PRB: Update of the Help System During Installation of MSDN Library Breaks the Windows 2000 Help System (274623)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) July 00

This article was previously published under Q274623

SYMPTOMS

The update of the HTML Help System during the installation of the Microsoft Developers Network (MSDN) Library breaks the Microsoft Windows 2000 Help system.

During the installation of the MSDN Library (usually, but not limited to the April 2000 or July 2000 editions), the MSDN Library installation program attempts to update the HTML Help System. The update fails due to not having the required permissions. (The installation is denied rights to do so due to the Windows file system protection feature.) Although the installation attempt fails and the update has not been completed, the HTML Help system is not able to display the MSDN Library correctly when started.

The following MSDN Library (any edition) error messages appear:
"unable to find the collection \..\msdn***.col"

-or-

"Can not open the MSDN010.COL"
The exact error depends on the version of the MSDN Library being started.

CAUSE

The MSDN Library updates some of the underlying files, but is not able to complete the HTML Help system update.

RESOLUTION

Install Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 1 from the following Microsoft Web site at and then perform the steps that you find in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

240350 HOWTO: Manually Uninstall the MSDN Library

REFERENCES

This issue is due to the situation explained in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

269966 BUG: MSDN Library - July 2000 DVD Edition Has a Corrupt MSDN020


Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/9/2001
Keywords:kbDSupport kbprb KB274623