OFF2000: Error Message "Help Requires Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or Greater" When You Start Help (268465)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Project 2000
  • Microsoft Excel 2000
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 2000 SP 1
  • Microsoft Access 2000
  • Microsoft FrontPage 2000
  • Microsoft Outlook 2000
  • Microsoft PowerPoint 2000
  • Microsoft Publisher 2000
  • Microsoft Word 2000
  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000
This article was previously published under Q268465
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

In any of the Office 2000 programs or Project 2000, if you ask the Office Assistant for help and click any of the Help topics, the following error message appears:
Help requires Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or greater. You can install the latest version of IE from www.Microsoft.com.

CAUSE

This problem can occur if both of the following conditions are true:
  • You are using Microsoft Windows 2000.
  • You downloaded and installed Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 1 (SP1) from the Web between Thursday, July 6, 2000, and Tuesday, July 11, 2000.
One of the installation .inf files in the original release of Internet Explorer 5.01 SP1 writes an incorrect build number to the registry.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use any of the following methods.

Resolution 1: Install Critical Update from July 14, 2000

Microsoft has released an update to correct this problem. The update is available at the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/download/critical/patch10.htm

Resolution 2: Install Internet Explorer 5.5 or Later

You can resolve this problem by installing Internet Explorer 5.5 or later. For more information about the latest version of Internet Explorer, visit the following Microsoft Web page:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx

Resolution 3: Modify the Registry

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

  1. Quit all running Office programs.
  2. On the Start menu, click Run.
  3. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
  4. In Registry Editor, locate and click the following key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer

  5. In the right pane, click the Build string value.
  6. On the Edit menu, click Modify.
  7. In the Value data box, type 53103.1000, and then click OK.
  8. On the Registry menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 1 downloaded from the Web between Thursday, July 6, 2000, and Tuesday, July 11, 2000.

This problem was resolved for Internet Explorer 5.01 SP1 downloads from the Web on July 12, 2000. If you downloaded Internet Explorer 5.01 SP1 on July 12, 2000, or later, your computer is not affected by this issue. If you do not know when you downloaded Internet Explorer 5.01 SP1, Microsoft recommends that you apply the Critical Update from July 14, 2000.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:1/26/2006
Keywords:kbenv kberrmsg kbprb KB268465
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