Name
Control Panel — windowssystem32control.exe
Synopsis
Start → Control Panel (when using new Windows XP Start Menu)
Start → Settings → Control Panel (when using classic Start Menu)
The Control Panel has no settings of its own; it's merely a container for any number of options windows (commonly called applets or Control Panel extensions), most of which can be accessed without even opening the Control Panel folder.
TIP
A new optional feature in Windows XP divides the contents of the Control Panel into discrete categories. Unfortunately, these categories appear only when Control Panel is viewed as a standalone window (you won't see them in the Start Menu or in Explorer) and end up making the Control Panel more difficult to use. If you have Explorer's "Show common tasks in folders" option turned on (Explorer → Tools → Folder Options → General tab), the first entry in the tasks pane (named either "Switch to Classic View" or "Switch to Category View") allows you to turn categories off or on, respectively.
Table 3-3 shows how individual Control Panel icons are categorized, and how they can be launched from the command line.
Table 3-3. Control Panel applets and how to get to them
|
Applet name |
Category |
Command line[1] |
|---|---|---|
|
Accessibility Options |
Accessibility Options |
control access.cpl |
|
Add Hardware |
n/a |
control hdwwiz.cpl |
|
Add or Remove Programs |
Add or Remove Programs |
control appwiz.cpl |
|
Administrative Tools |
Performance and Maintenance |
control admintools |
|
Date and Time |
Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options |
control date/time |
|
Display |
Appearance and Themes |
control desktop control color |
|
Folder Options |
Appearance and Themes |
control folders |
|
Fonts |
n/a |
control fonts |
|
Game Controllers |
Printers and Other Hardware |
control joy.cpl |
|
Internet Options |
Network and Internet Connections |
control inetcpl.cpl |
|
Keyboard |
Printers and Other Hardware |
control keyboard |
|
Mouse |
Printers and Other Hardware |
control mouse |
|
Network Connections |
Network and Internet Connections |
control netconnections |
|
Phone and Modem Options |
Printers and Other Hardware |
control telephony |
|
Power Options |
Performance and Maintenance |
control powercfg.cpl |
|
Printers and Faxes |
Printers and Other Hardware |
control printers |
|
Regional and Language Options |
Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options |
control intl.cpl |
|
Scanners and Cameras |
Printers and Other Hardware |
n/a |
|
Scheduled Tasks |
Performance and Maintenance |
control schedtasks |
|
Sounds and Audio Devices |
Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices |
control mmsys.cpl |
|
Speech |
Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices |
control speech |
|
System |
Performance and Maintenance |
control sysdm.cpl |
|
Taskbar and Start Menu |
Appearance and Themes |
n/a |
|
User Accounts |
User Accounts |
control userpasswords |
[1] Those items with "n/a" can't be launched from the command line, but you can create shortcuts (by dragging and dropping), which can subsequently be launched from the command prompt. | ||