.chm file error.. XP?

[Faheem]

when I try to open any .chm file on my Win XP.. it gives
me an error...

eg:-
------------
Cannot Open the File:
MkMSITStore:C:\Windows\Help\Windows.chm
--------------

what should i do.. I have checked aal the help on the
site butcant find the solution abt win XP.

plz guide me..

 

[Jake]

-----Original Message-----
when I try to open any .chm file on my Win XP.. it gives
me an error...

eg:-
------------
Cannot Open the File:
MkMSITStore:C:\Windows\Help\Windows.chm
--------------

what should i do.. I have checked aal the help on the
site butcant find the solution abt win XP.

plz guide me..
.
CHM file (.chm) which is a compiled set of HTML files.

Do you have a HTML editor such as Outlook Express? You
can download it free from PCWorld.com/downloads/

 

[Jeff Weaver \(MSFT\)]

The MkMSITStore: moniker is valid usage, and not the problem.

Does the file c:\windows\help\windows.chm exist? I wonder if it was mistakenly deleted. Much of the Help system on Windows relies on windows.chm, and so if it's missing the other helpfiles could likely be affected as well.

 

[peter]

Hi,
I get the same error on my computer, using Windows XP Pro.

Cannot Open the File: MkMSITStore:C:\Windows\Help\Windows.chm
(I get this error with any chm help file, not just windows.chm eg.
Cannot open file: mkMSITStore:C:\Program
Files\FileZilla\FileZilla.chm.)

The only thing that I can think of is that I installed some software
that was compiled in French recently, and maybe there is a specific
French language version of some file installed.
But I can't find a way to update the hh* files.

I have tried running the latest hhupd.exe from microsoft.com - it
fails, stating that this can only be updated from the service pack.
So I reran the XP Service Pack 1, and then loaded back all the
critical updates - the problem still exists.
I ran IE 6 Service Pack 1, but was told that a later version was
detected so the service pack could not be run!
Finally, I ran Q323255_WXP_SP2_x86_ENU.exe, but this also did not fix
the problem.

Any help appreciated.

Regards,
Peter

 

[Pete Lees]

Peter,

I get the same error on my computer, using Windows XP Pro.

Cannot Open the File: MkMSITStore:C:\Windows\Help\Windows.chm

Here are some things to try:

1) Upgrade the runtime components used to display HTML Help files by
applying Microsoft Critical Update 811630, which is available from:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811630

2) Delete the file hh.dat, which you should find in the following
subdirectory:

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

This is a database file that saves such session information as the
window position and favorites for the HTML Help viewer. If the file
has been corrupted then .chm files may behave erratically. Windows
will automatically re-create the file when you next open any .chm
file.

3) Empty your Temporary Internet Files (TIF) directory. A full TIF
directory can cause HTML Help files to misbehave.

4) Use MJ's Help Diagnostics to check that the HTML Help runtime
components are properly installed and registered on your machine.

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

5) See the following pages for further guidance on how to resolve help
problems in Windows XP:

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

 

[Pete Lees]

Peter,

Sorry that you're still having problems.

There were two different sections in the report, which were not installed:
HTML Help 1.x Workshop Components
MS Help 2 Run-time Components
Are these required to be installed? If so, how do I get them?

No, you don't need these components. HTML Help Workshop is a tool for
creating help files rather than viewing them, and Help 2.0 is a
different help format, used by Microsoft for its Visual Studio .NET
documentation, MSDN library, and a few other products aimed at
developers.

Can you paste the "HTML Help Run-time Components" section of the MJ's
Help Report into a reply?

 

[Pete Lees]

Peter,

File Found: C:\WINDOWS\System32\hhctrl.ocx
Version = 5.2.3735.0
DLL is Found and Registered OK = YES

File Found: C:\WINDOWS\System32\itss.dll
Version = 5.2.3644.0
DLL is Found and Registered OK = YES

File Found: C:\WINDOWS\System32\itircl.dll
Version = 5.2.3644.0
DLL is Found and Registered OK = YES

No problems there that I can see; you have the latest versions of the
HTML Help runtime components, and they are all properly installed.

Could you check the version number of C:\WINDOWS\hh.exe (should be
5.2.3644.0), and ensure that your CHM file association is not corrupt,
as described by Kelly in the section headed "HH.Exe" on this page:

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

Other than this, I'm afraid that I've run out of suggestions -- except
perhaps to try uninstalling the French language software that you
suspect caused the problem.

Good luck!

 

[peter]

Hi,

Other than this, I'm afraid that I've run out of suggestions -- except
perhaps to try uninstalling the French language software that you
suspect caused the problem.

Good luck!

I should have tried that first! This fixed the problem.

I guess that all of the diagnostics, service packs and so on compare
version numbers, but not native language. Maybe one of the help system
files was replaced by a French version, which was not compatible with
the US English version.

Anyway, problem solved. Thanks for the help!