Troubleshooting Help File missing page

When using the W98 Troubleshooting file I can select a subject to troubleshoot but when I click on next a blank window appears. I have used this file in the past with no problem so something has changed it. Any suggestions what I can do to get the entire help file back? I have two computers with W98SE installed and this has occurred on both. I can't help but think some critical update changed it or maybe Spy-bot?

This is what Dr Watson says:

--------------------
Windows KB891711 component has altered Windows system files.

Module Name: KB891711.EXE
Description: Windows KB891711 component
Version: 4.10.2223
Product: Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Operating System
Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation

--------------------
Object Linking and Embedding Client Library has altered Windows system files.

Module Name: OLECLI.DLL
Description: Object Linking and Embedding Client Library
Version: 1.20.000
Product: Microsoft Object Linking and Embedding Libraries for Windows
Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation

 

Hi,
Your right, troubleshooters can be and have been disabled or crippled by MS security Update. This was done on purpose. See past post of:
http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=39340&highlight=Troubleshooters

It's been a while since I dealt with this issue but all should be found in the archived post. If your answer is not in the link I have provided there's more in this boards archives. You may wish to use the "search" feature offered and the keyword filter of troubleshooters and make sure the the win98 forum is selected.

As for the Dr Watson report: updates "by nature" will alter Windows system files. This is what they are suppose to do.

Please keep this post updated on your progress, good or bad, and any resolution or fix that worked (or didn't).

 

Thank you, thank you. Your links fit my problem to a T and I have downloaded the fix and will check it out. Nice to know I wasn't wrong in assuming it was caused by an update.

Ivajig

 

Troubleshooting Help File -solved

godeez:

Thank you again, the TSfix didn't work the first time but I rebooted and all is well.

Ivajig

 

Hi ivajig,
I'm so glad this worked out for you and I was happy to help out. Thank's back at ya' for taking the time to update your post.

 

goddez1, may i join in? i have the same problem as did ivajig no second page on any troubleshooter, i did what you told him to do and all was well until i got to install and it ask for the windows98se cd, dont have one all the shop gave me after they installed windows98se was a bunch of cabs,would happen to know which cab might have that information in it? i called them and they said that if i went to the folder they put the cabs in i could probably find it and install it????? but i ll try it this is postscript: i did a find for cabs, i have them 129 and on the wrong date. any ideas? does microsoft have a troubleshooter? i would rather take my car to the shop then my computer!

 

When you are prompted for the windows CD, there is a browse button there. Browse to the folder the CAB files are located, and the setup should get what it needs on it's own.
BTW, those CAB files are part of the setup files for windows, like a ZIP file, but much more tightly compressed.

 

Well Hi Ivajig! Long time no see since Don's BB and wish you'd come back. I had the same problem but never did get it fixed much to Goddez1's chagrin cause she helped me a bunch at the time. This problem has popped up a LOT with Win98 users. Glad you got yours fixed.

 

Hello To all,
Let's see if I can gather some of this information that's spread out through out various posts and links and put it here in one thread where it may be a bit handier....Here goes...

Two separate Windows Update criticals took your Troubleshooters away, for security reasons.

http://mvps.org/PracticallyNerded/Windows/98/98_Tshootr.htm <-This link informs you that if you suffer fromTroubleshooter pages that are blank or missing, it happened after a couple of critical updates. The February 2003 critical update from MicrosoftQ810847 which disabled the HTML help functionality in Windows 98. The fix was to re-install the tshoot.inf which is explained below. Microsoft also released a cumulative patch Q811630 that restored the HTML Help functionality but still left the tshooters crippled. One or both of these update explanations does claim or warn you of this. Although it is a very small short paragraph, it's there somewhere.

If the cause was the Q810847 patch, the tshoot.inf install method should restore the tshooters.

If the trouble shooters still do not work, you probably installed the November 2003 critical update (Q824145) that also added a registry entry, into the mix that disabled, effected or limited the, ActiveX controls. The fix was to delete or change the entry from the registry but that left or leaves your system open to attack when this particular exploit or vulnerability was used by the unscrupulous.

The long and short of it is, we all, now know, that a windows IE cumulative update either broke or limited the function of the help files. A subsequent html help update fixed the startbutton>help function but still left the tshooters crippled. This resulted in blank pages when using the tshooters.

The fix or work around was to reverse the changes the update made to the registry hkey@value:
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{4B106874-DD36-11D0-8B44-00A024DD9EFF}]
"Compatibility Flags "=dword:00000400

Back to the preupdate value:
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{4B106874-DD36-11D0-8B44-00A024DD9EFF}]
"Compatibility Flags "=dword:00000000

As I found out, merely doing the above registry change did not help and my tshooters were still blank. A crucial needed ingredient in this recipe was to do a file find for "tshoot.inf" and right click to select the option "install ". This will require the win98** cd or cab files. I can only guess that not only was the registry involved in the snafu but perhaps the *.chm, *.htm, or whatever files the tshooters needed where also deleted somewhere along the line or additional registry pointers, to these, where also effected by the update. The reinstall or freshen up of the "tshoot.inf" needs to done for this fix to work.

This, however, is returning your settings back to the more riskier exploitative condition that the security update was meant to fix or prevent. MicroSoft and the Cautious User recommended leaving the tshooters crippled and using the the tshooters available on-line:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/windows/tshoot

An additional fix became available by someone adept in writing software. (I'd like to give credit where credit is due here, but I can't seem to find who originated this site or fix. Perhaps I'm just tired and missing it so I will get back to this later) :
http://mvps.org/PracticallyNerded/SoftFixes.htm
(Win98_TS_Fix.zip)
http://mvps.org/PracticallyNerded/Files/Win98_TS_Fix.zip
Download it, open it and read the readme. It only has two files in it. The readme and the file "Tshoot.exe ". The readme includes all the instructions you need. Very short, easy to follow, easy to-do's.

This executable provides a temporary way to open tshooters in a shell. No messing with the registry values to circumvent the security change, is needed. The tshooters are still blank when accessed via the startbutton>Help but by using the the shortcut, made as instructed by the readme in the zipped fix, they will work. This is the preferred compromise, more secure than reversing the security update, more convenient than having to go on-line to MS to use tshooters.

As for myself, I had my own problems with both of these methods and had to use both. Wishing to take the middle more secure road, I originally tried downloading the safer "tshoot.exe" fix. Unfortunately this did not work for me even after a reboot. I still had tshoot blanks. Both from the fix "Tshoot" shortcut and the startbutton>help>tshooters. I then tried just changing the registry key and value, as mentioned previosly. This still was no-go. I had to do the file find for "tshoot.inf" file and rightclick>install it. Bam! Both, the startbutton>help>tshooters and the fix "tshoot" shortcut, now worked like a charm. But this left me in the less secure state and exploitable. So back to reg and a change back to the more secure setting of:
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{4B106874-DD36-11D0-8B44-00A024DD9EFF}]
"Compatibility Flags "=dword:00000400

This is now the desired condition. The startbutton>help>tshooters are blank and crippled per the after effect of the MS patch, but the fix "tshoot.exe" shortcut still works like a charm.

This is to Jan,
From within the win98 cd popup, "Browsing" or "pointing to" the folder that contains the cabs should get you what you want or the cabs/files needed> Sometimes you need go no further than the parent folder but other times may require you to point to a specific cab. You never know if windows is going to get fussy on you and become blind. Just because windows says it can't find it doesn't mean it's not there. But... have you considered a registry change that should make this unnecessary in most cases. If these are indeed your win98* setup cabs, you can change the source path in your registry so that when installing anything that requires these cabs, win98 knows where they are and will go there rather than asking for the CD. See:
How to Change the Default Windows Setup Location
This is a very simple Registry editing tip, but you should backup by exporting this hkey and value so you can reverse it should the need arise. Put the exported *.reg file in a folder with a readme to remind what this exported reg patch was for and put that somewhere safe, either on a floppy or in a folder made for such backups. Launch the Registry Editor and navigate to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Setup

Locate the "SourcePath" entry (without quotation marks). The value will usually begin or point to your cd or dvd rom drive if you installed from a romdrive. You need to modify it to show the new path that Windows should use to find your installation files. For example, If your cabs were in C:\Windows\Options\Win98\ folder. You would change the value to reflect the correct path to the folder (You must end the path name you type with a backslash for this to work properly.)

Any path you type here will be the path win98 will automatically go to when needing cab file. It must be the correct full path or you'll wind up with popups such as "unable to find "...etc. and you'll still have to browse or point the bugger to where you want it to go. You may have to do this on occasion anyway but this may take some of the nuisance out it.

 

hi and thanks to all of y'll tried getting windows to use cab (it told exactly what it needed) but couldnt find it. so i have the link to microsoft tshoot and ill use that,even got it on my desktop. i dont feel comfortable enough to go into the registery yet. thanks again to all of you.

 

Hi jan,
I know I could probably coax you into delving into the registry. You've done it in the past, nervously, but you made it through. This is not a scary thing to do when using the proper precautions and preparations. All of this has been explained to you before so I won't bang you over the head with it. Working the cab file redirects can also be a trial of patience on occasion. In the end, you have to do what your comfortable doing or your patience allows for and the on-line tshooters are a good work around for something that is used as infrequently as these.

I'm glad you seem to have the fix that works best for you. This is the final goal. Your welcome and thanks for updating your thread.