Where do I ge thtese boxes back from?

[rich2005]

(07-08-2018, 09:00 AM)matthew007800 Wrote: Started dragging and no box appeared, Back to 2.8 then 2.10 doesnt have anything Id use anyway.

That is one option.

It could be a Windows issue, it might be some settings inherited from the previous Gimp (2.4 in your profile, but I find that hard to believe). Less probable, the little info/slider window hiding behind the main Gimp window or say a dual monitor display where it is on the other screen.

I think I would have tried  resetting the tool options before giving up. Edit -> Preferences -> Tool Options -> Reset Tool Saved Tool Options to Default Values and Edit->Preferences->Window Management->Reset Saved Window Positions to Default Values

Nothing wrong with Gimp 2.8.22, for some things can be easier to use, but none of the nice on-canvas previews for some tools. I have both installed and use each 50 % at the moment.

For other new-to-gimp users, always more than one way in Gimp

This is the 'legacy' type rotate (shear & scale similar)
You can detach the properties box with the little upwards pointing arrow. That gives a larger floating panel, easier to move for parts of the image it might hide.

   

There are two others in the tool box

The Unified Transform Tool. Where depending on where you click and drag, rotates, scales, shears all in the same tool.

   

The Handle Transform Tool. Again rotate, scale, shear all in the same tool. This time the user clicks to set the anchor points (handles) which determine the effect.

   

The advantage of the new tools, for multiple operations, scale + shear + rotate, they all are performed without rendering to canvas until complete, which gives an improvement in quality.