Folder Options gone?!

[JPicasso]

I"m not sure what's going on, but I"m gettin a sinking feeling
in my gut...

When I goto windows explorer, I cannot access my folder options from the menu.
Tools > Folder Options tells me...

"This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator."

I'm the system administrator!

I have win 2000. I am logged in as administrator.
I run zonealarm and norton utilities/anti-virus.

I have been unable to find a place where this is an option, and I"m beginning to worry.

I just found out that I can't access internet options from the tools menu of my explorer menu bar.
This is okay, because I can get there from left-click on the exe....

anyone have any ideas?

[BigBosky]

there is a registry entry that disables folder options.

User Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer]
System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer]
Value Name: NoFolderOptions
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Data: (0 = enable, 1 = disable options)

[JPicasso]

...it gets scarier.

I do not have those keys in my registry.

I am also unable to set permissions on my shared folders. ARGH.
I'm able to not share them, but
every time my computer boots up, it re-shares all of my drives and folders.

I should have reformatted a while ago.

Could this be some kind of virus or malicious spyware?
or could have Norton utilites or similar forced this stuff?

This is starting to bother me.

[BigBosky]

it dosent really sound like this is the work of the virus but its possible. It just sounds like a registry problem. Try creating the key i posted earlier to enable folder options, and remember you have to restart to re-initialize the registry. if that dosent work then just reformat.