MSConfig and services.msc are missing...?

Not sure if this is the correct place for this but...this morning I noticed an exclamation in my taskbar that services were not running. I looked for services.msc in the search in the start button, but nothing came up. I also typed in MSConfig in the search in the start button search, and again, nothing came up. I also cannot find anything that resembles "administrative tools" anywhere, The exclamation point has since disappeared, but...why am I not seeing these items in my start button? Exactly what does services.msc do? I'm running the 64-bit Windows 7. Any help would be appreciated.

Services.msc is the control panel to show you all available services on the machine, of which you can configure to start/stop at your will. Services.msc isn't going to come up when you search in the Start bar. However, if you had hit enter after typing it, it would/should have come up. If they're not coming up after typing them and hitting enter, we have a different issue going on.

Just type "services" and it should be at the top of the list. Administrative tools should show up in Control Panel (try View by: Large icons). If you go into Taskbar and Start Menu, there is an option to have it displayed in the start menu under the Start Menu Tab. Some Virus infections will try to stop you from removing them by blocking or disabling msconfig, services, administrative tools etc, just keep that in mind. If your firewall is also turned of and or your antivirus isn't running that may be a tip off to an infection.

Thank you both for your replies. Neither services.msc nor msconfig will come up in "start." However, if I go to Control Panel and type in Administrator in the "search" bar, I can get into administrative tools, where I can find and open both "services" and System Configuration. Is it possible that they are hidden in the start menu? Odd...

Even though they don't show up in the Start menu when you search, if you hit enter after typing them, does it bring them up?

No - neither one of them.
I do believe I saw in some other forum that they sometimes are hidden in the start menu and there is way to engage that, but I don't remember how or where I saw it,.

By default "Administrative tools" doesn't show up in the start menu. You need to go into "Start Menu and Taskbar" options and check a box to have it displayed. Once its there, services will show up under it.

Thanks, but I can't find "taskbar options" in the Start menu, either. NOt having a good day....LOL

alphanumeric said:

By default "Administrative tools" doesn't show up in the start menu. You need to go into "Start Menu and Taskbar" options and check a box to have it displayed. Once its there, services will show up under it.

This is what I've been getting at. However, they don't come up at all after hitting enter, which is a separate issue altogether. Typing services.msc into the Start search box and hitting enter should bring it up, regardless of whether it's set to be searchable or displayed in there.

hybucket, is this an administrator account you are using to do this or a standard user account?

hybucket said:

Thanks, but I can't find "taskbar options" in the Start menu, either. NOt having a good day....LOL

Right click the Start orb/button and select properties. Then under the "Start Menu" tab click the Customize... button. Scroll down and you will see a "System administrative tools" option. By default its set to Don't display this option. Just change it to one of the other two options. This should not have any effect on the search box though, msconfig and services should show up regardless.