Question: Why doesn't Help and Support work?
This script repairs Windows Help and Support
Repairs Windows®
XP Help and Support after running Easy Cleaner or similar registry cleaners.
From http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts/fixwinxphelp.vbs
Note: If you have used Easy Cleaner, there is a workaround that prevents
Help and Support from becoming corrupt: In the options, add Help to the
Skip List.
http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts
Start Menu/Help and Support doesn't work: Go to
Start/Run and type in: helpctr -regserver
To reinstall Help and Support: Go to C:\Windows\inf\pchealth.inf; Right
click and choose install. Have your CD handy.
Note: The folder is hidden by default. Go to Start/Run and type in:
control folders. View: Show hidden files and folders and uncheck Hide
extensions for known file types.
"Could not start the Help and Support Service on Local Computer.
Error 126: The specified module could not be found" Restore Help and Support
Service. Restore Help and
Support Service Keys.
Also, make sure that the Help and Support Service is running. Go to
Start/Run and type in: services.msc. From there scroll down to Help and
Support and make sure the service is set to Automatic and is Started.
If the option is greyed out or Help and Support Service is not listed trying
running these two edits.
Restore Help
and Support Service. Restore Help and
Support Service Keys.
From
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/helpsvc.reg
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/helpsvcrestore.reg
You may also opt to running the System File Checker. To do so, go to
Start/Run/CMD and type in: SFC /Scannow. This option forces Windows
to scan all protected system files immediately.
Restore winhlp32.exe for XP or XPSP1 (Line 57)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
After installing SP1 for some users the correct version of win32hlp.exe is not
properly placed in the System32 folder. If this is the case replace the older
version with the version found in windows\ServicePackFiles\i386.
Another option to the above:
1. Insert the Windows XP installation CD into your CD-ROM.
2. Browse to your CD-ROM and change the folder to \I386
3. Copy the following files into a temporary folder on your hard disk:
Winhlp32.cn_
Winhlp32.ex_
Winhlp32.hl_
4. Click Start->Run, type CMD and then press Enter.
5. Change to the temporary folder where you stored the Winhlp32 files.
6. Type the following commands:
EXPAND WINHLP32.CN_ WINHLP32.CNT
EXPAND WINHLP32.EX_ WINHLP32.EXE
EXPAND WINHLP32.HL_ WINHLP32.HLP
7. Copy Winhlp32.exe to your \%SYSTEMROOT%\ folder.
8. Copy the Winhlp32.cnt, and Winhlp32.hlp to the
\%SYSTEMROOT%\Help\folder.
9. Typically this folder is C:\Windows.
10. Delete the contents of your temporary folder.
Checkpoint: Help and Support Won't Expand
Go to Start/Run/Regedit and navigate to this key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session
Manager\Environment. In the right pane, verify that the windir value is
REG_EXPAND_SZ and not a REG_SZ type. If not, change it.
Tip: If you want to view only the locally stored Windows XP Help documentation in the Classic View: Go to Start/Run and type in: hh windows.chm
Check the default values for these registry keys to make sure that they
match. Registry keys and values to fix XP's Help and Support after
running Toni Arts EasyCleaner.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\TypeLib\{FC7D9E00-3F9E-11D3-93C0-00C04F72DAF7}\1.0\0\win32
Default value: C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe\1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\TypeLib\{FC7D9E00-3F9E-11D3-93C0-00C04F72DAF7}\1.0\HELPDIR
Default value: C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe\
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\TypeLib\{FC7D9000-3F9E-11D3-93C0-00C04F72DAF7}\1.0\0\win32
Default Value: C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe\2
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\TypeLib\{FC7D9000-3F9E-11D3-93C0-00C04F72DAF7}\1.0\HELPDIR
Default value: C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe\
Help and Support - Did you know not working...
Delete the following file. C:\WINDOWS\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\Config\News\newsver.xml
Help and Support - Start Menu Doesn't Work
Go to Start/Run and type in: helpctr -regserver
Help and Support - Text is missing
Some themes can knock out the text in help and switching to another custom theme may not correct it. Switching back to an original XP theme - so far - will set things right again.
Windows XP Security Patch: Flaw in Windows XP Help and Support Center Could
Enable File Deletion
http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/Release.asp?ReleaseID=43681
The above patch resolves the "Flaw in Windows XP Help and Support Center
Could Enable File Deletion" vulnerability in Windows XP. Download now to
prevent an attacker from deleting files on another user’s computer, via either
a Web site or an e-mail.