Help and Support Center will not run

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Guest

This problem has just developed - it was running OK yesterday and then I
installed XP Support Tools, and it would not run (not sure whether this is
relevant). Have done 2 system restores, then a repair re-instal of XP Home,
then tried everything in Kelly's Corner including SFC /Scannow, the repair
script, helpctr -regserver, made sure service was running, checked winhlp32
files, and reinstalled from pchealth.inf. If I call up Help and Support
Center from the start menu, from the Explorer Help menu, or by clicking
hlpctr.exe there is a brief hourglass, then nothing.

Cannot believe I am the only one to have hit this problem, but have hunted
widely for a solution.
 
This problem has just developed - it was running OK yesterday and then I
installed XP Support Tools, and it would not run (not sure whether this is
relevant). Have done 2 system restores, then a repair re-instal of XP Home,
then tried everything in Kelly's Corner including SFC /Scannow, the repair
script, helpctr -regserver, made sure service was running, checked winhlp32
files, and reinstalled from pchealth.inf. If I call up Help and Support
Center from the start menu, from the Explorer Help menu, or by clicking
hlpctr.exe there is a brief hourglass, then nothing.

Cannot believe I am the only one to have hit this problem, but have hunted
widely for a solution.
Click to expand...


A Register Fix is available from http://www.toniarts.com/dwnloads.htm
called "FixWinXPHelp.reg"


EasyCleaner's Windows XP bug fix file. Restores the needed entries
accidentally deleted by EasyCleaner. Works only with Windows installed
in C:\Windows, otherwise edit the file (with notepad) to correspond
to your Windows location. Direct download:
http://www.toniarts.com/files/FixWinXPHelp.reg

EasyCleaner's Windows XP bug fix is also available from Doug Knox.
Fix Windows XP Help
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/fixwinxphelp.htm
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/fix_windows_xp_help.htm
 
Thanks, Unk, but that is the repair script mentioned in my original post
which I have already run. (I do not use EasyCleaner anyway.) I have also
just checked in regedit that the correct keys are actually installed (they
are). This is a real mystery!
 
Type in Start, Run:

%windir%\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver
/install

The repair process will run for few minutes.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


This problem has just developed - it was running OK yesterday and then I
installed XP Support Tools, and it would not run (not sure whether this is
relevant). Have done 2 system restores, then a repair re-instal of XP Home,
then tried everything in Kelly's Corner including SFC /Scannow, the repair
script, helpctr -regserver, made sure service was running, checked winhlp32
files, and reinstalled from pchealth.inf. If I call up Help and Support
Center from the start menu, from the Explorer Help menu, or by clicking
hlpctr.exe there is a brief hourglass, then nothing.

Cannot believe I am the only one to have hit this problem, but have hunted
widely for a solution.
 
Ramesh

Thanks for your help. I have now run
"c:\windows\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver"
(without the quotes) from both the Run dialog and also from cmd. Nothing
seems to happen. In cmd, the display returns instantly to the original
prompt, and from Run nothing changes at all.
 
William,

Start with DLL registration. Proceed to next method if one fails to resolve
the problem.

Type in Start, Run dialog:

helpctr -regserver
regsvr32 itss
regsvr32 hhctrl.ocx
regsvr32 jscript

Fix Windows XP Help - from Doug's site:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/fix_windows_xp_help.htm

In _nothing_ helps, try reinstalling HelpCenter:

Open %systemroot%\inf folder and locate the PCHealth.inf file (might show as
PCHealth in W.Explorer). Right-click the file and choose "Install". Insert
your XP CD when prompted. If you have a Service Pack installed, be sure to
point to the %Windir%\i386\ServicePackFiles folder, or your slipstreamed XP
CD (if available).

Comprehensive rebuild of Help Center: Posted by Rebecca Chen[MS]

Click Start, click Run and type CMD, and click OK.
In Command Prompt, type the following commands and press Enter after each
line: (Alternately, create a Batch file and run.)

net stop helpsvc
cd /d %windir%\pchealth\helpctr
rd packagestore /s /q
rd installedskus /s /q
cd binaries
start /w helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver /install
start /w helpsvc /register

Note: The "start /w helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver /install" command
line reinstalls Help and Support, which may take several minutes.


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Ramesh

Thanks for your help. I have now run
"c:\windows\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver"
(without the quotes) from both the Run dialog and also from cmd. Nothing
seems to happen. In cmd, the display returns instantly to the original
prompt, and from Run nothing changes at all.

Ramesh said:
Type in Start, Run:

%windir%\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver
/install

The repair process will run for few minutes.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


This problem has just developed - it was running OK yesterday and then I
installed XP Support Tools, and it would not run (not sure whether this is
relevant). Have done 2 system restores, then a repair re-instal of XP
Home,
then tried everything in Kelly's Corner including SFC /Scannow, the repair
script, helpctr -regserver, made sure service was running, checked
winhlp32
files, and reinstalled from pchealth.inf. If I call up Help and Support
Center from the start menu, from the Explorer Help menu, or by clicking
hlpctr.exe there is a brief hourglass, then nothing.

Cannot believe I am the only one to have hit this problem, but have hunted
widely for a solution.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks, Ramesh!

Success at last! The DLL registration did not help; I had already run the
Doug Knox script; had also tried to reinstall from the inf file; only the
comprehensive rebuild was good enough.

Ramesh said:
William,

Start with DLL registration. Proceed to next method if one fails to resolve
the problem.

Type in Start, Run dialog:

helpctr -regserver
regsvr32 itss
regsvr32 hhctrl.ocx
regsvr32 jscript

Fix Windows XP Help - from Doug's site:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/fix_windows_xp_help.htm

In _nothing_ helps, try reinstalling HelpCenter:

Open %systemroot%\inf folder and locate the PCHealth.inf file (might show as
PCHealth in W.Explorer). Right-click the file and choose "Install". Insert
your XP CD when prompted. If you have a Service Pack installed, be sure to
point to the %Windir%\i386\ServicePackFiles folder, or your slipstreamed XP
CD (if available).

Comprehensive rebuild of Help Center: Posted by Rebecca Chen[MS]

Click Start, click Run and type CMD, and click OK.
In Command Prompt, type the following commands and press Enter after each
line: (Alternately, create a Batch file and run.)

net stop helpsvc
cd /d %windir%\pchealth\helpctr
rd packagestore /s /q
rd installedskus /s /q
cd binaries
start /w helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver /install
start /w helpsvc /register

Note: The "start /w helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver /install" command
line reinstalls Help and Support, which may take several minutes.


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Ramesh

Thanks for your help. I have now run
"c:\windows\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver"
(without the quotes) from both the Run dialog and also from cmd. Nothing
seems to happen. In cmd, the display returns instantly to the original
prompt, and from Run nothing changes at all.

Ramesh said:
Type in Start, Run:

%windir%\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver
/install

The repair process will run for few minutes.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


This problem has just developed - it was running OK yesterday and then I
installed XP Support Tools, and it would not run (not sure whether this is
relevant). Have done 2 system restores, then a repair re-instal of XP
Home,
then tried everything in Kelly's Corner including SFC /Scannow, the repair
script, helpctr -regserver, made sure service was running, checked
winhlp32
files, and reinstalled from pchealth.inf. If I call up Help and Support
Center from the start menu, from the Explorer Help menu, or by clicking
hlpctr.exe there is a brief hourglass, then nothing.

Cannot believe I am the only one to have hit this problem, but have hunted
widely for a solution.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
You're welcome William.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Thanks, Ramesh!

Success at last! The DLL registration did not help; I had already run the
Doug Knox script; had also tried to reinstall from the inf file; only the
comprehensive rebuild was good enough.
 
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