Solved No response from "Personalization" option

[handygrandad]

I get no response from the personalisation icon in the Control Panel or "Personalize" in the desktop context menu.

I have been able to get a response in the Control Panel by changing the "view by" to Category then selecting "Change Desktop Background", this produces the error message :

Windows Cannot Find ::{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683}\::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4BFE-...\pageWallpaper

I have had no cause to access Personalization for a long time, so there are many possible causes that may have gone unnoticed. However, my most recent installation was the program "Active Desktop Calendar". This created a kind of desktop overlay and substituted my desktop wallpaper with a black background.

I didn't like the way this software had taken over my desktop, so I uninstalled it using Revo uninstaller (to ensure there were no lefftovers). I got back my original wallpaper and everything seemed OK until I tried to access the "Personalization" option ... ... and nothing happened.

So far, I have searched the Windows Seven Forum and the wider 'net. I have installed and uninstalled the program a second time using it's own uninstaller in case Revo had had some negative effect. I have run sfc /scannow and I have created and logged on to another "User". Finally I ran "System Restore" .... but sadly, all without resolving the problem.

As far as I can tell everything else is running normally. Any help would be apreciated.

 

[GokAy]

Try a clean startup - http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ation-conflicts-performing-clean-startup.html

How about Safe Mode?

 

[handygrandad]

Thanks for the prompt response ... ... I tried a clean boot but the problem persisted, so there was no apparent conflict.

Unfortunately I was unable to boot at all after resetting msconfig ... ... so I resorted to my Acronis recovery disc to "recover" a disk image. I am now gradually bringing the system back up to date, and so far "personalization" is working OK. I am increasingly confident that it was the uninstalling of "Active Desktop Calendar" with Revo that caused the problem ... so I won't be installing that again !!

Thanks for your help.

 

[Brds7t7]

Thanks for the prompt response ... ... I tried a clean boot but the problem persisted, so there was no apparent conflict.

Unfortunately I was unable to boot at all after resetting msconfig ... ... so I resorted to my Acronis recovery disc to "recover" a disk image. I am now gradually bringing the system back up to date, and so far "personalization" is working OK. I am increasingly confident that it was the uninstalling of "Active Desktop Calendar" with Revo that caused the problem ... so I won't be installing that again !!

Thanks for your help.

Definitely sounds like uninstalling that program with Revo caused the problem.
I tend to stay away from those type of uninstallers. While they're often okay they can occasionally remove a little too much and cause issues. Usually uninstalling via Windows control panel then using something like CCleaner should clean it up enough.

 

[GokAy]

Hmm, I thought Revo is one of the good software. Anyway, if clean startup failed to boot perhaps you disabled some MS services?