Help, Help, Where's the help?

[Dusty]

I can't read any help files. Any file with the extension .chm returns an
error of "can not read file mkMSITStore:<path and filename>" if I get
anything at all. Microsoft article 312456 says I need an updated Hcctrl.exe
file but I can't find one for XP. They say to go to Windows Update but that
dosen't find anything that I need. Any of you ghrus have any input on this?

Also................

Since recieving SP-2 downloads are messed up. Most times I try to download
anything I have to start ther DL a couple of times before it will actually
download. Frustrating.
Thanks for any input,
Dusty

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Please see if the following link to Kelly's web site helps:

"Why doesn't Help and Support work?"
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP]

I can't read any help files. Any file with the extension .chm returns
an error of "can not read file mkMSITStore:<path and filename>" if
I get anything at all. Microsoft article 312456 says I need an
updated Hcctrl.exe file but I can't find one for XP. They say to go
to Windows Update but that dosen't find anything that I need. Any of
you ghrus have any input on this?
Also................

Since recieving SP-2 downloads are messed up. Most times I try to
download anything I have to start ther DL a couple of times before it
will actually download. Frustrating.
Thanks for any input,
Dusty

MSITStore: "Cannot Open the File: MkMSITStore:C:\Windows\Help\Windows.chm"
Error Message Appears When Opening Help
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=312456 and
http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/contents/WUCritical/q811630/default.asp

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

 

[Dusty]

Of all the "fixes" I've found (and tried) this was the simplest and the only
one that solved the problem. Thanks Frank!


-----------Snip----------

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE]

Of all the "fixes" I've found (and tried) this was the simplest and
the only one that solved the problem. Thanks Frank!

Thanks for the feedback.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

 

[bloodemon]

I think I met with the same question as yours. I am using Windows XP
home edition, the chm file can't open after I updated the SP2. Every
time I try to open the chm file, it popup a message: "can't open the
file mdMSITSTORE..."

I checked with the two links that Frank gave. The first one is for 98
platform. And I tried the second link, downloaded the htmlhelp.exe and
run the windows update. But it seems nothing changed.

Could you please write down what exactly you did fixing the problem?

 

[NoNoBadDog!]

Did you reboot after the update?

Bobby

I think I met with the same question as yours. I am using Windows XP
home edition, the chm file can't open after I updated the SP2. Every
time I try to open the chm file, it popup a message: "can't open the
file mdMSITSTORE..."

I checked with the two links that Frank gave. The first one is for 98
platform. And I tried the second link, downloaded the htmlhelp.exe and
run the windows update. But it seems nothing changed.

Could you please write down what exactly you did fixing the problem?

 

[bloodemon]

I've got the reason. My problem is a little bit different with theirs.
The chm file that I tried to open contains some Chinese characters and
the
region I selected is US, the new hh.exe use WideCharToMultiByte to
convert the file name into Unicode but doesn't recognize that in US
people also use files in other language. So the file name that
WideCharToMultiByte got is wrong and can't open the file.

I changed the reginal setting to China and everything works fine.
Another solution is keep the reginal setting and change the file name
into English, it also works.

 

[Pete Lees]

I am using Windows XP home edition, the chm file can't open after
I updated the SP2. Every time I try to open the chm file, it popup a
message: "can't open the file mdMSITSTORE..."

I checked with the two links that Frank gave. The first one is for 98
platform. And I tried the second link, downloaded the htmlhelp.exe and
run the windows update. But it seems nothing changed.

Here are a few things to try:

1) Use MJ's Help Diagnostics to check that all the help viewer
components are properly installed and registered. You can download
this utility from here:

http://helpware.net/downloads/index.htm#MJs

(The only section of the MJ's Help Report that is relevant to your
problem is the one headed "HTML Help Run-time Components".)

2) Delete or rename the file hh.dat, which you should find in this
hidden subdirectory:

\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Microsoft\HTML
Help

The hh.dat file stores user-specific information on all the HTML Help
files on your system (favourite topics, search history, etc.), and can
cause the files to misbehave if it has somehow been corrupted. Windows
will create a new version of hh.dat when you next open a help file.

3) Empty your Temporary Internet Files directory (in Internet
Explorer, Tools > Internet Options > General tab > Delete Files). A
full TIF directory can cause the help files to misbehave.

4) See the following page for further guidance on how to resolve
XP-specific help problems:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_h.htm

Applying Critical Update 811630 won't help in your case because, with
XP SP2 installed, you already have more recent versions of the HTML
Help viewer components than those supplied in the update.