Unknown Folder in Control Panel

mm71 · Jan 20, 2022

I have just noticed an unknown folder in Control Panel, similar to this situation: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...of-start/dd766ef0-b7f6-4e6c-9e5c-7a904c945370
If I right-click on it, it just says Open or Create Shortcut. There is no option to delete it, and if I try to open it it just says that it doesn't have an app associated with it to perform that operation.
What is it and how can I get rid of it?

Bree · Jan 20, 2022

mm71 said:
I have just noticed an unknown folder in Control Panel ... What is it and how can I get rid of it?

Difficult to say until we know more about yours. Please post a screenshot of what you are seeing.

mm71 · Jan 20, 2022

Thank you, here it is. By the way, I am not sure why it mentions Windows 7 for Backup and Restore?

Bree · Jan 20, 2022

mm71 said:
Thank you, here it is. By the way, I am not sure why it mentions Windows 7 for Backup and Restore?

Backup & Restore (Windows 7) is a feature that was first introduced in Windows 7, and is still included in Windows 10/11 for backward compatibility, in case you should need to restore an old backup. It is a deprecated feature and not recommended to use is for new backups.

Each item that appears in that Control Panel view is there because there's a corresponding Control Panel Item file (*.cpl) in C:\Windows\System32. For example, this is the one for Power Options.

3rd-party apps that need to have an entry in Control Panel can place their own .cpl file in System32, an example of that is your Java control panel item.

This blank folder could be the result of a corrupted or incompatible .cpl file, either one that came with windows or a failed or incompatible 3rd-party install. To check for and fix possible Windows corruption run the System File Checker. Open a command prompt as an administrator and run the command SFC /ScanNow

mm71 · Jan 20, 2022

SFC /Scannow didn't find any problems.
Some old software installations, however, did fail because they were not compatible with Windows 10/11, so that could indeed be the problem, thank you.
I will go through the cpl files to see if I can identify it. At first sight they all seem to be legitim, but I will have a look at them one by one.
I am also surprised Computer Management is not there (or Administrative Tools?) It has never been in Control Panel, but if I search for Computer Management in the Start Menu, it is found and opens. I think it was in the CP in previous versions of Windows?

clam1952 · Jan 20, 2022

Administrative Tools is or was up to Win10 where you have the blank folder, Computer Management was in Administrative Tools.

Berton · Jan 20, 2022

My Control Panel in Win11 Pro:

What I'm seeing in Win11 versus Win10 is relocation of some things, such as those most users seldom use.

glasskuter · Jan 20, 2022

Someone explain what I'm missing here. That screenshot of Control Panel looks completely normal to me. Where is this unknown app? Am I blind?

mm71 said:
I think it was in the CP in previous versions of Windows

Yes, Administrative tools was removed from control panel in 11.

mm71 · Jan 20, 2022

I wonder if that folder is a remnant of Administrative Tools present in Windows 10? I think they might have upgraded to Windows 11 from Windows 10.

mm71 · Jan 20, 2022

glasskuter said:
Someone explain what I'm missing here. That screenshot of Control Panel looks completely normal to me. Where is this unknown app? Am I blind?

It's that folder before AutoPlay. It can't open or anything.

Edwin · Jan 20, 2022

mm71 said:
It's that folder before AutoPlay. It can't open or anything.

Show us a screenshot of the entire window...

Edwin · Jan 20, 2022

Create a GodMode folder..., see if you can identify it in there...

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

glasskuter · Jan 20, 2022

Well duh, guess I am going blind in my old age. Sorry about that. I stared at it for 3 full minutes and never did see it.

mm71 · Jan 20, 2022

This would be the entire window:

What is a GodMode folder?

Berton · Jan 20, 2022

God Mode lists all the functions available on the items in Control Panel. A small portion of the list:

mm71 · Jan 20, 2022

Where should I create that folder?

Berton · Jan 20, 2022

Mine is on the Desktop.

humbird · Jan 20, 2022

In my control panel administrative tools is called Windows Tools like Bertons control panel above. I think the folder is a remnant of something that has been removed though, what I am unsure.

Edit. I do wonder if it is a remnant of the old intel graphics control panel though.

mm71 · Jan 20, 2022

I don't have it on my desktop and it does not turn up in search either, but I only have a Home edition of Windows 11.

mm71 · Jan 20, 2022

humbird said:
In my control panel administrative tools is called Windows Tools like Bertons control panel above. I think the folder is a remnant of something that has been removed though, what I am unsure.

Edit. I do wonder if it is a remnant of the old intel graphics control panel though.

I did remove some programs because some were very similar and I didn't want to have too many similar programs on my new laptop. I also uninstalled and reinstalled the Intel Graphics driver because apparently it can interfere with sleep, so I thought it might have done something to the Fn+insert sleep button.