Win 2000 Pro - windows help function won't work - FIXED!

techwanabe

Diamond Member
May 24, 2000
3,145
0
0
Win 2000 Pro - windows help function won't work on three of my office computers. If you are in Outlook for example and click the HELP item at the top of the screen and choose CONTENTS & INDEX - a blank gray window opens up, totally blank. In Internet exploror nothing happens at all.

I've already tried doing searches via Google and Microsoft Knowledgeless Base. So far I've found nothing. I can't belive that Windows 2000 Pro has been out for over 2 years and there is nothing about this yet. HELP!

Edit - problem fixed. A third party application was discovered to be at fault - see my last message in this thread.
 

HarryAngel

Senior member
Mar 4, 2003
511
0
0
Little more info needed, what are the service packs that you got installed for 2k and office (assuming you have office since you have outlook)?
 

techwanabe

Diamond Member
May 24, 2000
3,145
0
0
Originally posted by: HarryAngel
Little more info needed, what are the service packs that you got installed for 2k and office (assuming you have office since you have outlook)?

Ok... we now have 5 Windows 2000 Pro machines with broken help function in my office. Here is the basic config on these machines.

Windows 2000 Pro... ran all service backs and critical/security rollups on the MS Update site.
Office 2000 is installed on all of these machines along with some banking applications, Corel Office 97 (WP 8), Lotus 97...
Novell Client 4.81 or 4.83.

I personally wonder if one of the service packs or critical updates has caused this glitch. BTW, if I go to START, HELP - I get this message:

"Cannot open the file mk:mad:MSITStore:C:\WINNT\Help\Windows.chm"

If I am in Explorer or an Office app and click on the help "Contents & Index" either nothing happens, or a box opens but it is gray... no contents.
 

techwanabe

Diamond Member
May 24, 2000
3,145
0
0
bump

I did some google searching and haven't found any solutions, however, I did find another user posting the exact same problem so I know it isn't only happening to me.

I did some more searching on the MS Knowledgeless base, but no answers so far.
 

techwanabe

Diamond Member
May 24, 2000
3,145
0
0
bump

Oh, by the way, we had a Windows XP Pro machine which also has a broken Windows Help function. The problem grows along with the mystery. The answer is out there.... help
 

techwanabe

Diamond Member
May 24, 2000
3,145
0
0
Problem is solved now.

I was experimenting and tried uninstalling Microsoft Office to see if there was an issue there. After rebooting the Win2000 PC, I clicked on START/HELP and suddenly the MS Installer fired up for a few seconds and it displayed the name of an application in the box - a banking application on most users computers BTW. I called the vendor of this application, ITI, and they informed me of a newer version which resolves the problem. (might have been nice if they announced this to their clients!).

So, after I installed the newest version of this software, Microsoft HELP based on chm files now works!

The fact that it was a 3rd party application which broke HELP explains why there has been nothing on Microsofts knowledgeless base!