You are tired of trying to open Control Panel but in vain, this is a very common problem with Windows Vista if it is not updated regularly, driver incompatibility or the software licensing if over.
Symptoms
1. Control Panel’s icons missing
2. Control Panel is flashing
3. Control Panel is missing
Solutions
Update Windows
You will have to update Windows Vista. If you don’t have Windows Service Pack 1 installed please download
here.
Restart Software Licensing Service
Click on “Start”, type
services.msc
in “Start Search” field,
On your right double click on “Software Licensing”,
Click on “Restart”
Set it to automatic
Repeat with “SL UI Notification Service”.
Re-install Peripherals drivers
And finally, you just have to re-install all your devices drivers such as sound card, graphic card, chipset, motherboard drivers etc.
Restart your System and then try opening Control Panel