Duplicate "Network Connections" in Control Panel.
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2003 3:20 pm
You may encounter a problem with Windows XP's Control Panel listing TWO entries for "Network Connections".
One is expandable, and the "hint" text reads "Connects to other computers, networks, and the Internet"; the other is not expandable and the "hint" text reads "Configures network software."
How do you delete the one that is not expandable and keep the other more useful entry?
Delete ncpa.cpl from both c:\Windows\System32 and c:\Windows\System32\dllcache. When Windows File Protection pops up saying that you should insert the Windows XP CD so it can "replace" a necessary file just click on Cancel.
Apparently, Windows has a *built in* registry entry for "Network Connections" that will appear in the Control Panel list even if the "Network Connections" applet does not exist. The built in entry is expandable - the applet is not. I have no idea why Microsoft would want to have two entries in the list like this, when having just the expandable one is obviously the better choice.
One is expandable, and the "hint" text reads "Connects to other computers, networks, and the Internet"; the other is not expandable and the "hint" text reads "Configures network software."
How do you delete the one that is not expandable and keep the other more useful entry?
Delete ncpa.cpl from both c:\Windows\System32 and c:\Windows\System32\dllcache. When Windows File Protection pops up saying that you should insert the Windows XP CD so it can "replace" a necessary file just click on Cancel.
Apparently, Windows has a *built in* registry entry for "Network Connections" that will appear in the Control Panel list even if the "Network Connections" applet does not exist. The built in entry is expandable - the applet is not. I have no idea why Microsoft would want to have two entries in the list like this, when having just the expandable one is obviously the better choice.