# Windows XP Control Panel--Display tool missing tabs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 18, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-control-panel-display-tool-missing-tabs/308840 "2005-06-18T20:49:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-control-panel-display-tool-missing-tabs/308840/1 "2005-06-18T20:49:49Z")
So I spent a good 4 hours this morning removing some malware from my PC. Early on, before I was able to solve the problem, I noticed my Display tool in the Control Panel was missing some tabs. After all the hell I went through to get rid of the malware, I was never able to correct my Display tool. When I open Control Panel \> Display, I see only two tabs: [ul] [li]Screen Saver[/li][li]Settings[/li][/ul] So I’m missing tabs for [ul] [li]Themes[/li][li]Desktop[/li][li]Appearance[/li][/ul] I’ve reinstalled desk.cpl from my restore disk, but I still only see two tabs. Anyone have any ideas how to fix this? Are there separate DLL files for each tab that I need to replace/reinstall? Are there some settings I can modify in the registry through Regedit? (I’m not that savy with the registry, so if that’s the recommend approach to solving the problem, please be explicit with instructions.) Thanks in advance! –milquetoast ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-control-panel-display-tool-missing-tabs/308840/2 "2005-06-18T21:06:16Z")
I hope you have the Pro version of Windows XP. If you do, go to Start -\> Run and type “gpedit.msc” without the quotes. Browse to User Configuration -\> Administrative Templates -\> Control Panel -\> Display and change all the relevant tabs back to “Not configured” or “Disabled”. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-control-panel-display-tool-missing-tabs/308840/3 "2005-06-18T21:15:58Z")
Easier method: Download [this reg file](http://xv9.net/tabs.reg), double-click on it and say yes when it asks you if you want to add the stuff. That should fix it. ---
**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-control-panel-display-tool-missing-tabs/308840/4 "2005-06-18T21:20:49Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Download [this reg file](http://xv9.net/tabs.reg), double-click on it and say yes when it asks you if you want to add the stuff. That should fix it. Perfect! The tabs.reg file worked (which is good, because I have the Home edition of XP). Thanks for your reply, **Reply**. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-control-panel-display-tool-missing-tabs/308840/5 "2005-06-18T21:22:07Z")
Awesome 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-control-panel-display-tool-missing-tabs/308840/6 "2005-06-18T21:25:59Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Awesome 🙂 Yup. You are just that, sometimes. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-control-panel-display-tool-missing-tabs/308840/7 "2005-06-19T03:18:39Z")
Haha, thanks.