try to replace the corrupt one in the problematic system.

    If you encounter permission problems when trying to replace file, or the issue is not resolved after replacing the program, I suggest you do In-place Upgrade to repair the system.

    Arthur Xie - MSFT
    • Marked as answer by Arthur Xie Monday, January 25, 2010 7:14 AM
    Monday, January 4, 2010 9:26 AM
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    I noticed you said you tried to do an upgrade/reinstall, but you didn't say why it was unsuccessful, it should have given you some kind of error message. I know you're frustrated but we are here to help you. I don't work for Microsoft but the guys (even Microsoft employees) are here to help. All my IT people where I work love Windows 7 and I realize we're able to fix most problems thrown our way but we had I think only a minor problem that required a little bit of configuration and they work well on our domain. So don't give up, we'll get you thre.
    MCSE, MCSA, MCDST [If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.]
    • Marked as answer by Arthur Xie Monday, January 25, 2010 7:14 AM
    Monday, January 4, 2010 12:43 PM
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    The message was that my computer was not compatible with Windows 7 and so the installation was reverting to the prior installation, which happens to be Windows 7.
    I went through the  cbs.log and found the file that scannow was unable to replace: odbcint.dll.mui. I replaced this with a copy of odbcint.dll from an identical Win 7installation on another unit. There was no change, which may relate to the  "mui" part?

    I am curious if this is a corrupted file, corrupted registry or a file ownership issue. The processes that are supposed to initate with MSCONFIG are all seen in task manager. Using a program like CCCleaner I can make changes analagous to what I could with MSConfig although I cannot access MSCONFIG.

    I am resigned to eventually reformat/reinstall but I cannot afford the considerable downtime this will involve at present. If I can get this running properly again I will definitely image the disc this time.
    • Marked as answer by Arthur Xie Monday, January 25, 2010 7:14 AM
    Tuesday, January 5, 2010 1:41 AM
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    Hi guys I have the same problem with my msconfig but when I write msconfig on run .nothing do not happen ..I found msconfig in system32

    but when I do double click on it nothing do not happen

    is there any way to repair it

    please help me  :(  

    Wednesday, January 9, 2013 3:55 AM