Menu Control Panel Blank Entry Removal

abuczynski1 · 07 Jun 2013

Hey all,
I have a blank item in my Start -> control panel menu which I can't get rid of and it's driving me crazy:

It does not appear in separate window control panel. I've been looking around and trying all the solutions but nothing has worked so far. When I try to create a shortcut of it to the desktop, I get the drive full error. Looking in regedit, there is an entry for "Biometrics" in namespace which I think is the culprit as I've removed the BioExcess fingerprint software and it doesn't match up to anything else in the cp menu, but if I try to remove it I get an error claiming "Error while deleting key". Same thing happens in safe mode. I have tried reinstalling the software (BioExcess for Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit), XP - Lenovo B Series and V Series Notebook) and uninstalling it, but that changed nothing. Anyone have any ideas what else I could try?

ICIT2LOL · 07 Jun 2013

Hello and welcome abu mate I cannot see the pic in a view that can be read as the attachment does not enlarge. Is iut the folder looking item at the top? if so right clcik on it and check the properties it should tell you the site and other stuff about it.

By the way this looks like an XP screen is it??

abuczynski1 · 07 Jun 2013

ICit2lol said:

Hello and welcome abu mate I cannot see the pic in a view that can be read as the attachment does not enlarge. Is iut the folder looking item at the top? if so right clcik on it and check the properties it should tell you the site and other stuff about it.

By the way this looks like an XP screen is it??

It is Win 7 Home Premium x64 but with visual themes/styles disabled.
Yes, it is the blank entry at the top with the generic folder icon. Right clicking the entry brings up a menu with Open, Create Shortcut, and Sort by Name.
Clicking Open gives the error: "Application not found."
Create shortcut: "Windows could not create the shortcut. Check to see if the disk is full."

Here is the screenshot, uncropped and original resolution:

Brink · 07 Jun 2013

Hello abuczynski, and welcome to Seven Forums.

When you open the Control Panel (icons view), does it show there as well?

As mentioned by you, the Control Panel icons are listed in the registry locations below. You'll have to take ownership (Option Three) of and set permissions to "Allow" your administrator account "Full control" of a key before it will let you delete it.

I would recommend exporting the key as a backup before deleting it. This way if it wasn't it, you could just merge the .reg file to restore it.

(User specific if any)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel\NameSpace

(Main one)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel\NameSpace

Hope this helps some, :)
Shawn