unable to access network properties

I am not able to access or change my network settings.

Windows XP Home SP 3

I do the following:

Start > Control Panel > Network Connections. Right click on Local Area Connection and choose Properties.

Then get these error message

"Some of the controls on this property sheet are disabled because one or more other Network property sheets
are already open. To use these controls, close all these property sheets and then reopen this one"

Tried rebooting, tried disabling local area connection then rebooting and re-enabling still no luck.

Only other thing I can think of is that I tried VMWare (new browser version) did not like and uninstalled it.



Any ideas would be appreciated.

Edited by stubblejumper, 14 March 2009 - 12:42 PM.

For diagnostics: Boot in a safe mode with networking and try if it works....

Begin tapping the F8 key every few seconds as the system boots up until the screen offering the Safe Mode option appears.

Tried booting in Safe Mode and am able to get into the settings but when I try in regular mode I still get the open window error message.

Tried booting in Safe Mode and am able to get into the settings but when I try in regular mode I still get the open window error message.

Bingo. Some processes or services seems to be running in regular mode, which are not running in the save mode.

First, I should recommend you to run some anti-virus, and anti-spyware programmes. To make sure there is no obvious resident virus or spyware causing this. Try this one for exampl, go to Start/Run and type mrt, but surely you got better once on your computer.

Second, you need to do some diagnostics of msrconfig, to see which services or processes are loading, that maybe should no be loadingt. Go to Start/Run and type msconfing:

a. In the services tab, check the box to hide all services provided by microsoft. For diagnostic mode, disable all services which are not provided by microsoft and restart the computer. See if the problem stills persist.

b. If the problem still persist, go to msconfing and this time to the System Start tab, and see if there any processes running, that should not be running. For diagnostics you can disable some of the start ups, and restart the computer. See if the problem persist.

c. Enable all services and starts ups again.

Edited by patbox, 14 March 2009 - 11:04 PM.