You cannot open Help and Support Center in Windows XP (888018)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

SYMPTOMS

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

When you click Help and Support on the Start menu in Microsoft Windows XP, you may experience one of the following symptoms:
  • You receive an error message that is similar to the following error message:
    Windows cannot find HELPCTR.EXE
  • The My Computer window appears so that you can locate the HELPCTR.EXE file.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs if a registry key is missing or corrupted.

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 issue, you must modify the registry. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, click Run, type Regedit, and then click OK.
  2. Locate the following registry subkey:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\HELPCTR.EXE



    If this registry subkey does not exist, right-click the following registry subkey, click New, click Key, type HELPCTR.EXE, and then press ENTER:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths

  3. In the left pane, click HELPCTR.EXE, in the right pane, right-click (Default), click Modify, in the Value data box, type C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe, and then click OK.
  4. Quit Registry Editor, and then restart your computer.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/30/2004
Keywords:kbtshoot kbprb KB888018 kbAudEndUser
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.