(solved with secret hack) No control panel, no right click?

[scorpion 0]

I have some computers with an AMD Duron processor running window 98.

 

The system is right click blocked, it has no control panel, and in the browser I can click on tools but they are greyed out.

 

I deleted Spybot Search and Destroy believing that the program was part of the system blocking. I am still locked out.

 

With a step by step approach I am comfortable to go in to regedit, and make the changes that will allow me to regain control.

 

I have admin rights.

 

I went to C:\win98 to see if I could find the control panel icon. I found setup and ran it. It helped some, but not enough!

 

I went in to windows, and looked around in system, and system 32.

 

My next step is to reinstall ie6.

 

Any help anyone?

 

Does anyone know of any win 98 tweaks, or "treats".

 

I will be setting some computers up for product demos using some kind of media player, and triggering DVR Alarm inputs, and triggering product lighting such as cabinet "hockey pucks".

 

Later when I get some cd drives installed I may try XP. I believe these machines will run them.

 

Thank you for your tricks, tweaks, and help getting back control!

Edited July 13, 2007 by Guest

[scorpion 0]

GRRRR

 

Installed ie6

 

Start>Settings> GRRRR NO Control Panel!! AAAAAAAA!

[CollinR 0]

Fdisk then XP

 

 

Really W98 sucks, I wouldn't run anything on them much less some kind of demo. Doing so would surely make you look amature at best as they seem to BSOD daily.

[scorpion 0]

I would rather learn to undo what I have. I am more interested in tinkering, and learning.

 

These were used for a call center, that was built in 99. I never had a chance to switch OS. Now that I have an excuse, I can get off my can and make it happen.

 

I just was not interested in licensing 10 + Win XP.

 

Thanks!

[UMDRanger 0]

You could install XP with the free Corporate Key. I think the catch on it is that it doesn't let you do the automatic updates.

 

And I assume you did the basic attempt of trying to boot in safe mode.

[rory 0]

Yeh Corporate is not seen as genuine on MS site's ..

OEM XP Home goes for $80 each ...

 

As for 98, well would be same as ME, but havent used it in a couple years so cant do anything without being there ...

 

Reinstalling IE wont help a bit.

Reinstalling Windows and doing a format before hand, will.

 

Sounds like malware, or someone that had access to the PC Just locked it down for you

[scorpion 0]

We had an IT guy set everything up. I have to really commend him on his set up. These have been running since 99 with out any incidence. Not one BSOD that I am aware of!

 

OK, I know! These are locked down so tight that I could shove a piece of coal in the 3.5 drive bay, and pull out a diamond!

 

I wish I could find this guy!

 

There were times I had a thought about softening the settings, but I knew I would just be opening myself up to the employees going to places where they shouldn't, and downloading "FREE GAMES", and what have you!

 

I went in to reg edit, and I did a search for "block control panel". I found a setting, and I deleted it. It did not work.

 

For me, its just a curiosity!

[scorpion 0]

I regained right click, and the use of tools in IE. Reloading win 98 from it's own startup program listed in win 98 file, reloading IE, and using HighJack this.

 

I still cannot right click on desktop therefore I cannot get to properties.

 

I still have no control panel therefore I do not have add/remove programs

 

I found an icon for internet options and created a shortcut on the desktop.

 

In IE view, I still cannot do anything with toolbar. Options are still greyed out.

[rory 0]

yeah well you have to reformat when you reload windows.

Burn 98 to a CD, create a boot floppy, then format before you reinstall 98 from DOS mode.

 

If these are really old systems, maybe AMD 600Mhz, I definitely would not load Windows XP on them, XP needs at least 1.7 to work good, you can get away with a 1.2 Ghz if its a mobile CPU, but still very slow, actually you can load it on a 300Ghz but it will crawl until you pull your teeth out, and probably cry when it keeps hanging.

 

In fact I would load Windows ME over 98 any day of the week, it has some additional options 98 didnt have, for tweaking that is. I still have some ME machines out in the home user field that I built back in the late 90's, that never required anything besides the occasional cleanup, also never got BSODs. Ofcourse its been suggested they buy new PCs as of the past couple years, and I dont support them anymore, but so far so good. Ive heard others had issues with ME, though I never did, in fact I ran a web server on it for several years before switching to XP, and only switched to support newer software, as ofcourse XP is slower than ME (requires faster hardware).

 

$200 can get you a new PC these days, id suggest it for certain, then you can run XP and get support for current software.

[aace 0]

I would rather learn to undo what I have. I am more interested in tinkering, and learning.

 

These were used for a call center, that was built in 99. I never had a chance to switch OS. Now that I have an excuse, I can get off my can and make it happen.

 

I just was not interested in licensing 10 + Win XP.

 

Thanks!

It sounds like the PC's have been locked down by policies. Look for poledit.exe, I think it is on 98. You can use it to edit the policies.

[scorpion 0]

On one of the computers I found MSN IM, and other various programs, and I saw a few programs were off the machine that were originally there.

 

I was really curious, and I called this ex employee, and I asked him "How in the hell did you get past all of the blocks?"!!!!!

 

At first he would not fess up, but I had to hand it to him that I was impressed that he could do it. He finally had to tell me what he did.

 

I was waiting for a long list of computer code, and gibberish when he told me........

 

 

"Hit start > Help > scroll down to control panel > press display, and your control panel will come up"!

 

I was stunned! Actually, I was speechless!! I asked him how did he change his screen settings? You have got to be kidding me!!!!

 

"Hit start > Help > Properties > press display, and then you can change settings!"

 

WTF!!!!!!

 

This is so easy my 5 year old daughter could hack these machines!!!!

 

I am speechless! I did not realize how easy it was to make changes. I am glad he did not share his Knowledge with the rest of the staff!!! LOL!

 

NEXT STEP LOCK DOWN HELP!!!

 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

[scorpion 0]

I never could find poleedit.exe!

 

I did a search in regedit and I could not find it there either!

 

I am still laughing my butt off about this "hack"!

[rory 0]

well you could just disable windows help, also is the run menu still there? You can also disable that, if it is there:

 

type:

control desk.cpl

 

to bring up the display properties (not sure about win 98 though)

 

or just type:

control

 

to bring up the control panel

 

also you can do that from the MS DOS Prompt or Command Prompt.

 

I know how to lock down XP, cant speak for ME/98 right now though, its been a long time plus never had the need.

[rory 0]

I never could find poleedit.exe!

 

I did a search in regedit and I could not find it there either!

 

I am still laughing my butt off about this "hack"!

 

its Poledit.exe

 

1 "e"

[rory 0]

I still cannot right click on desktop therefore I cannot get to properties.

User Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\

Explorer]

System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\

Explorer]

Value Name: NoViewContextMenu

Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)

Value Data: (0 = disabled, 1 = enabled)

 

I still have no control panel therefore I do not have add/remove programs

Create a new shortcut on the desktop, or whereever it is missing, enter the path as "control" without the quotes. You can then change the icon to your liking or leave it as is.

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/192806

 

 

In IE view, I still cannot do anything with toolbar. Options are still greyed out.

 

Create a new DWORD value based on the options below, and set the new value to equal "1" to enable the restriction or "0" to disable the restriction.

 

NoToolbarOptions - Disable the ability to change toolbar selection.

NoAddressBar - Disable the address bar.

NoToolBar - Disable the tool bar.

NoLinksBar - Disable the links bar.

 

Restart Internet Explorer for the restrictions to take effect.

 

User Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbars\

Restrictions]

System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\

Toolbars\Restrictions]

Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)

Value Data: (0 = disable restriction, 1 = enable restriction)

 

go here for further information on your other problems:

http://www.pctools.com/guides/registry/

[scorpion 0]

I was laughing so hard that I did not edit my post.

 

I was just typing to fast! Thank you for the heads up though.

 

I know all of this has been a waste of my time, but then again I have learned a lot!

 

Maybe I will learn to hack a Z80!!!!!!!

 

Noooooooo!!!!!!!! Just kidding!!!!!!!

[scorpion 0]

Tool bar issue was resolved.

 

I forgot what I did to bring it back but it was part of reloading IE, and removing item in the Highjack this. I removed everything in 04.

 

Thank you Rory for the regedit info!!!

[rory 0]

yeah but when you get on a PC that as HELP disabled, as I do with the ones I load up ...

[scorpion 0]

Thank you Rory!

 

System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\

 

I was amazed at how many items were listed here. I switched values to 0, and everything came up!

 

run, and all items in settings.

 

Thank you again!

Edited July 13, 2007 by Guest

[rory 0]

no prob ..

[aace 0]

I never could find poleedit.exe!

 

I did a search in regedit and I could not find it there either!

 

I am still laughing my butt off about this "hack"!

Like he said it's poledit.exe.

 

If it's not on the C: drive it should be on the CD in the tools directory. Lot's of nifty tricks in it. 98 is pretty hard to totally lock down from someone who knows what they are doing. 2k and XP are better, especially if they are on an AD.

[scorpion 0]

I just plugged in the last computer out of this group. I just got to desk top, and what do I see (?), a cartoon cursor! Oh boy this one is going to be fun to clean!

 

This one had no blocks on it what so ever.

 

It is amazing what people (employees) will do even when told what not to do!

 

I feel sorry for the people out there that do not know what "magnet" is.

That will be the first thing I remove along with all the other P2P.

 

How come no one shuts down these "free" game sites? I wanted to mention the games, but I would say something like "frenzy fish", and those kind of games instead.

 

I would throw in a new hard drive, but I will wait until I pull a couple of the files that I need first.

 

It must be hell being an IT guy at a large company.