Why is "Help and Support" not available from Start menu?

[Allan Abrahamse]

About three weeks ago I bought a new PC from Dell with with XP Professional.
I found out quickly that if I press Start->Help and Support, nothing
happens.

After much tinkering, I discovered that the Help and Support screen is
invoked by running the program
C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe. So I have created a link
to this program in my start menu, which works around the problem.

There remains the curiosity that the link between this program and the Help
and Support tag that appears on the start menu is broken. Does anybody have
any idea about why this has happened, and how to fix it?

 

[Allan Abrahamse]

From the Administrative Tools/Services page, Help and Support status is
"Started," and Startup Type is "Automatic".

Check in AdminTools>Services> if "Help & Support" is either on manual or

automatic.

 

[Allan Abrahamse]

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried them, and neither of them worked.

Allan,

Type the following commands in RUN box:

REGSVR32 /i SHELL32
then,
REGSVR32 /i SHDOCVW

If that does not help, apply the REG file attached herewith.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


About three weeks ago I bought a new PC from Dell with with XP Professional.
I found out quickly that if I press Start->Help and Support, nothing
happens.

After much tinkering, I discovered that the Help and Support screen is
invoked by running the program
C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe. So I have created a link
to this program in my start menu, which works around the problem.

There remains the curiosity that the link between this program and the Help
and Support tag that appears on the start menu is broken. Does anybody have
any idea about why this has happened, and how to fix it?

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Allan,

Are you able to run HelpCtr.exe from RUN box? This may be the AppPaths registry key issue.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


Thanks for the suggestions. I tried them, and neither of them worked.

Allan,

Type the following commands in RUN box:

REGSVR32 /i SHELL32
then,
REGSVR32 /i SHDOCVW

If that does not help, apply the REG file attached herewith.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


About three weeks ago I bought a new PC from Dell with with XP Professional.
I found out quickly that if I press Start->Help and Support, nothing
happens.

After much tinkering, I discovered that the Help and Support screen is
invoked by running the program
C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe. So I have created a link
to this program in my start menu, which works around the problem.

There remains the curiosity that the link between this program and the Help
and Support tag that appears on the start menu is broken. Does anybody have
any idea about why this has happened, and how to fix it?

 

[Allan Abrahamse]

No I cannot.

I can run it if I enter the fully qualified path name, but not if I just put
HelpCtr.exe in the run box.

What should the AppPaths registry key say?


Allan,

Are you able to run HelpCtr.exe from RUN box? This may be the AppPaths
registry key issue.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


Thanks for the suggestions. I tried them, and neither of them worked.

Allan,

Type the following commands in RUN box:

REGSVR32 /i SHELL32
then,
REGSVR32 /i SHDOCVW

If that does not help, apply the REG file attached herewith.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


About three weeks ago I bought a new PC from Dell with with XP Professional.
I found out quickly that if I press Start->Help and Support, nothing
happens.

After much tinkering, I discovered that the Help and Support screen is
invoked by running the program
C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe. So I have created a link
to this program in my start menu, which works around the problem.

There remains the curiosity that the link between this program and the Help
and Support tag that appears on the start menu is broken. Does anybody have
any idea about why this has happened, and how to fix it?

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

See if the helpctr.exe path is set correctly here:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\HELPCTR.EXE]

And, the checkpoints here for Helpctr issues might help!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm
Scroll down to "Why doesn't Help and Support Work".

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


Allan,

Are you able to run HelpCtr.exe from RUN box? This may be the AppPaths registry key issue.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


Thanks for the suggestions. I tried them, and neither of them worked.

Allan,

Type the following commands in RUN box:

REGSVR32 /i SHELL32
then,
REGSVR32 /i SHDOCVW

If that does not help, apply the REG file attached herewith.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


About three weeks ago I bought a new PC from Dell with with XP Professional.
I found out quickly that if I press Start->Help and Support, nothing
happens.

After much tinkering, I discovered that the Help and Support screen is
invoked by running the program
C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe. So I have created a link
to this program in my start menu, which works around the problem.

There remains the curiosity that the link between this program and the Help
and Support tag that appears on the start menu is broken. Does anybody have
any idea about why this has happened, and how to fix it?

 

[Allan Abrahamse]

The helpctr key you spell out below resolves to

C:\WINNT\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe

There is no WINNT directory on my computer. PCHealth is in C:\WINDOWS. Maybe
I should change this key?


See if the helpctr.exe path is set correctly here:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
Paths\HELPCTR.EXE]

And, the checkpoints here for Helpctr issues might help!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm
Scroll down to "Why doesn't Help and Support Work".

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


Allan,

Are you able to run HelpCtr.exe from RUN box? This may be the AppPaths
registry key issue.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


Thanks for the suggestions. I tried them, and neither of them worked.

Allan,

Type the following commands in RUN box:

REGSVR32 /i SHELL32
then,
REGSVR32 /i SHDOCVW

If that does not help, apply the REG file attached herewith.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


About three weeks ago I bought a new PC from Dell with with XP Professional.
I found out quickly that if I press Start->Help and Support, nothing
happens.

After much tinkering, I discovered that the Help and Support screen is
invoked by running the program
C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe. So I have created a link
to this program in my start menu, which works around the problem.

There remains the curiosity that the link between this program and the Help
and Support tag that appears on the start menu is broken. Does anybody have
any idea about why this has happened, and how to fix it?

 

[Allan Abrahamse]

Bingo.

The hive associated with the helpctr.exe key contained one item, called
"(standard)" with value of the WINNT qualified path. Changing WINNT to
WINDOWS didn't help. What did help was to add an item called "path" that
pointed to correct directory. Now it works.

Thank you for providing the crucial clue.

The helpctr key you spell out below resolves to

C:\WINNT\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe

There is no WINNT directory on my computer. PCHealth is in C:\WINDOWS. Maybe
I should change this key?


See if the helpctr.exe path is set correctly here:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
Paths\HELPCTR.EXE]

And, the checkpoints here for Helpctr issues might help!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm
Scroll down to "Why doesn't Help and Support Work".

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


Allan,

Are you able to run HelpCtr.exe from RUN box? This may be the AppPaths
registry key issue.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


Thanks for the suggestions. I tried them, and neither of them worked.

Allan,

Type the following commands in RUN box:

REGSVR32 /i SHELL32
then,
REGSVR32 /i SHDOCVW

If that does not help, apply the REG file attached herewith.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


About three weeks ago I bought a new PC from Dell with with XP Professional.
I found out quickly that if I press Start->Help and Support, nothing
happens.

After much tinkering, I discovered that the Help and Support screen is
invoked by running the program
C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe. So I have created a link
to this program in my start menu, which works around the problem.

There remains the curiosity that the link between this program and the Help
and Support tag that appears on the start menu is broken. Does anybody have
any idea about why this has happened, and how to fix it?

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Great! Thanks for the feeback, Allan.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


Bingo.

The hive associated with the helpctr.exe key contained one item, called
"(standard)" with value of the WINNT qualified path. Changing WINNT to
WINDOWS didn't help. What did help was to add an item called "path" that
pointed to correct directory. Now it works.

Thank you for providing the crucial clue.

The helpctr key you spell out below resolves to

C:\WINNT\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe

There is no WINNT directory on my computer. PCHealth is in C:\WINDOWS. Maybe
I should change this key?


See if the helpctr.exe path is set correctly here:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
Paths\HELPCTR.EXE]

And, the checkpoints here for Helpctr issues might help!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm
Scroll down to "Why doesn't Help and Support Work".

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


Allan,

Are you able to run HelpCtr.exe from RUN box? This may be the AppPaths
registry key issue.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


Thanks for the suggestions. I tried them, and neither of them worked.

Allan,

Type the following commands in RUN box:

REGSVR32 /i SHELL32
then,
REGSVR32 /i SHDOCVW

If that does not help, apply the REG file attached herewith.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm and It Variants:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/sasser.asp


About three weeks ago I bought a new PC from Dell with with XP Professional.
I found out quickly that if I press Start->Help and Support, nothing
happens.

After much tinkering, I discovered that the Help and Support screen is
invoked by running the program
C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe. So I have created a link
to this program in my start menu, which works around the problem.

There remains the curiosity that the link between this program and the Help
and Support tag that appears on the start menu is broken. Does anybody have
any idea about why this has happened, and how to fix it?

 

[John Olson]

I have the same problem with a new Dell Notebook with XP Professional. Like
you I found helpctr.exe buried in a windows subdirectory and I sent a
shortcut to the Desktop. In my system helpctr is also not available from the
"Help" main menu in Explorer. I checked the Hkey for helpctr and found that
the full correct path is shown. In my Start menu there's a button for "Dell
Solution Center". I get the same helpctr window from clicking the Dell
button in the Start menu as I do from clicking the shortcut icon for helpctr
on the desktop, but a different instance. I believe that Dell intentionally
or otherwise disabled helpctr from the Explorer main menu and the Start
menu.

This is my first newsgroup posting. If I did anything wrong, please let me
know.

 

[David Candy]

You didn't include champagne with your post. Remedy and repost.

Remove NoSMHelp from
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
I don't know what registry key you are refering to.

 

[Allan Abrahamse]

Please look for another posting to this newgroup where I explain how I
eventually resolved this issue. My system was also a new Dell with XP
professional, so this may work for you.

I think Dell has introduced a bug in its installation procedure.

 

[John Olson]

I guess that I wasn't clear in my posting. Before reading all the
postings to your problem, I did solve the problem of getting
Help by finding helpctr.exe in a Binaries subdirectory of Windows
and then putting a shortcut on the desktop. I tried to point out
that helpctr should also be available from the main menu of Windows
Explorer, but it isn't.

If you have a button in your Start Menu "Dell Solution Center", click
it and you'll be able to get to helpctr from there. I don't think that
there's a bug in the Dell install. I think that it's deliberate in order
to coerce the user to use the Dell button in the Start Menu.

 

[Allan Abrahamse]

I don't think it was a deliberate act by Dell, because Dell technical
support agreed that the failure of the help screen to come up from the start
menu was a bug, and offered many suggestions, none of which worked, to fix
it.

 

[Kelly]

To verify if it was deliberate, check this key and value: Start/Run/Regedit

What is the data value for method and Param1?

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]

"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"
"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"
"method"="ShellExecute"
"Param1"=""

If anything other than this......

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]
"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"
"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"
"method"="Help"

Post it here. Then, case closed.

 

[John Olson]

You asked: What is the data value for method and Param1?

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\Ini
tPropertyBag]
"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"
"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"
"method"="ShellExecute"
"Param1"=""



What I Found:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\Ini
tPropertyBag]

"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"

"method"="ShellExecute"

"Command"="Dell Solution Center"

"Param1"="c:\\Program Files\\Dell\\SolutionCenter\\DellSC.exe"



You said: If anything other than this......
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\Ini
tPropertyBag]
"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"
"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"
"method"="Help"



Post it here (it's the same)
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\Ini
tPropertyBag]

"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"

"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"

"method"="Help"



I also found the following.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60
b9f0}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]

"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"

"method"="ShellExecute"

"Command"="Dell Solution Center"

"Param1"="c:\\Program Files\\Dell\\SolutionCenter\\DellSC.exe"



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60
b9f0}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]

"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"

"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"

"method"="Help"



Thanks for the support.

To verify if it was deliberate, check this key and value: Start/Run/Regedit

What is the data value for method and Param1?

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\Ini
tPropertyBag]

"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"
"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"
"method"="ShellExecute"
"Param1"=""

If anything other than this......

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\Ini
tPropertyBag]
"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"
"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"
"method"="Help"

Post it here. Then, case closed.

I don't think it was a deliberate act by Dell, because Dell technical
support agreed that the failure of the help screen to come up from the
start
menu was a bug, and offered many suggestions, none of which worked, to fix
it.

screen
is created
a and
the

 

[Kelly]

Thanks and you have just answered your own question. It was done
deliberately. What you have is Dell re-routing XP's Help and Support to
theirs, period. To set back to XP default: change the Command, Method and
delete Param1.

You asked: What is the data value for method and Param1?

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\Ini
tPropertyBag]
"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"
"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"
"method"="ShellExecute"
"Param1"=""



What I Found:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\Ini
tPropertyBag]

"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"

"method"="ShellExecute"

"Command"="Dell Solution Center"

"Param1"="c:\\Program Files\\Dell\\SolutionCenter\\DellSC.exe"



You said: If anything other than this......
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\Ini
tPropertyBag]
"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"
"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"
"method"="Help"



Post it here (it's the same)
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\Ini
tPropertyBag]

"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"

"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"

"method"="Help"



I also found the following.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{2559a1f6-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60
b9f0}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]

"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"

"method"="ShellExecute"

"Command"="Dell Solution Center"

"Param1"="c:\\Program Files\\Dell\\SolutionCenter\\DellSC.exe"



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60
b9f0}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]

"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"

"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"

"method"="Help"



Thanks for the support.

To verify if it was deliberate, check this key and value: Start/Run/Regedit

What is the data value for method and Param1?

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\Ini
tPropertyBag]

"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"
"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"
"method"="ShellExecute"
"Param1"=""

If anything other than this......

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}\Instance\Ini
tPropertyBag]
"CLSID"="{13709620-C279-11CE-A49E-444553540000}"
"command"="@shell32.dll,-12709"
"method"="Help"

Post it here. Then, case closed.

I don't think it was a deliberate act by Dell, because Dell technical
support agreed that the failure of the help screen to come up from the
start
menu was a bug, and offered many suggestions, none of which worked, to fix
it.

I guess that I wasn't clear in my posting. Before reading all the
postings to your problem, I did solve the problem of getting
Help by finding helpctr.exe in a Binaries subdirectory of Windows
and then putting a shortcut on the desktop. I tried to point out
that helpctr should also be available from the main menu of Windows
Explorer, but it isn't.

If you have a button in your Start Menu "Dell Solution Center", click
it and you'll be able to get to helpctr from there. I don't think that
there's a bug in the Dell install. I think that it's deliberate in order
to coerce the user to use the Dell button in the Start Menu.


Please look for another posting to this newgroup where I explain how I
eventually resolved this issue. My system was also a new Dell with
XP
professional, so this may work for you.

I think Dell has introduced a bug in its installation procedure.


I have the same problem with a new Dell Notebook with XP
Professional.
Like
you I found helpctr.exe buried in a windows subdirectory and I
sent a
shortcut to the Desktop. In my system helpctr is also not
available
from
the
"Help" main menu in Explorer. I checked the Hkey for helpctr and
found
that
the full correct path is shown. In my Start menu there's a button for
"Dell
Solution Center". I get the same helpctr window from clicking the
Dell
button in the Start menu as I do from clicking the shortcut icon for
helpctr
on the desktop, but a different instance. I believe that Dell
intentionally
or otherwise disabled helpctr from the Explorer main menu and the
Start
menu.

This is my first newsgroup posting. If I did anything wrong,
please
let
me
know.


About three weeks ago I bought a new PC from Dell with with XP
Professional.
I found out quickly that if I press Start->Help and Support,
nothing
happens.

After much tinkering, I discovered that the Help and Support screen
is
invoked by running the program
C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe. So I have created
a
link
to this program in my start menu, which works around the
problem.

There remains the curiosity that the link between this program and
the
Help
and Support tag that appears on the start menu is broken. Does
anybody
have
any idea about why this has happened, and how to fix it?