[Windows] Access the Control Panel is denied

When you want to access the control panel, a message reads "Explorer.exe has generated errors" or access is simply impossible:

Restricted by Administrator 

This error is usually related to the corruption of the Control Panel files (*.cpl) or a bad configuration of Windows.

The causes:

Driver problem

The installation of drivers for some devices (especially Nvidia graphics cards) can cause this type of inconvenience if the previous driver has not been properly uninstalled.

• To diagnose the element of the control panel causing the error, just move all *.cpl files in the directory c:\windows\system32 to afolder of your choice (eg desktop) and send them back one by one.
• To fix it just reinstall the previous driver or remove the faulty item.

Problem of viruses or spyware

It is possible that the malfunction is due to malware, in which case it is necessary to scan the computer with an AntiVirus or Spybot and Ad-aware.

Configuration problem

• Click on Start/Run and then type the following command:

gpedit.msc

• Click on User Configuration/Administrative Templates/Control Panel/* Disable the Control Panel. Check off and then Apply.
• If this does not work, it is possible to do via the registry:
• Open the editor of the registry (Start / Run / Regedit), then go to the following key:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]

• Double-click "NoControlPanel", and assign the value "REG_BINARY" as follows:

00 00 00 00