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Programs and Features blank

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micker377

Technical User
Jan 15, 2003
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I went to modify the default games. Win 7 Pro.
Control Panel > Programs and Features, opens a blank window. If I click on O.K., the window just disappears. No
"Programs and Features" are ever listed.
 

How long are you waiting for the "programs and features" window to populate? It is not instantaneous. The more "programs and features" that you have installed the longer it takes to populate.

Hope this helps.

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I guess I missed a step (I was on my first cup of coffee!)

Programs and Features" (216 programs), opens immediately. It is "Turn Windows Features On or Off" that never lists anything.
 

Are you attempting to do this as an Administrator or a normal user? I believe that you have to be an administrator to make the changes.

Hope this helps.

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The "Windows Features" dialog box is empty in Windows 7 or Windows Vista, or you receive error code "0x80073712" when you try to use Windows Update

This has helped fix this particular problem too. If you can't get it from Windows Updates try the "Microsoft Download Center"

Description of the System Update Readiness Tool for Windows Vista, for Windows Server 2008, for Windows 7, and for Windows Server 2008 R2

This Vista related article might be worth a read too. If you follow Raymond's suggestion make sure you adapt it for Windows 7 when it talks about files you have downloaded with the above link.

FIX Blank or Empty List in Vista Turn Windows Features On or Off (OptionalFeatures.exe)
 
SFC didn't help.

This is getting interesting. Seems that the REAL problem is that I.E. won't update! I spent an hour and a half with M$ this morning, where they actually linked with my computer, checked everything, and came to the conclusion that there is nothing wrong! I asked them why I am still running I.E. 9.0.1. They claimed that there IS no I.E. upgrade! I asked them about 9.0.2 (August), and 9.0.3 (yesterday), and they claimed that there is no such thing! They said that they would research it, and call me back in an hour! Well, that was noon - and so far nothing!
They advised me that the only cure was to reinstall I.E 9, to get the "latest" version. I downloaded BOTH 32, and 64 version. Both said that they weren't applicable to my computer! Win 7 Pro, 64 bit OS (administrator). Tried everything offered so far - no help!

So, I.E. update doesn't work, there is nothing wrong, so they have NO solution!
 
I can sympathize with you having problems updating IE 9 with regular Cumulative updates, I have one machine here that hates updating IE 9 and previously IE 8. The only way I ever get those updates in is to stop all other running programs, especially third party security types programs, including Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials. Then with some perseverance (usually a couple of tries) the updates get installed only for the whole process to recur next update time.

Still your problem may be different and perhaps more serious as you have other underlying problems that you mention. Perhaps your pain will come to an end with saving your valuable data and reinstalling Windows?

You don't have to be a slave to IE either, there are other browsers out there.
 
Windows Update not working
thread1726-1663060
 
Linney:
The problem is that Windows Update IS working! It is just I.E 9 that won't update. I would just roll it back to I.E. 8, but "Turn Windows Features on and off" is blank, so I can't! Yes, I am Administrator.
I'm thinking of just biting the bullet, and doing a repair install.
 
Is IE 9 listed in "View Installed Updates" rather that "Turn Windows Features on or off"?
 

This lists several methods of uninstalling IE9 including one from the command line.
Some people have stated they were unable to revert to IE8 using the command line uninstall, but if you were going to do a repair install anyways it is definately worth trying.
 
Well, we can kill this one!
I spent yesterday "updating" Windows 7. For some reason, my DVD players wouldn't recognize the install disk, so I couldn't do a "Repair Install"! I got to 63% of update (1 1/2 hours), and error! "This version of Windows can't be installed on your computer"! This on a computer that is currently running Windows 7. Note for future: remove the "ReadyBoost" stick before trying to do anything with Windows! Apparently, since it puts part of your system in the cache - it can't be read for any changes!
Anyway, another 2 hours, and 50 updates (and then ANOTHER 4 updates), it's back! Full Gadget clock support (if you remember my problems with that), "Add and remove windows features" is back, and I now have I.E. 9.0.3!
This was the original version of Win 7 (I even preordered it!), so I guess it was time to reinstall!!!
Thanks for your help - I learned a lot!
 
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