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Since Oct 1 I have been beta testing Vista's SP1 and have identified a major bug that has not been fixed even with Vista RC that is due out tomorrow.

Scenario:
Vista SP1 beta installed on Laptop
Vista SP1 works normally (control panel and all functions working)
External VGA Port goes on the blink (stops working) 3 weeks ago
Sent in for repairs.
The laptop comes back 5 days later (hard drive and OS ) where not touched only the main PCB board was replaced.
Booted and no control panel and issues as described here;
support.microsoft.com/?kbid=936686
btw RC SP1 does contain the above hotfix.

Uninstalled SP1 by going into Safe Mode to access the Windows updates panel and uninstalled SP1.

Problem dissapeared. Back to original Vista, Control panel works.

2 days ago installed Vista SP1 RC. Same problem came up again, no control panel.
Uninstalled RC1, re-activated windows (entered product key again) legit retail vista ultimate then installed rc1 and still problem persists.

Would be interested to know if others have similar issues where hardware changes occur (thru repair etc).

Also a warning to anyone thinking of installing SP1 if you think some hardware has been changed since the original install.

ps..I do NOT even have NERO installed nor NeroINCd and never did install nero on this laptop. As the above kb article points to another hotfix.

DJ Nikos writes...

Since Oct 1 I have been beta testing Vista's SP1 and have identified a major bug that has not been fixed even with Vista RC that is due out tomorrow.

Have you reported it to MS via the appropriate beta-test bug reporting channels?

Im part of the connect program, i asked to be invited...they never did.

so i have been using my associates (he is in the US) install (he is part of the beta test program) yet his machine does not have this fault so reporting is useless.

and btw I NEED SP1 as I work in a domain and the 20 second lag issue to open a dialog box is the main reason I need it.
see here;
blogs.technet.com/markru...1/27/532465.aspx

sp1 fixes it but is useless for me with no control panel...

cheers

I'm running Vista SP1 RC1 64 bit and the control panel works fine for me.

DJ Nikos writes...

sp1 fixes it but is useless for me with no control panel...

Are you running a reg cleaner?

nope, like I stated b4, sp1beta was running fine before it went in for repairs...nothing has changed except the pcb board that was replaced...and remember uninstalling SP1 restores the control panel and probs go away

I also have imaged the drive before repairs...restored that and still identically the same problems with control panel..

DJ Nikos writes...

I also have imaged the drive before repairs...restored that and still identically the same problems with control panel..

Must be some weird issue with driver or utility software related to your mobo

DJ Nikos writes...

and btw I NEED SP1 as I work in a domain and the 20 second lag issue to open a dialog box is the main reason I need it.
see here;
blogs.technet.com/markru...1/27/532465.aspx

XP SP2 would fix that for you to.

So far you have said on this thread you are using something in an unreleased form, it doesnt work, and you want to report that it doesnt work. But because you haven't followed the correct channels you can't report it.
Why not go back to something that does work. (ie not Vista for your case) and then when the full release of SP1 is out, you can test to see if its fixed. If not you can then submit a bug report as a regular paying user, without having to be an an offical beta tester.

I'm having the exact same issue although I cannot even start control panel. And it started as soon as I installed SP1. Search for files is not working either.

DJ Nikos writes...

and btw I NEED SP1 as I work in a domain and the 20 second lag issue to open a dialog box is the main reason I need it.

Have you tried the Vista performance and reliability patches?

support.microsoft.com/kb/938979
support.microsoft.com/kb/938194

I had a similar lag issue and these definitely improved the situation.

I can't say that i'm having any problems with the control panel on Vista SP1 RC 64bit as it's working perfectly. And i was running on a fresh windows install before i updated to SP1 RC.

Have you tried the Vista performance and reliability patches?

yes I have in fact Im running back on original vista (uninstalled SP1) with all updates.

The 20 second lag is still there although not as frequent, eg when you immediately open another dialog box.

But still I suspect the anti-piracy part is falling over.

remember I was running SP1 successfully B4 the repair. Once new PCB is installed the Control Panel symptoms appeared only from then...that is after the repair took place.

I've just installed SP1 on my Desktop and Dell Vostro laptop.

Now in the Desktop the control panel is not appearing, and printing is broken.
This long thread at MS Support Forums shows this issue to be widespread in Vista even before SP1 with a hotfix issued in May-07

I've been running Vista with no issues (of this kind) for 8 months now.

I tried manually stopping and restarting the Software Licensing Services as suggested. This did not work.

I found and tried the hotfix suggested in the thread (read the last couple pages) but it says it's not needed for my system. Presumably because I don't have Nero InCD ? I may try installing InCd to see if the hotfix runs then. Or it could be because my system now reports Version 6.0.6001 and the hotfix is for

Frustrating indeed. I can access most features of Control Panel via an Explorer window, but printing is another matter...

Anyone else found a solution for this problem yet... ?

Strangely the Dell Vostro system is cruising along happily at SP1 level with Control Panel and printing working like nothing ever happened.

there was a solution posted on the technet forums about 're-arming' Vista to solve this 'reduced functionality' mode.

I havent't tried this myself since I reverted back to original Vista, but if someone can confirm this works then I'll be thinking of installing RC1 again.

Note: You might have to phone Microsoft to activate by phone again it seems. Please post if thats the case.

Here is the post;

forums.microsoft.com/Tec...546639&SiteID=17

It's Microsoft's reduced functionality mode. Vista is locking people out of the control panel, etc to keep people from pirating. Here's how I fixed it.

Go to Start

All programs

Accessories

Right click on Command prompt

Select Run as administrator from pop up list

type cd\

should be at c:

type cd windows\system32

type slmgr.vbs -rearm

Full command should look like this:

c:\Windows\System32>slmgr.vbs -rearm

Hit enter

Get a box that says to restart

click ok and restart computer

when it restarts, reactivate windows and everything should work.

Zone Alarm caused this problem for me. If you're using it, ditch it. I had to do a system restore to before I installed ZA to get my control panel back.

So the fault could be with SP1, or it could be the new PCB, or maybe the combination of both is incompatible.

DJ Nikos writes...

Sent in for repairs.
The laptop comes back 5 days later (hard drive and OS ) where not touched only the main PCB board was replaced.

Is it an identical make and model and version as the old PCB?
Possibly it is a new version which needs different drivers.
It seems Vista thinks it's different hardware if you had to reactivate (though that could possibly just be because of a different serial number rather than a different model or version).

Have you tried the maker's website for new drivers? If by PCB you mean the motherboard, you might need several drivers, for various things integrated on the mobo such as network card, builtin graphics, etc.

What anti pirate steps have they taken with SP1?

DJ Nikos writes...

Here's how I fixed it.

Go to Start

All programs

Accessories

Right click on Command prompt

Select Run as administrator from pop up list

type cd\

should be at c:

type cd windows\system32

type slmgr.vbs -rearm

Full command should look like this:

c:\Windows\System32>slmgr.vbs -rearm

Hit enter

Get a box that says to restart

click ok and restart computer

when it restarts, reactivate windows and everything should work.

Thanks for that. Seems to have fixed my issues. Control Panel / Personlise is now working as per normal... and printing (yayyy!!!) is working again.

Crazy that in all my searching of this problem yesterday I was unable to find out about this easy solution. Or that MS hasn't fixed it so it doesn't happen to begin with.

thanks 4 that...
hmm thinking of reinstalling RC1 again...will post results if i do...

DJ Nikos writes...

hmm thinking of reinstalling RC1 again..

It was worth it for me just to fix file copying. I move lots of BIG video files around my network of three computers 2 Vista, 1 XP and I was thinking of chucking in Vista altogether due to the atrociously bad file copy/move problem. But SP1 seems to have solved that so if you do lots of that, then yeah SP1 is for you :)