Regedit and CMD Won't Run From the Start Menu
The Windows Start menu allows you to launch applications, such as the Command Prompt (CMD) and the Registry Editor (regedit). These two applications are often used to troubleshoot computer issues caused by software conflicts or virus infection. If you are unable to launch both of these applications from the Start menu, this is a symptom of issues with your computer’s system files that you need to troubleshoot right away.
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About CMD
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You can type “CMD” into the text box on the Windows Start menu to launch the Command Prompt on your computer. This window allows you to type Windows system commands, which can launch programs, shut down programs or change program configuration depending on the commands you type. If you have administrator privileges, you should be able to launch this application and issue commands at any time.
About Regedit
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When you launch the Start menu and type “regedit” in the text box, this launches the Registry Editor tool. The Windows registry controls how the operating system and other programs on your computer behave. Because of this, you must always take care not to edit settings in the Registry Editor if you are unsure of how this will affect your computer. This tool can be utilized by advanced users for troubleshooting issues and requires administrator privileges to launch.
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Cause
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If you have administrator privileges on your computer, yet you can’t use the Command Prompt or the Registry Editor, this is usually an issue related to a computer infection. Advanced users can use the CMD and regedit commands to shut down and aid in the removal of certain viruses. Because of this, the malware blocks the user’s ability to launch the tools, making it harder for the user to fight the infection and clean the virus from the computer’s system files.
Troubleshooting
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When an infection blocks your ability to launch important system tools, reboot your computer and launch Windows in the “Safe Mode” setting. This boots the computer only with the very minimum system applications and often prevents the malware from launching when you boot up. You can then navigate to the Start menu and run CMD and regedit to troubleshoot the virus issue. You should also run your computer’s virus scanning software and remove any issues that the scanner detects.
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