Winhlp32.exe *STILL* MIA!

[Scott]

I just fired off an angry email to Microsoft.

==============

"I overpaid for the "Ultimate" version of Windows Vista 64-bit and
you're telling me I can't view the help files from some of my
programs?

Your supposed 'support' document (
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917607 ) makes no mention of USERS,
just DEVELOPERS.

What about us poor slobs, the users?

This is insane. Previously you promised (same KB article) to offer
winhlp32.exe as download for Vista users after January 30, 2007, yet
you've updated (today!) the above mentioned KB article and now make no
mention of that download

This TRULY SUCKS.

One of my FAVORITE programs works just fine in Vista, (unless I want
help, that is.)"

==============

There, I feel better now.

 

[Darrell Gorter[MSFT]]

Hello Scott,
The download for Winhlp32.exe is coming. It wasn't going to make the
January 30th date so the article was changed to not reflect the incorrect
date.
Projecting dates for releases of updates is not always accurate, if issues
crop up that delay, expectations around a delivery date are no met.
The article will be updated when the release is made available.
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>From: Scott <[email protected]>
|>Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
|>Subject: Winhlp32.exe *STILL* MIA!
|>Organization: angrykeyboarder.com - http://angrykeyboarder.com
|>Message-ID: <[email protected]>
|>X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 4.2/32.1117
|>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
|>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
|>X-Marks-The: Spot
|>X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS 000712-2, 02/09/2007), Outbound message
|>X-Antivirus-Status: Clean
|>Lines: 27
|>X-Complaints-To: (e-mail address removed)
|>X-Complaints-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers
otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly.
|>Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 01:41:46 GMT
|>Path:
TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTFEEDS01.phx.gbl!news-out.
cwix.com!newsfeed.cwix.com!newscon06.news.prodigy.net!prodigy.net!border1.nn
tp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!news-in-01.newsfeed.easynews.com!easyn
ews.com!easynews!easynews-local!fe09.news.easynews.com.POSTED!not-for-mail
|>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl microsoft.public.windows.vista.general:38295
|>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
|>
|>I just fired off an angry email to Microsoft.
|>
|>==============
|>
|>"I overpaid for the "Ultimate" version of Windows Vista 64-bit and
|>you're telling me I can't view the help files from some of my
|>programs?
|>
|>Your supposed 'support' document (
|>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917607 ) makes no mention of USERS,
|>just DEVELOPERS.
|>
|>What about us poor slobs, the users?
|>
|>This is insane. Previously you promised (same KB article) to offer
|>winhlp32.exe as download for Vista users after January 30, 2007, yet
|>you've updated (today!) the above mentioned KB article and now make no
|>mention of that download
|>
|>This TRULY SUCKS.
|>
|>One of my FAVORITE programs works just fine in Vista, (unless I want
|>help, that is.)"
|>
|>==============
|>
|>There, I feel better now.
|>

 

[Scott]

Hello Scott,
The download for Winhlp32.exe is coming. It wasn't going to make the
January 30th date so the article was changed to not reflect the incorrect
date.

Wow. I didn't realize Microsoft folks participated here!

Projecting dates for releases of updates is not always accurate, if issues
crop up that delay, expectations around a delivery date are no [sic] met.

I understand, but perhaps saying "at a future date" rather than
nothing at all (patricianly since a date had been previously
mentioned).

The article will be updated when the release is made available.
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

Thank you. I appreciate your unexpected attention and quick response.

Scott

 

[Darrell Gorter[MSFT]]

Hello Scott,
I checked on this last week, I was the reason the article got updated to
remove the date since we were past it already.
I try to answer a few questions when I have time
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>From: Scott <[email protected]>
|>Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
|>Subject: Re: Winhlp32.exe *STILL* MIA!
|>Organization: angrykeyboarder.com - http://angrykeyboarder.com
|>Message-ID: <[email protected]>
|>References: <[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
|>X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 4.2/32.1117
|>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
|>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
|>X-Marks-The: Spot
|>X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS 000712-2, 02/09/2007), Outbound message
|>X-Antivirus-Status: Clean
|>Lines: 24
|>X-Complaints-To: (e-mail address removed)
|>X-Complaints-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers
otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly.
|>Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 02:39:07 GMT
|>Path:
TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTFEEDS01.phx.gbl!news-out.
cwix.com!newsfeed.cwix.com!newscon06.news.prodigy.net!prodigy.net!border1.nn
tp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!news-in-01.newsfeed.easynews.com!easyn
ews.com!easynews!easynews-local!fe09.news.easynews.com.POSTED!not-for-mail
|>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl microsoft.public.windows.vista.general:38337
|>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
|>
|>On Wed, 14 Feb 2007 02:06:55 GMT, (e-mail address removed)
|>("Darrell Gorter[MSFT]") spake thusly:
|>
|>>Hello Scott,
|>>The download for Winhlp32.exe is coming. It wasn't going to make the
|>>January 30th date so the article was changed to not reflect the
incorrect
|>>date.
|>
|>Wow. I didn't realize Microsoft folks participated here!
|>
|>>Projecting dates for releases of updates is not always accurate, if
issues
|>>crop up that delay, expectations around a delivery date are no [sic] met.
|>
|>I understand, but perhaps saying "at a future date" rather than
|>nothing at all (patricianly since a date had been previously
|>mentioned).
|>
|>>The article will be updated when the release is made available.
|>>Thanks,
|>>Darrell Gorter[MSFT]
|>
|>Thank you. I appreciate your unexpected attention and quick response.
|>
|>Scott
|>

 

[Hugh Wyn Griffith]

If you have XP you can copy the XP version of WINHlp32.exe over to the
VISTA installation. There's a stub file in VISTA of the same name that
you need to rename or delete and to do that you need to have
permission.

If you know how to do that you'll find that earlier HELP works fine.

If you don't ask because I can't exactly remember how I went about it
but I got there in the end.

 

[Lang Murphy]

I have zero experience with x64 OS's... what I did with x86 was copy
winhlp32.exe to a thumb drive, plug that into the target PC, boot from the
Vista DVD, select repair / command window, copy winhlp32.exe to %windir%
and, voila, away we go.

Have no clue whatsoever if x64 works the same way... do you have XP x64 at
hand?

Lang

 

[Scott]

If you have XP you can copy the XP version of WINHlp32.exe over to the
VISTA installation. There's a stub file in VISTA of the same name that
you need to rename or delete and to do that you need to have
permission.

If you know how to do that you'll find that earlier HELP works fine.

If you don't ask because I can't exactly remember how I went about it
but I got there in the end.

Well I logged on as administrator and tired it and was continually
denied.

Then on my admin account I blanched a command window (via a seemingly
redundant "as administrator") renaming Winhlp32.exe to
Winhlp32.exe.bak and was denied access as well.

Then I tried copying it instead with the same result.

If you can't do it as administrator wtf can you do?

That's BS.

 

[Hugh Wyn Griffith]

You'll have to ask someone else to get a concise answer, but I either
did it from my XP with VISTA not running or I "Run as Adminstrator" on
my Command Prompt (CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER instead of just ENTER) and did
it there or I took ownership of the Windows folder.

 

[cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)]

On Wed, 14 Feb 2007 01:41:46 GMT, Scott

"I overpaid for the "Ultimate" version of Windows Vista 64-bit and
you're telling me I can't view the help files from some of my
programs?

Your supposed 'support' document (
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917607 ) makes no mention of USERS,
just DEVELOPERS.

What about us poor slobs, the users?

This is insane. Previously you promised (same KB article) to offer
winhlp32.exe as download for Vista users after January 30, 2007, yet
you've updated (today!) the above mentioned KB article and now make no
mention of that download

One of my FAVORITE programs works just fine in Vista, (unless I want
help, that is.)"

Maybe the thought is that if you've had an app since the days of
WinHelp .HLP files, you don't need Help anymore?

I jest; Help is for reference documnetation as much as anything else,
and I agree there may not be enough awareness of the need for "deep
legacy" software support.

There may be reasons why Help / .HLP needs to be re-engineered. At
one time in the history of .HLP, it was thought to be kewl to let .HLP
files "do it for you", i.e. launch code - and indeed that can be very
helpful, compared to about reading 15 UI-deep clicks to reach a dialog
box and then having to do those clicks while trying to keep both .HLP
and dialogs visible. But it also means malware can use .HLP as a
delivery system, and today the focus will be on that.

This has certainly remained a problem with the HTML-based .CHM that
have come to replace .HLP - IMO as long as HTML is capable of
scripting and automation, it's not safe to use as a generic "rich
text" medium, as we currently do.


The question is: How does one offer deep legacy support to the DOS,
Win16 and Win9x generation of sware?

These days, systems have more RAM and CPU etc. than these apps would
have thought possible, so if I had to design this stuff, I'd think in
terms of full emulation, much as one does when one wants to run ZX
Spectrum programs (now *theres* deep legacy sware for you!).

That's more likely to be a PowerToy labor of love than a prioritized
MS product development, as the business case for expending those
development resources is sketchy at best.


Your problems may be temporary, as hopefully will be the current
broken download link for WAIK (still obtainable from within BDD 2007).

But to assure you of that, MS would have to know the ETA, and they may
shtumm it out waiting for that ETA before announcements are made.

Maybe it's time to ask nicely again, or do an Internet search binge?

--------------- ---- --- -- - - - -

Saws are too hard to use.
Be easier to use!

 

[DevilsPGD]

In message <[email protected]> "cquirke (MVP

Maybe the thought is that if you've had an app since the days of
WinHelp .HLP files, you don't need Help anymore?

Or maybe there are still modern apps using the format since their help
files have never really been re-engineered from scratch.

There may be reasons why Help / .HLP needs to be re-engineered. At
one time in the history of .HLP, it was thought to be kewl to let .HLP
files "do it for you", i.e. launch code - and indeed that can be very
helpful, compared to about reading 15 UI-deep clicks to reach a dialog
box and then having to do those clicks while trying to keep both .HLP
and dialogs visible. But it also means malware can use .HLP as a
delivery system, and today the focus will be on that.

And?

What can a HLP file do that an EXE cannot? Why bother with HLP based
malware when it's just as simple to get the end user to run an EXE?

Worse, have you seen Vista's help? It happily launches apps from within
the help interface, so at a minimum, this is a "those who do not learn
from history" situation, or a case of "we're Microsoft, do as we say,
not as we do"

 

[Scott]

On Wed, 14 Feb 2007 01:41:46 GMT, Scott






Maybe the thought is that if you've had an app since the days of
WinHelp .HLP files, you don't need Help anymore?

Who say's I've had the app that long silly boy?

http://sourceforge.net/projects/cdexos/

I brought the .hlp issue to the developers attention a few months ago,
but since s/he probably works on this when time permits for gratis,
I'm not expecting a prompt response.

outside of that little glitch, this is the best damn CD ripping app
out there AND it's free of charge and open source.

It not only rips CDs 50 different ways, it's a toaster AND a floor
wax!

 

[Darrell Gorter[MSFT]]

Hello,
The winhlp32.exe is coming.
It just didn't make the January 30th date.
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>From: Scott <[email protected]>
|>Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
|>Subject: Re: Winhlp32.exe *STILL* MIA!
|>Organization: angrykeyboarder.com - http://angrykeyboarder.com
|>Message-ID: <[email protected]>
|>References: <[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
|>X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 4.2/32.1117
|>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
|>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
|>X-Marks-The: Spot
|>X-Headers-Are: Fun for the whole family!
|>X-Marks: The Spot.
|>X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS 000712-2, 02/09/2007), Outbound message
|>X-Antivirus-Status: Clean
|>Lines: 44
|>X-Complaints-To: (e-mail address removed)
|>X-Complaints-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers
otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly.
|>Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 14:53:46 GMT
|>Path:
TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTFEEDS01.phx.gbl!news-out.
cwix.com!newsfeed.cwix.com!newscon06.news.prodigy.net!prodigy.net!news.glorb
com!news-in-01.newsfeed.easynews.com!easynews.com!easynews!easynews-local!f
e04.news.easynews.com.POSTED!not-for-mail
|>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl microsoft.public.windows.vista.general:40205
|>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
|>
|>On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:15:19 +0200, "cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)"
|><[email protected]> spake thusly:
|>
|>>On Wed, 14 Feb 2007 01:41:46 GMT, Scott
|>>
|>>>"I overpaid for the "Ultimate" version of Windows Vista 64-bit and
|>>>you're telling me I can't view the help files from some of my
|>>>programs?
|>>
|>>>Your supposed 'support' document (
|>>>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917607 ) makes no mention of USERS,
|>>>just DEVELOPERS.
|>>
|>>>What about us poor slobs, the users?
|>>
|>>>This is insane. Previously you promised (same KB article) to offer
|>>>winhlp32.exe as download for Vista users after January 30, 2007, yet
|>>>you've updated (today!) the above mentioned KB article and now make no
|>>>mention of that download
|>>
|>>>One of my FAVORITE programs works just fine in Vista, (unless I want
|>>>help, that is.)"
|>>
|>>Maybe the thought is that if you've had an app since the days of
|>>WinHelp .HLP files, you don't need Help anymore?
|>
|>Who say's I've had the app that long silly boy?
|>
|>http://sourceforge.net/projects/cdexos/
|>
|>I brought the .hlp issue to the developers attention a few months ago,
|>but since s/he probably works on this when time permits for gratis,
|>I'm not expecting a prompt response.
|>
|>outside of that little glitch, this is the best damn CD ripping app
|>out there AND it's free of charge and open source.
|>
|>It not only rips CDs 50 different ways, it's a toaster AND a floor
|>wax!
|>--
|> Scott http://angrykeyboarder.com
|>
|>A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
|>Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
|>

 

[Scott]

Hello,
The winhlp32.exe is coming.
It just didn't make the January 30th date.
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

I got your message the first time, but thanks again.

 

[cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)]

In message "cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)"

What can a HLP file do that an EXE cannot? Why bother with HLP based
malware when it's just as simple to get the end user to run an EXE?

Various reasons:
- to bypass file type filters
- to mis-represent the level of risk to users
- as a generic infection mechanism (infect existing .HLP files)

It's not always "just as simple" to get a user to run an .EXE, and
several sites may make that very difficult indeed.

Worse, have you seen Vista's help? It happily launches apps from within
the help interface, so at a minimum, this is a "those who do not learn
from history" situation, or a case of "we're Microsoft, do as we say,
not as we do"

Yep, I was wondering about that. There may be levels of detail that
apply, that make .CHM-based Help easier to manage or secure.

IMO, .HLP was a missed opportunity to become what .PDF is today, had
MS built native .HLP authoring into MS Word... then again, it is said
that one of the limitations of .HLP is poor searchability.

--------------- ---- --- -- - - - -

Saws are too hard to use.
Be easier to use!

 

[Darrell Gorter[MSFT]]

Hello Scott,
It's available.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=6ebcfad9-d3f5-4365-
8070-334cd175d4bb&displaylang=en
Windows Help program (WinHlp32.exe) for Windows Vista
Brief Description
WinHlp32.exe is required to display 32-bit Help files that have the ".hlp"
file name extension. To view .hlp files on Windows Vista, you need to
install this application.

Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>From: Scott <[email protected]>
|>Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
|>Subject: Re: Winhlp32.exe *STILL* MIA!
|>Organization: angrykeyboarder.com - http://angrykeyboarder.com
|>Message-ID: <[email protected]>
|>References: <[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
|>X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 4.2/32.1117
|>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
|>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
|>X-Marks-The: Spot
|>X-Headers-Are: Fun for the whole family!
|>X-Marks: The Spot.
|>X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS 000714-2, 02/16/2007), Outbound message
|>X-Antivirus-Status: Clean
|>Lines: 16
|>X-Complaints-To: (e-mail address removed)
|>X-Complaints-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers
otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly.
|>Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2007 07:42:15 GMT
|>Path:
TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTFEEDS01.phx.gbl!msrtrans!
newsfeed.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp!newsfeed.news2me.com!news-in-01.newsfeed.easyne
ws.com!easynews.com!easynews!easynews-local!fe10.news.easynews.com.POSTED!no
t-for-mail
|>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl microsoft.public.windows.vista.general:40843
|>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
|>
|>On Sat, 17 Feb 2007 00:09:40 GMT, (e-mail address removed)
|>("Darrell Gorter[MSFT]") spake thusly:
|>
|>>Hello,
|>>The winhlp32.exe is coming.
|>>It just didn't make the January 30th date.
|>>Thanks,
|>>Darrell Gorter[MSFT]
|>>
|>
|>I got your message the first time, but thanks again.
|>--
|> Scott http://angrykeyboarder.com
|>
|>A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
|>Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
|>

 

[DevilsPGD]

In message <[email protected]>

Hello Scott,
It's available.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...d9-d3f5-4365-8070-334cd175d4bb&displaylang=en
Windows Help program (WinHlp32.exe) for Windows Vista
Brief Description
WinHlp32.exe is required to display 32-bit Help files that have the ".hlp"
file name extension. To view .hlp files on Windows Vista, you need to
install this application.

If only other vendors responded that quickly... (That's right Creative,
I'm looking at *you*)

 

[Guest]

Hi Darrel,

When I run the downloaded file (Windows6.0-KB917607-x86.msu,) I get the
error message "The update does not apply to this system" (or something like
that, I am translating from spanish.) I have tried both the x86 and x64
versions (I have Vista business x86,) to no avail. Any clues as to what can
be wrong? Thanks a lot!

Ricardo.

Hello Scott,
It's available.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=6ebcfad9-d3f5-4365-
8070-334cd175d4bb&displaylang=en
Windows Help program (WinHlp32.exe) for Windows Vista
Brief Description
WinHlp32.exe is required to display 32-bit Help files that have the ".hlp"
file name extension. To view .hlp files on Windows Vista, you need to
install this application.

Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>From: Scott <[email protected]>
|>Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
|>Subject: Re: Winhlp32.exe *STILL* MIA!
|>Organization: angrykeyboarder.com - http://angrykeyboarder.com
|>Message-ID: <[email protected]>
|>References: <[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
|>X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 4.2/32.1117
|>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
|>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
|>X-Marks-The: Spot
|>X-Headers-Are: Fun for the whole family!
|>X-Marks: The Spot.
|>X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS 000714-2, 02/16/2007), Outbound message
|>X-Antivirus-Status: Clean
|>Lines: 16
|>X-Complaints-To: (e-mail address removed)
|>X-Complaints-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers
otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly.
|>Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2007 07:42:15 GMT
|>Path:
TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTFEEDS01.phx.gbl!msrtrans!
newsfeed.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp!newsfeed.news2me.com!news-in-01.newsfeed.easyne
ws.com!easynews.com!easynews!easynews-local!fe10.news.easynews.com.POSTED!no
t-for-mail
|>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl microsoft.public.windows.vista.general:40843
|>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
|>
|>On Sat, 17 Feb 2007 00:09:40 GMT, (e-mail address removed)
|>("Darrell Gorter[MSFT]") spake thusly:
|>
|>>Hello,
|>>The winhlp32.exe is coming.
|>>It just didn't make the January 30th date.
|>>Thanks,
|>>Darrell Gorter[MSFT]
|>>
|>
|>I got your message the first time, but thanks again.
|>--
|> Scott http://angrykeyboarder.com
|>
|>A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
|>Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
|>