I found that my Help and Support would not run.
The best part of the solution for me is due to a small registry fix.
I received "Could not start the Help and Support Service on Local Computer.
Error 126: The specified module could not be found" message when trying to
start Help and Support services (using services.msc).
Other symptoms were that Right-Click on ‘My Computer’ icon and clicking
‘Manage’ resulted in an “Access Denied†error.
Also Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Tools->System Information
would not run.
I also had a problem with System File Checker (Start->Run “Sfc /SCANNOWâ€)
cmd producing a RPC error. They are all now fixed.
I used the following fix from
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm
YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST!
=======================
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.
I actually renamed the original ‘windir’ as ‘windirOLD’. I then made a new
key as windir by right-clicking in the (right) value panel and using
new->Expandable String Value..
Then press F5 and exit regedit and re-boot.
This may be all that is required (for some people). If this does not work
follow on.
STOP HELP SERVICE (If necessary)
==================
After rebooting, make sure that the Help and Support Service is NOT 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 set to ‘Stop’.
RE-INSTALL ‘Help and Support’ FROM PCHEALTH.INF FILE (using Win XP CD )
=================================
Go to C:\Windows\inf\pchealth.inf. Right click and choose install. Have your
CD handy.
INote: 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. If the Install option is NOT available then use Start->cmd.
Then type the following -:
“C:\WINDOWS\System32\rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall
132 PCHEALTH.INF†without the quotes.
If required set the target to CDROM drive e.g. e:\i386
REBOOT THE COMPUTER
=======================
START HELP SERVICE (If necessary)
==================
After rebooting, make sure that the Help and Support Service is now 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 set to ‘Start’.
OPTIONAL STEPS (May be required)
===============
Click Start, click Run, type "cmd" (without the quotation marks),
and then click OK to open a command prompt. Type "net stop helpsvc" (without
the quotation marks), and then press ENTER.
Type "cd /d c:\windows\pchealth\helpctr\binaries" (without the quotation
marks), and then press ENTER.
Type "start /w helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver /install" (without the
quotation marks), and then press ENTER.
Type "start /w helpsvc /register" (without the quotation marks), and then
press ENTER.
Type helpctr –regserver
I hope this helps.
WittzyGeek
