Display properties missing

Go to Start and run regedit

Navigate to the keys listed here and look in the right pane for any restrictions. Just right click and delete them or set them to 0

User Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System]
System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System]
Name: NoDispSettingsPage
Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value: (0 = disabled, 1 = enabled)

>> look for other restrictions in the same area, under Policies or Policies\Active Desktop

Well that's a bit of a surprise, did you look under both the HKCU and HKLM keys? I'm not sure what other area of the registry could be used to restrict this. Are you logged on with Administrative Priveleges?

One thing that occurs to me, although I don't think it would result in the removal of the tabs themselves, is that in installing the Display drivers, ATI's "Control Panel" software was not installed. Their drivers generally come with a two part installation. One for the drivers themselves, the other for their own display properties settings. This will be listed in Add/Remove programs as ATI Control Panel. Each driver version has a corresponding "Control Panel" which must be updated along with the driver. This provides a system tray interface to all the default configuration options and more.

Sorry to hear about your accident...

By the way, I am using Winguides to check these options, they have a downloadable, free guide that is very usefull.

http://www.winguides.com/registry/category.php/430/

http://www.winguides.com/guides.php?guide=software