CAN'T: Open Control Panel, Restore, Printer, 'print spooler' error...

mbradford101 · Jan 5, 2009

Over the last week or so, I've had a number of issues that I've spent hours trying to solve, with no luck. I think they're either virus issues or registry issues - or both. Nothing I've tried so far has worked...

Right now, I can't open my Windows Control Panel at all. I click it, and it starts to open and then closes. I also can't open System Restore. I click it and nothing happens.

I also can't print anything, and all my printers have been removed (printer, PDF, etc.). When I try to print (or add a printer), I get an error saying the local print spooler service is not running.

And presumably unrelated, I also can't right-click any files of any kind anywhere in Windows. I get error "explorer.exe fatal application exit" saying module cannot be found, referencing Adobe CS4 Version Cue.

I tried a registry repair program, AVG anti-virus (which removed viruses, but made no improvement in these problems); ran MS OneCare anti-virus, and did a system restore a couple of days ago (when Restore was still opening). I also tried restarting in diagnostic mode, and there was no difference.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Mark

Airbot · Jan 5, 2009

mbradford101 said:
Over the last week or so, I've had a number of issues that I've spent hours trying to solve, with no luck. I think they're either virus issues or registry issues - or both. Nothing I've tried so far has worked...

Right now, I can't open my Windows Control Panel at all. I click it, and it starts to open and then closes. I also can't open System Restore. I click it and nothing happens.

I also can't print anything, and all my printers have been removed (printer, PDF, etc.). When I try to print (or add a printer), I get an error saying the local print spooler service is not running.

And presumably unrelated, I also can't right-click any files of any kind anywhere in Windows. I get error "explorer.exe fatal application exit" saying module cannot be found, referencing Adobe CS4 Version Cue.

I tried a registry repair program, AVG anti-virus (which removed viruses, but made no improvement in these problems); ran MS OneCare anti-virus, and did a system restore a couple of days ago (when Restore was still opening). I also tried restarting in diagnostic mode, and there was no difference.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Mark

Hi mbradford101,

Yeah, it sounds like malware. Have you tried running SFC, Checkdisk.

Try DL Malwarebytes, Spybot SD. Run a full scan with those. Avast is good as well, you can run a boot time scan.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html?ltr=S

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67612-check-disk-chkdsk.html

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/194765-system-recovery-options.html?ltr=S

mbradford101 · Jan 5, 2009

Thanks for the info.

I started trying to do the SFC thing, but I can't right-click any kind of file in Windows, so I can't run the command prompt as an administrator...

I keep getting a CS4 version cue .dll module not found error when I try to right-click anything. And the instructions from Adobe on fixing that aren't helping me either. I feel like I'm banging my head against a wall

Airbot · Jan 5, 2009

What about scheduling checkdisk? Or running SFC and the AV programs from safe mode?

mbradford101 · Jan 6, 2009

I'm trying everything I can... (I'm able to right-click now, so I can run command prompt as administrator now, and did the scans, found corrupt files - some of which it said could not be repaired).

Then I got the sfcdetails Notepad file (supposedly of the unrepairable files), but at the bottom it says, ""All files and registry keys listed in this transaction have been successfully repaired."

I still can't print, (and can't turn on the print spooler, which I keep getting error messages about when I try to print). I can't open my control panel, or my restore center, and get error messages saying my copy of Windows may not be valid. (My system is an off-the-shelf Gateway that came with Vista, but Gateway tech support simply says to reinstall Windows - not very helpful.)

Searching all over for a solution, and on this forum:
slsvc "the system cannot find the specified path" : Windows Vista Validation Issues (Windows Vista) : Microsoft Genuine Advantage : Microsoft Forums
someone else is having a similar problem, and I just posted this:

I've done multiple scan steps steps and when I try to restart Windows Software Services (which I'm assuming is part or all of the problem), I keep getting the message:

"The system cannot find the specified path"

After doing sfc /scannow, the command prompt said "Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them"

Then I did the command to find the logs which I got from this page: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html?ltr=S
and it gave me a Notepad file showing all the corrupt files.

On this page: Some Windows Vista functions may not work, or Windows Vista may stop responding
it has instructions on how to repair/replace the corrpupt files one by one...

It says "Type the following command to replace the file with a known good copy of the file:
Copy Path_And_File_Name_Of_Source_FilePath_And_File_Name_Of_Destination"
BUT WHERE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A "KNOWN GOOD COPY OF THE FILE" OR WHERE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GET ONE?

(On another note, what amazes me is that 90% of the time when I have a problem and end on a Microsoft support page - like the one above - it gives you a would-be solution, BUT DOES NOT take it a step further and link you to OTHER PAGES IN CASE THE INFO THEY JUST GAVE YOU DOESN'T SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM! LIke I said, for me this seems to be 90% of the time, which makes MS support pages almost useless. The last line on the support page above just says, "For example, type copy E:\temp\jscript.dll E:\windows\system32\jscript.dll." That'd be wonderful if only I had the file or knew where on earth it was! How is that Microsoft can't figure out things like this and have links to multiple 'contingency' solutions?!)

I can't turn on the Software Licensing Service - per the instructions above - because the system can't find the path... because apparently the file was corrupted by a virus or something, which I'm assuming is the cause of this whole problem...

SO WHERE DO YOU GET "KNOWN GOOD COPIES" OF THESE CORRPUT FILES?

I saw one place that charges $20 for different DLL files. But is there a free place to get them, or are the archived in a safe place in a Vista-running system (which sure would have been a nice thing for Windows to do in the first place - to automatically solve this problem, when it occurs

After several days of frustratingly banging my head against the wall, I'm just out of patience.

Dwarf · Jan 6, 2009

Hi mbradford101,

Have you considered this: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html If this doesn't work, then you may need to consider a Clean Install (as mentioned in this Tutorial - link under Related Links).

mbradford101 · Jan 6, 2009

I'll try that as my last resort

BUT I JUST REALIZED THAT BY TRYING TO SOLVE MY ORIGINAL PROBLEM THAT TURNED OUT TO BE AN ISSUE WITH ADOBE SOFTWARE, THAT I THINK I MAY HAVE TURNED OFF IMPORTANT SERVICES, AND THAT MAY BE THE CAUSE OF ALL THESE OTHER PROBLEMS...

BELOW ARE SCREEN CAPTURES OF ALL THE SERVICES IN MY SYSTEM THAT ARE SHOWING AS STOPPED. I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO TURN THEM BACK ON.

WONDERING IF THIS COULD BE THE REASON I CAN'T PRINT, PRINT SPOOLER TURNED OFF AND CAN'T SEEM TO BE TURNED ON, CAN'T ACCESS MY CONTROL PANEL, CAN'T ACCESS SYSTEM RESTORE, AND SO ON...

ARE MY PROBLEMS BEING CAUSED BECAUSE THESE ARE NOT RUNNING, AND CAN THIS BE FIXED?

Dwarf · Jan 6, 2009

Hi mbradford101,

First of all, please don't use all capitals. In forum etiquette, this is considered shouting and rude. In addition, it can make posts difficult to read. With that out of the way, back to your problem.
It is highly likely that your problems are caused by some of these services not running. I suggest that you follow the instructions in this Tutorial: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/59910-services.html and set all of the Microsoft Corporation services to Automatic. Please let us know if this helps.

mbradford101 · Jan 6, 2009

I just changed ALL my services to Automatic (many were on Manual), then restarted, and I still had all the same problems.

But in my Task Manager, I have a ton of services STOPPED (see below), which I can't turn on. Keeps saying the system cannot find the specified path.

I also made a Vista 64 recovery disc, but couldn't get that to work either. I booted from it, and tried Install (it couldn't find something in drive H????), and the other options under Repair did nothing. One looked for startup problems to repair (and I have none). The Restore option didn't work because it could find a file to restore to (my restore is not working), and didn't have a backup copy...

Dwarf · Jan 6, 2009

Hi mbradford101,

What are your system specifications, or, if pre-built, the manufacturer and model number? Judging by the problems you are having, you would be better off performing a Clean Installation of Vista.

Airbot · Jan 6, 2009

I would agree with Dwarf. If you can not correct all these problems after what all has been suggested, you might have to consider a clean install.

Damntheman · Sep 22, 2009

As sympathetic as I am to the tech support response "CLEAN INSTALL", I hate that it's become the acceptable substitute to "I'm sorry, I don't know how to help you". I can tell you right now that your problem is not malware, it is definately an adobe based fault. I decided to clean off a few unused programs this morning, among them some adobe products (dreamweaver, photoshop, etc). Now when I right click ANYTHING I get an explorer crash and the "cannot locate VersionCue.dll" error mentioned above. I assume it has to do with a right-click option like "open with photoshop" or some such thing (I'm just making up an example of the kind of specific option a product may have added to my right-click menues) which is calling this file that I recently uninstalled. The folder it is interested in no longer exists, I do not have a c:\program files\common files\adobe\Adobe Version Cue CS4\... folder, it is gone so I cannot move or rename some VersionCue.dll file contained within. If anyone can offer a solution or a suggestion of where to look I would greatly appreciate it. If you're thinking of responding with "I think it's malware" or "I think you need to format" please don't bother, it only makes these threads harder to read for people with the same problem.

CAN'T: Open Control Panel, Restore, Printer, 'print spooler' error...

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