can't access control panel

[pbhewitt]

When I click on the control panel icon on my desktop nothing happens. When I click on start>control panel I get the same result. I have a power options icon on my desktop and that does not work either. If I right click the power options icon and choose open file location the control panel opens normally. Everything works fine in safe mode though. What could be causing this problem?

 

[seavixen32]

Welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

I thing a virus scan in safe mode should be your first option, for which Malwarebytes is ideally suited.

Malwarebytes : Free anti-malware, anti-virus and spyware removal download

 

[pbhewitt]

Thanks for your reply but that did not help. I ran malwarebytes and some other anti spyware program in safe mode and nothing has changed. Another thing that I forgot to mention is that my hard drive never stops working in normal mode. I can hear it chattering and the light stays on almost 100% of the time. That does not happen in safe mode either.

 

[seavixen32]

In that case it may pay you to run a diagnostic check on your hard drive.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html

The constant chatter is probably the hard drive being indexed, but I still think you should run chkdsk on it.

 

[Layback Bear]

If you hear a chattering coming out of your hard drive I would backup every thing before it quiets. Hard drives should not chatter. Please post you specs using the User CP at the top of every page.

 

[pbhewitt]

I ran disk check on the C: drive and my control panel icons work now. I am still having problems with the hard drive though. When I said it was chattering I meant that I could hear it working. It is not making any noises that it shouldn't. Thanks for all the input so far!