The services window has been displaying wrong for a while now on my XP laptop and now the exact same thing has happened on another XP machine. Anyone got any clue what's causing this:
Are both of your laptops using (what looks like) a windows 7 theme? Try setting it back to the default Luna and open it again.
Are both of your laptops using (what looks like) a windows 7 theme? Try setting it back to the default Luna and open it again.
No, one is using a Vista style theme, the other is using the default XP theme(and resetting, or turning off, themes makes no difference)
If you have the install disc (some systems have an i386 folder located at the root directory also,) try running system file check.
I really have no idea what would cause such a strange error, unless some piece of software you had on both systems damaged the file somehow.
I recently had the exact same problem JD, and I couldn't find a fix, or a cause.
I even replaced the "services.msc" file in system32 with one from my daughters Notebook, but that didn't make any difference at all, so it isn't a problem with with the file, and I messed about with everything else I could think of.
It only got fixed by restoring an Image, although I didn't do the restore for that reason. It's a weird one to be sure.
I'm running XP SP3 with no installed themes, or any other graphic type "add-ons" which could be the cause.
I would love to know the answer, but googling didn't bring up anything.
EDIT: Forgot, I took a screenshot at the time, for what it's worth.
Sods law I'd find someone who had the same problem, and no fix lol. Not gonna do an image restore just for this, its a minor annoyance more than anything. Just wish I knew what the common link was that caused it.
I read somwhere that someone had a similar problem and they sorted it by updating the driver for their Logitech mouse. Do you have setpoint.exe?
Yeah I found that when Googling Hazel, neither have Logitech mice (both are laptops) or setpoint
Shame, thought it was worth a mention just in case JD.
No probs, appreciate all and any possible solutions
Sods law I'd find someone who had the same problem, and no fix lol. Not gonna do an image restore just for this, its a minor annoyance more than anything. Just wish I knew what the common link was that caused it.
Let me know when that minor annoyance becomes a major niggle.
Now that I know I wasn't alone with the glitch, I'm more keen to find the common denominator we must share.
I'll have a think as to what I lost when I did the restore. The Image was only a couple of months old and I still have it, so I'll mount it as a drive and compare it with my current C: drive and see if anything obvious jumps out.
Out of interest, I don't have setpoint.exe either but worth a shot hazel.
Maybe microsoft is sabotaging Windows XP boxes, so you'll buy Windows 7 !
I have that blacked out s**t in Windows Add/Remove Programs, I'm at the point of thinking it's some borked Windows Update that did it because I've seen it on a bunch of Windows XP machines and the only thing they'd all have 100% in common is Windows Updates.
You can get yourself a small free replacement for the Services.msc, it's Nirsoft ServiWin!!!
In Nirsoft ServiWin you'd need to change the display to services by clicking: View->Services
Screenshot:
Two other things that come to mind.
1. Nvidia grapics cards?
2. Does it still happen when you open services.msc in safe mode?
In my case of having that blacked out area (only in Add/Remove Programs) it happened even with an ATI card. I had the blacked out area with a messed up XP install, and it happened immediately after a fresh install after doing some Windows Updates, that was back in January 2010.
I had a very similar problem on my XP SP3 machine several weeks ago, but rather than affecting the Services window, it affected the Windows Security Center. I never did find a fix, so I ended up formatting and re-installing Windows from scratch. That obviously doesn't help you, just thought I'd share.
Two other things that come to mind.
1. Nvidia grapics cards?
2. Does it still happen when you open services.msc in safe mode?
1. Nope, one an ATI, one an Intel onboard gfx
2, Yup, still happens in safe mode.
I'm glad I'm not the only one at a total loss to explain how the hell it happened.
And thanks for the ServiWin suggestion Andavari, at least that's a usable workaround