Vista "Help" Files Deleted / Where Can I Find and Download Vista Help Files?

BringBackDOS · Sep 29, 2013

Good Day to All! I hope All are enjoying a pleasant one.

My Windows Vista Help Files were accidentally Deleted.

Now I get the message "Help and Support was not able to start" whenever I try to use "Help".

Where can I Find Windows Vista Help Files on the Internet for Downloading?

Any Info will be Greatly Appreciated.

John B.

Ex_Brit · Sep 30, 2013

See if this post over at Microsoft helps: "Help and Support" feature unable to start - Microsoft Community

BringBackDOS · Oct 1, 2013

Ex_Brit said:
See if this post over at Microsoft helps: "Help and Support" feature unable to start - Microsoft Community

Hi Peter! Thanks for the response. I ran those fixes... but they don't work, because they don't address the problem as stated. My "Help" files have been accidentally deleted by one of those system cleanup programs. I know this for a fact. The "Help" files are gone... deleted.

You can see for yourself if you like. First, run a Restore Checkpoint, and/or backup your system Help files. Download Wise365 and install it. Go to System Cleaner... and run the System Slimming feature... there'll you'll see an option for deleting Windows Help Files.

I was cleaning things up... and oops! ...silly me... left that checkbox checked and... boom! ...there you have it...

So... everytime I try to access any Help, anywhere... "Help and Support was not able to start"

I've got an HP Notebook which, of course, was preloaded, and of course again, didn't come with Windows Vista disks. So I was thinking that the Files would be available for download somewhere... I'm not the only one with this problem, except I see that many are trying all sorts of registry fixes and such.

...so how 'bout dem files... available?

at your service,

john b.

wise365 system cleaner - system slimming.jpg

Ex_Brit · Oct 2, 2013

Never, ever use registry cleaners, they are notorious for doing just that and I wouldn't be surprised if you discover more faulty software as you go along.

Well the only way to restore them, assuming that program doesn't have a restore button, would be a repair install.

Try this first: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/87497-help-support-vista.html

If not then this: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html

MilesAhead · Oct 2, 2013

Do you have any Restore Points?
You can extract files from Restore Points without running a restore using ShadowExplorer freeware.

Also you might try sfv /scannow
command
from a repair console if you have product boot CD/DVD

Ex_Brit · Oct 2, 2013

sfc /scannow you mean ;-) See http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html

MilesAhead · Oct 2, 2013

Ex_Brit said:
sfc /scannow you mean ;-) See http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html

Sometimes I swear this editor applet thingy puts in the typos after I hit the Post button. Drives me nuts!!

Ex_Brit · Oct 2, 2013

I think that too - LOL

MilesAhead · Oct 2, 2013

Ex_Brit said:
I think that too - LOL

I had a nice little hotkey thing that copied the text, brought up and external editor, then when you saved the edit, pasted it back. It was written by a DonationCoder guy I think. I'll dig it out when I get my own machine again. It's pretty handy.

Ex_Brit · Oct 2, 2013

Sounds good.

BringBackDOS · Oct 2, 2013

Ex_Brit said:
Never, ever use registry cleaners, they are notorious for doing just that and I wouldn't be surprised if you discover more faulty software as you go along. Well the only way to restore them, assuming that program doesn't have a restore button, would be a repair install.
Try this first: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/87497-help-support-vista.html
If not then this: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html

Thanks for your help with this but for Fix One, I don't have the disks... it's an OEM load... I would have to do a complete reload from another "Recovery" partition... no wayyyyy... ain't gonna happen!

Fix Two, is not for my issue... and one of the solutions requires the "Help and Support" program to run, and that's not happening... ...Ran the FixHelp Reg Merge anyway... no soap!

It's as if the entire "Help and Support" executable and/or data files have been nuked. That's what I get for cleaning up my hard drive... Sheesh! I can usually find just about anything on the web... it seems I'm not the only one with this problem... I found many references... so I'm thinking the Fix and/or Files have to be out there somewhere.

Gonna read some more posts.

This problem that I'm having is totally my fault... it was an accident. I've been using Reg Cleaners and Reg Defraggers for as long as I can remember without problems... and another thing... I haven't used any Malware Protection, Anti-Virus, or Firewall... just WinPatrol Plus forever as well... my system isn't bogged down with any of that junk... years and years and years... I've NEVER had an issue... and I'm a heavy web user... occasionally I have run standalone and web based Malware/A-V Scans... Nothing! ...that WinPatrol does a great job of keeping an eye on things, doesn't allow any changes to anything without my permission... it's cute too... when it wants to notify me of something, it goes"Woof" like a small dog... I guess the programmer likes "Scotties"... my dogs always perk their ears up when WinPatrol "Woof's"...

BringBackDOS · Oct 2, 2013

MilesAhead said:
Do you have any Restore Points?
You can extract files from Restore Points without running a restore using ShadowExplorer freeware.

Also you might try sfv /scannow
command
from a repair console if you have product boot CD/DVD

Thanks for your response and tip... I don't have the product CD... it's an OEM preload. I don't have a repair console for Vista 64.

BringBackDOS · Oct 2, 2013

Ex_Brit said:
sfc /scannow you mean ;-) See http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html

...yes... this will Run from the Run Command on the Start Menu... it's Running as I type this... may take awhile... I'm not sure what it's supposed to do...

BringBackDOS · Oct 2, 2013

MilesAhead said:
Sometimes I swear this editor applet thingy puts in the typos after I hit the Post button. Drives me nuts!!

I use a little app that runs in memory and logs all your keystrokes... it's called... of course... Home Keylogger Ver. 2.0... spyarsenal.com... your A-V/Malware programs won't like it, but it's innocent... it will log all your keystrokes into a simple text file, and then you can see if You are making the spelling errors... or the forum editor...

I like to use a mouse most of the time, and sometimes I forget to turn off my touchpad... so when I'm typing and occasionally accidentally brushing, or touching the touchpad... all sorts of wacky things go on...

Ex_Brit · Oct 3, 2013

BringBackDOS said:
Thanks for your help with this but for Fix One, I don't have the disks... it's an OEM load... I would have to do a complete reload from another "Recovery" partition... no wayyyyy... ain't gonna happen!

Fix Two, is not for my issue... and one of the solutions requires the "Help and Support" program to run, and that's not happening... ...Ran the FixHelp Reg Merge anyway... no soap!

It's as if the entire "Help and Support" executable and/or data files have been nuked. That's what I get for cleaning up my hard drive... Sheesh! I can usually find just about anything on the web... it seems I'm not the only one with this problem... I found many references... so I'm thinking the Fix and/or Files have to be out there somewhere.

Gonna read some more posts.

This problem that I'm having is totally my fault... it was an accident. I've been using Reg Cleaners and Reg Defraggers for as long as I can remember without problems... and another thing... I haven't used any Malware Protection, Anti-Virus, or Firewall... just WinPatrol Plus forever as well... my system isn't bogged down with any of that junk... years and years and years... I've NEVER had an issue... and I'm a heavy web user... occasionally I have run standalone and web based Malware/A-V Scans... Nothing! ...that WinPatrol does a great job of keeping an eye on things, doesn't allow any changes to anything without my permission... it's cute too... when it wants to notify me of something, it goes"Woof" like a small dog... I guess the programmer likes "Scotties"... my dogs always perk their ears up when WinPatrol "Woof's"...

I would advise you at least to use MSE in that case. WinPatrol is no defence!. MSE is free after all. I will PM you something that might help with system repairs.

MilesAhead · Oct 3, 2013

BringBackDOS said:
I use a little app that runs in memory and logs all your keystrokes... it's called... of course... Home Keylogger Ver. 2.0... spyarsenal.com... your A-V/Malware programs won't like it, but it's innocent... it will log all your keystrokes into a simple text file, and then you can see if You are making the spelling errors... or the forum editor...

I like to use a mouse most of the time, and sometimes I forget to turn off my touchpad... so when I'm typing and occasionally accidentally brushing, or touching the touchpad... all sorts of wacky things go on...

Heh. It's not that big a deal. Just frustrating as at times I have to edit 4 or 5 times for only a few lines of text. Even though I'm a programmer I've avoided as much as possible understanding all that Unicode/code page/language related stuff. I have my hands full just doing English language versions of stuff. If somebody was a Unicode expert then maybe that would make a good coding partnership.

But anyway, I'll blame it on Unicode rather than my pefrect typing. (typo intended)

BringBackDOS · Oct 7, 2013

MilesAhead said:
But anyway, I'll blame it on Unicode rather than my pefrect typing. (typo intended)

HA! ...that's grate! i luv that!

BringBackDOS · Oct 7, 2013

BringBackDOS said:
...yes... this will Run from the Run Command on the Start Menu... it's Running as I type this... may take awhile... I'm not sure what it's supposed to do...

...when last seen, the above was taking place... and the command prompt said something about verifying files... something like that... but then I got called away by some sudden automotive repair issues, and a trip to NYC...

...I have no idea what occurred... I wrapped up my Notebook and took it with me to NY... when I eventually fired it up and tested things... Bingo! ...my "Help and Support was available... although it still has a minor issue, it's totally workable...

...the Only "issue", if you want to call it that... it's really too small to be qualified as an "issue", but there it is... when I click on "Help and Support" in the Start Menu, it says "Topic not found" "The topic you are looking for is not available in this version of Windows"... but I can "Browse" the topics, and everywhere else in the Vista world, everything seems normal and functioning properly.

So Thank You for that "SFC" command... and Ex_Brit... Thank You for the Other Thing... Very Much!

Ex_Brit · Oct 7, 2013

Glad it's working....sort of.... ;-)

MilesAhead · Oct 7, 2013

This HP specific solution might work

Vista "Help" Files Deleted / Where Can I Find and Download Vista Help Files?

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