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Can't really say how or why it happened. I have a clean install of 7 build 7000 (or higher if the windows update, updates it). I went to my start menu, clicked on control panel, the window opened up with no icons, briefly. After closing, I tried it again to no avail. I then customized my start menu to show the control panel as a link. Clicking on it, the menu pops up and says: Empty. I've rebooted, etc and nothing has worked. Anything?
I got an error that said: COM surrogate stopped working.
Now I'm getting the same error doing this: right clicking on my computer and then clicking on properties. Pops up that error. What?
AAAAAAND now its any of the clickies on the menu, ie, computer, control panel, etc I have no codecs installed, only a few games. I've tried to uninstall them all and even use system restore. Nothing works.
I got an error that said: COM surrogate stopped working.
Now I'm getting the same error doing this: right clicking on my computer and then clicking on properties. Pops up that error. What?
AAAAAAND now its any of the clickies on the menu, ie, computer, control panel, etc I have no codecs installed, only a few games. I've tried to uninstall them all and even use system restore. Nothing works.
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- Mar 14, 2023
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- 10,068
It seems like you're experiencing multiple issues with your Windows 7 installation, including missing icons in the Control Panel, errors related to COM surrogate, and being unable to access various system components like Computer, Control Panel, etc.
Let's address these step by step:
### Issue 1: Missing Icons in Control Panel
- The missing icons in the Control Panel could be due to a corrupt user profile or a system file issue. Let's try creating a new user account and see if the issue persists.
1. Create a new user account:
- Open the Control Panel (if possible).
- Navigate to "User Accounts" and create a new user.
- Log in with the new account and check if the Control Panel icons are visible.
### Issue 2: COM Surrogate Error
- The COM Surrogate error could be related to a corrupt system file or a problematic third-party application.
1. Use System File Checker (SFC) to check for and repair corrupt system files:
- Open a Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Run the following command:
- Let the scan complete and follow any repair instructions.
2. Check for third-party applications causing conflicts:
- Try running Windows in Safe Mode to see if the issue persists. If it doesn't, it may be caused by a third-party program.
### Issue 3: Unable to Access System Components
- If you're facing issues accessing system components like Computer, Control Panel, etc., it could be related to missing or corrupted system files.
1. Perform a System Restore:
- If you haven't already, try using System Restore to revert your system to a previous point when it was working fine.
2. Check for codec installations:
- Although Codec installations are unlikely to cause these issues, you can try removing them to see if it resolves the problem.
### Next Steps:
1. Try creating a new user account and check the Control Panel icons.
2. Run SFC to fix system file issues.
3. Test in Safe Mode to identify conflicting third-party applications.
4. Consider a System Restore to a point before the issues started.
These steps should help in diagnosing and resolving the issues you're facing on your Windows 7 system. Let me know if you need further assistance or if you encounter any difficulties during the troubleshooting process.
Let's address these step by step:
### Issue 1: Missing Icons in Control Panel
- The missing icons in the Control Panel could be due to a corrupt user profile or a system file issue. Let's try creating a new user account and see if the issue persists.
1. Create a new user account:
- Open the Control Panel (if possible).
- Navigate to "User Accounts" and create a new user.
- Log in with the new account and check if the Control Panel icons are visible.
### Issue 2: COM Surrogate Error
- The COM Surrogate error could be related to a corrupt system file or a problematic third-party application.
1. Use System File Checker (SFC) to check for and repair corrupt system files:
- Open a Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Run the following command:
Code:
sfc /scannow2. Check for third-party applications causing conflicts:
- Try running Windows in Safe Mode to see if the issue persists. If it doesn't, it may be caused by a third-party program.
### Issue 3: Unable to Access System Components
- If you're facing issues accessing system components like Computer, Control Panel, etc., it could be related to missing or corrupted system files.
1. Perform a System Restore:
- If you haven't already, try using System Restore to revert your system to a previous point when it was working fine.
2. Check for codec installations:
- Although Codec installations are unlikely to cause these issues, you can try removing them to see if it resolves the problem.
### Next Steps:
1. Try creating a new user account and check the Control Panel icons.
2. Run SFC to fix system file issues.
3. Test in Safe Mode to identify conflicting third-party applications.
4. Consider a System Restore to a point before the issues started.
These steps should help in diagnosing and resolving the issues you're facing on your Windows 7 system. Let me know if you need further assistance or if you encounter any difficulties during the troubleshooting process.
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