No Help Files

[Guest]

I am unable to access help files in any of my programs. The computer is a
VAIO, need I say more? It just went out of warranty two months ago and of
course there is no Windows XP cd to reload from. I have no clue why I cannot
use the help feature in any program. This is quite frustrating.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Are they .HTM or .CHM files?
What's the error message you see in the screen?

 

[Guest]

Ramesh,
I need to clarify I think. In my programs like FrontPage, Corel, Wilcom,
etc. (I have lots of programs when you click on the little help button in
the top bar to access information without digging out the books, nothing
comes up. Corel doesn't even bring up a help box. FrontPage brings up a box
with the assistant, but nothing shows up when you type or search. All my
programs act the same when it comes to the help part, so it's not the
programs, it's XP. I very rarely use this feature, but every now and then
you just don't want to dig out the instruction manuals and it's quick
information. What really frustrates me is that I have no cd from which to
reload my Windows XP program. This computer came with NOTHING but a sales
receipt and a few papers. I have no way of knowing if they are .htm or .chm
files. The programs work fine otherwise. Just no help files. Even in
Windows Explorer. If you click on the help button, absolutely nothing
happens.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Even in Windows Explorer. If you click on the help button, absolutely
Does Explorer contain a help button? Am I missing something here/

 

[Guest]

Ramesh,
Absolutely nothing happens. There is a help button in almost everyprogram.
Even in Internet Explorer. When I click on them, NOTHING happens. No menu,
no index, just like I never clicked in the first place.
applik

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

applik,

I don;t see a help button in IE. But there is a help menu containing these
sub-menus:

* Contents and Index
* Tip of the day
* For Netscape users
* Online Support
* Send Feedback

Perhaps the "Contents and Index" part is not working for you (not launching
the help?). I'm asking these much details because it will help me replicate
the problem in my systems here. That's the way I troubleshoot such issues.

 

[DSG]

See if this helps (a couple of years ago this worked for me.)
Because our systems are very sensitive, occasionally a Help file gets hidden
off-screen or gets shrunk to nothing.

Open FrontPage or Internet Explorer (or a program which won't show its Help
files). Click on the HELP button. You will not get the Help files, but you
should get a button on the task bar that tells you HELP is open (though not
seen).

Minimize the program and any other visible window that's open (don't close
it). Right-click on the Desktop taskbar's background and select from the
list, "Tile Windows Vertically" (horizontally might work just as well).
If this procedure answers your problem, the program(s) and the Help file you
have already "opened" will be redrawn on the screen.

It will probably not be necessary to perform this procedure for your other
programs.

I don't know if you have to unlock the task bar first or not. Might be a
good idea. If you do, lock it up again afterward.
DSG
.....................................................
.............

 

[Guest]

Ramesh,
That is what is missing. Everything that should be listed in the help menus
is not there in any of the programs (not just IE). You can click on the
"help" button but nothing happens.
applik

 

[Pete Lees [MVP]]

applik,

That is what is missing. Everything that should be listed in the
help menus is not there in any of the programs (not just IE). You
can click on the "help" button but nothing happens.

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.

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, changes that you've made to the
size and position of a help window, 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 any .chm 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 pages for further guidance on how to resolve
XP-specific help problems:

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

 

[Guest]

Pete,
Thanks so much for your help. Solution #2 did the trick. Renamed the file
and a new one was created when I used the help file in a program. You were
right, the old one must have be corrupted somehow. Thanks again.
applik

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Thanks for the tips, Pete.

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


applik,

That is what is missing. Everything that should be listed in the
help menus is not there in any of the programs (not just IE). You
can click on the "help" button but nothing happens.

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.

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, changes that you've made to the
size and position of a help window, 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 any .chm 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 pages for further guidance on how to resolve
XP-specific help problems:

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

 

[Guest]

Pete,

Your suggestions to applik provided the final link to re-enabling the .chm
Help files on my pc (Windows XP SP2). Security Update 896358 and/or 890175
blocked the Windows Help & Support and Help files for many of my stand alone
applications. MJ's Help Diagnostics found and registered two .dll files that
weren't registered properly (itss.dll and itircl.dll).

I had already done a registry edit per info gleaned from Microsoft articles
892675 (Example 2) and 896358 (the less conservative approach, with
MaxAllowedZone set to 2). When that didn't work, I saw your message and tried
your suggestions 2 and 3. Those didn't fix it, but then I downloaded/ran MJ's
Help Diagnostics. With everything registered, Windows Help & Support the Help
files on my pc now work.

Thanks for your assistance.