pchealth/ helpctr.exe/ Help and Support

I have mistakenly uninstalled pchealth/ helpctr.exe/ Help and Support. Is there anyway I can reinstall it without doing a full XP install?

THANKS

 

Try the following method:

Go to C:\windows\inf\pchealth.inf right-click and choose install. You will
need the XP install cd and may need to know the location of the folders
Windows\ServicePackFiles\i386 and Windows\System32\dllcache.

You'll also need to have your system view setting set to show Hidden Folders, etc:


Open Windows Explorer or My Computer > Tools > Folder Options > View >

Tag the box labeled "Show hidden files and folders "

Untag the boxes labeled "Hide file extensions for known file types" and "Hide protected operation system files "

OK out of there.

 

I went to C:\windows\inf\pchealth.inf and right clicked install and a box informed me that the file "dataspec.xml" was needed off the XP CD. I downloaded dataspec.xml from I386 on the CD. A small box showed that dataspec.xml was being downloaded to

C:\WINDOWS\pchealth\helpctr\binaries

although
I cannot see it there however dataspec.xml shows in C:\WINDOWS\pchealth\helpctr\Config

After this I clicked on Help and Support in Start and a message appeared which said:
"Windows cannot open Help and Support because a service is not running. To fix this problem, start the service named 'Help and Support'. "

 

Sounds like you're on the road to recovery.

Go to Start > Run > (type) services.msc > click OK > scroll down to Help and Support > double click on it > set it to Automatic and click OK > click on Start the Service.

That should do it.

 

Help and Support is not in the list of services

 

Next step:

Go HERE and do the complete process that is outlined.

Alternately, you can run the batch file for those commands from HERE. Click RUN when prompted or if you prefer, download the file and run it from your location.

 

I have followed the instructions in the 1st option, and now Help and is Support listed in Services (local).

However, when I clicked on Help and Support in the Start Menu nothing happens. No info box appears nothing.

When I followed the instructions for the 1st option and inputed this line (in bold): net stop helpsvc then pressed enter this message appeared: "System error 1060 has occourred the specified service does not exist as an installed service ".

When this line was inputed: rd packagestore /s /q and enter pressed this message appeared: "The system cannot find the file specified ".

The same message also appeared for this line: rd installedskus /s /q

For the other inputed lines:

cd /d %windir%\pchealth\helpctr

cd binaries

start /w helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver /install

start /w helpsvc /register


There did not seem to be a problem

 

Run the second option, the batch file so we can be sure the commands are executed properly. Notice that you will have a pause when the install line runs. That's normal and if no error is rendered, the Help Center should be installed properly.

If that doesn't fix things, run sfc /scannow and be prepared to supply your XP install CD.

That will exhaust all the fixes that I am aware of for this problem. The remaining option would be to perform a "Repair Install" of XP to replace the system files and save your personal files but that's rather drastic for a problem that isn't all that serious.

 

It looks like I may have to do a repair install as I have now tried the 2nd option, and sfc /scannow.

 

OK kesher, I suppose that's the best path now since nobody is offering anything better so far.

It's quite possible that you have had some malware script inadvertantly run and it damaged some critical files for the Help Center.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to run chkdsk /r before doing the Repair install just to get a clean bill of health for the drive. You might even get lucky and it will fix the problem. Not likely but still a good idea to do it.

Good luck and I hope you don't need it.

Dude.