BUG: The MSDN Library Contents window is empty when you open the Help file externally in Visual Studio .NET (827054)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2003), Enterprise Architect Edition
  • Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2003), Enterprise Developer Edition
  • Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (2003), Academic Edition
  • Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN)
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 the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Library, the Contents window and the Index window are empty if you use the MSDN Library as an external Help system for Microsoft Visual Studio .NET.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because a bad Help collection is used to initialize the MSDN Library IDE (DExplore.exe).

RESOLUTION

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.

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, and then click Run.
  2. In the Run dialog box, type regedit, and then click OK to start Registry Editor.
  3. In Registry Editor, locate the following key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSDN\7.0\Help\0x0409

  4. Locate any subkeys that are hexadecimal DWORD values (as opposed to GUID values). The hexadecimal DWORD value may be similar to the following:

    0x003

    Note Only one DWORD value should appear.
  5. Rename this subkey to be a GUID value. Make sure that this new GUID value appears last in the list of GUID values.

    For example, assume that the last GUID value in the list is the following:

    {A18B7203-14C1-49e2-97F4-8F3E679BA52A}

    Rename the subkey that you located in step 4 as the following:

    {A18B7203-14C1-49e2-97F4-8F3E679BA52B} GUID

    This new GUID value (the renamed subkey) is the incremented value of the GUID value that was last in the list and that now appears immediately before the new GUID value.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

You may notice the behavior that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section if a DWORD value such as 0x003 exists in the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSDN\7.0\Help\0x0409

REFERENCES

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

318945 FIX: Visual Studio .NET and MSDN files corrupted during installation

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:2/9/2006
Keywords:kbvs2005doesnotapply kbvs2005swept kbfix kbDevStudio kbDevContext kbDev kbBug kbAppSolObj kbOnlineDocs kbother KB827054 kbAudDeveloper
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