Help and Support Center does not work 1

[drkrdr]

When installing Win XP Pro on my laptop, I got an error messages saying that pchdt_w3.cab could not be copied. Subsequently, Help and Support Center did not function. Tried to manually copy the file from an existing system, but no change. Could not find any option on repairing the installation on my Win XP Pro CD.

 

[linney]

You could try repairing windows itself by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates but your files will be untouched.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q315/3/41.asp

You are going to need your CD for this so you may run into copying problems again (let's hope not).

Read this paragraph in the following article, it might help.
"You Receive a File Copy Error During Setup"

310064 - HOW TO: Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation When You Upgrade from Windows 98 or Windows Me

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310064&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[coakerb]

GO HERE;

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/fixwinxphelp.htm

and download the VBSFix HELP file.....save it to your desktop and run it might just do the trick.

 

[bcastner]

1. Go to Start/Run and type in: helpctr -regserver

2. To reinstall Help and Support: Go to C:\Windows\inf\pchealth.inf. Right click and choose install. Have your CD handy.

Note: The folder is hidden by default. Go to Start/Run and type in: control folders. View: Show hidden files and folders and uncheck Hide extensions for known file types.

3. Also, make sure that the Help and Support Service is running. Go to Start/Run and type in: services.msc. From there scroll down to Help and Support and make sure the service is set to Automatic and is Started.

Notes from Kelly Theriot.

 

[drkrdr]

Followed Bcastners advice but when re-installing H & S, it failed to copy the file pchdt_w3.cab. Took pchdt_w3.ca_ from another XP Pro SP1 so the installation program managed to copy all files but the result was negative anyway. The H & S service starts automatically and is up and running.

Don't think there is any point in trying to re-install XP, will only encounter the same copy problem.

Also tried coakerb's script, equally unsuccessful.

 

[linney]

Check your RAM for errors, this has sometimes been a cause of copy problems.

http://www.memtest86.com/

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

You might have access to a cut down version of XP Help if you type hh.exe windows.chm in the Start Run box.

 

[drkrdr]

Linney,

I have tried the same CD in other computers, also with a different CD reader, no success.

The cut down version of Help works fine! Many thanks for this advice. I really need to use help in situations when I don't have Internet access.

 

[bcastner]

Download and run both of these:

http

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/helpsvcrestore.reg

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/helpsvc.reg

After installing SP1 for some users the correct version of win32hlp.exe is not properly placed in the System32 folder. If this is the case replace the older version with the version found in windows\ServicePackFiles\i386.

Or if you expanded the files from the original CD, make sure the same version files are placed in the correct place:
. Copy Winhlp32.exe to your \%SYSTEMROOT%\ folder.
. Copy the Winhlp32.cnt, and Winhlp32.hlp to the \%SYSTEMROOT%\Help\folder.