Summary: The option to display the Run command on your Start menu is controlled by options that themselves can be hidden. We'll look at restoring those options.
In one of your answers you showed how to turn on the Run command in the Start menu. On my machine the settings you pointed to aren't there. What do I do?
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This turns out to be relatively easy, but I'm concerned that it's also a symptom of a deeper problem.
Let's look at what that problem might be and then how to go about re-enabling Run.
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First, to be clear, in this prior article Where is the Run command on Windows Start Menu?, I discussed how the properties of the Windows Start menu include a checkbox for displaying the run menu. For example, in classic view:
However, I started getting reports that what many people were seeing was this:

So, where did it go?
As I've remarked in a previous article about Task Manager being disabled, if you didn't disable it then a virus probably did.
Disabling Run is yet another way some viruses cause trouble and try to make it harder for you to deal with their infections. You should run a complete and up-to-date anti-virus scan of your machine. It's possible, perhaps even likely, that you've been infected.
Once you come back virus-free, we can proceed with the fix.
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If you have Windows XP Pro you can use the Group Policy Editor to change the setting you want to repair. Click Start, then click Run, and type in gpedit.msc:

And press OK. This runs the Group Policy Editor.
Oh. Wait. You don't have Start, Run do
you? That's why you're here. 
In that case, using Windows Explorer, navigate to c:\windows\system32 and double-click on gpedit.msc:

Once in the Group Policy Editor, expand in turn:
User Configuration
Administrative Templates
And click on Start Menu and Taskbar. You should see something much like this:

Double click on Remove Run menu from Start Menu to change its setting:

It should be enough to click on Not Configured and then OK. If you now look at your Start menu properties, you should have the option of displaying the Run menu once again.
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If you don't have Windows XP Pro, then you'll need to edit the registry manually.
Click Start, then click Run type in regedit and click on OK.
Or, since you probably don't have Run, using Windows Explorer you can double click on regedt32.exe in c:\windows\system32.
Expand these registry keys in turn:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Software
Microsoft
Windows
CurrentVersion
Policies
Explorer
You should see something similar to this:

Right Click on the NoRun item and click on Delete. Confirm that you want to delete, and you should have the option of displaying the Run menu once again.
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One thing to note is that it's quite possible that if you're in an environment managed by a centralized policy, these settings may have no effect. Your IT administrator may set things up so as to disable the run command, and other things as well at the domain level. You'll need to ask them if this is the case.
Related:
Article C3089 - July 17, 2007
one problem, i cant find the "GPEDIT.MSC" in my System23. I found the glu32.dll and the gpkcsp.dll that it's suppose to be between but the gpedit.msc isnt there
Posted by: Jessica at September 12, 2009 3:02 PMExellent!! Even if you did not make it as shorter way of guiding it's very easy to follow with the use of pictures as a visual guide.. thanks a lot!! ^^
Posted by: Louie at September 24, 2009 8:14 AMthanks leo this all stuff was troubling me alot and i was not willing to format masystem or restore it.thanks anyway....keep up the good work
Posted by: mayank at September 24, 2009 11:46 AMhello,
i have had troubles with this problem and many others like the registry editor and the folder options in windows explorer for the past 2 weeks or so.
i have been on the web for hours looking for solutions and i have only fixed the registry.
i followed all the instructions to the punctuation points in these instructions and the problem re-appears and the registry keys re-apear on reboot.
i have got up to date avast and have run several full computer and thorough scans and have an active firewall.
please help me! im going insane!
Posted by: Thomas at September 25, 2009 1:00 AMThis no run command could be caused by a Virus. BackDoor-EEC.gen. McAfee DATS 9/24/09 can pick it up. Other symptoms include virus being copied to a memory stick when you insert it. No folder options to change your folder views to see hidden files in Windows XP. Watch out it is nasty...still trying to clean it out.
Posted by: Joe at September 25, 2009 8:35 AMarticle is really nice but its not working on my computer, Joe was right the virus seems to be the same, i am not having my run command,no folder options etc etc, i have avast professional edition but so far it cant detect the virus, any help or advice appreciated, thank you
Posted by: Dr.Ajay Krishnan at October 11, 2009 10:49 AMI am using XP service pack3 and it doesnt have run command prompt box. I have tried all the way that u have mentioned in this link
http://ask-leo.com/why_cant_i_enable_the_run_command.html
In registry editor there is no NoRun item in explorer section. what shoul i do? Is there any file missing?
and i have tried using GPEDIT.msc and it is not working either. what should i do?
Posted by: Deviprasad N at October 22, 2009 1:11 AMThanks Dude! Registry is always a complicated affair. Thanks for breaking it down for us!
Posted by: Timothy Riddles at October 26, 2009 2:03 AMhttp://ask-leo.com/why_cant_i_enable_the_run_command.html . hello man,i tried the procedure given in the above link but didnt work.....so what shld i do...please reply
Posted by: kashyp at October 30, 2009 9:57 AMTHANKS ALOT BRO.THIS WAS A GREAT HELP! JUST WANT TO ASK U FOR ANOTHER FAVOR MY ACCOUNT USER CAN'T BE OPEN CAN U HELP ON THIS. PLEASE!THIS IS WHAT IT SAY'S...
Posted by: EMI RGZ at November 5, 2009 3:58 PMWINDOWS CANNOT OPEN THE USER ACCOUNTS CONTROL PANEL.