lost win xp help center (xp sp3)

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Somehow in cleaning out my C Drive – I lost / destroyed “help center.exe”

There is a file in i386 called HLPCTR.EX_ which probably needs to be decompressed / expanded.

I searched Windows xp knowledge base for both ‘help center.exe and HLPCTR.EX_’ with no results.

Does anyone know how to recreate help center.exe?

I also lost my quick launch task bar, which I have recreated, but have not been able to find the “icon / symbol” for the desk top to put back in the quick launch task bar.

If anyone knows how to put the “display desktop icon” back on the quick launch bar, it would really be appreciated.

Thanks
Tom

PS I finally recovered 2GB of space on my C Drive

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Tom,
You might try:

Start>Run and type ” sfc /scannow ” ( without the quotes )

It will look for your XP CD or you can point it to the i386 folder.

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Bob
Do you know the syntax for pointing the “SFC SCANNOW” to either c:i386 or D:i386

Tom

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It involves a registry hack to make it look elsewhere for the i386 folder.

Look at this article SCANNOW

About halfway down, there is a paragraph titled “Is there a workaround”? YES!

If you are comfortable working in the reg, then CAREFULLY follow the instructions, step by step.

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I ran scannow and it found the D:i386 folder – after quiet a while it competed with no messages. I guess it ran successfully – at least no messages.

I am trying to rebuild helpctr.exe. I found HELPCTR.EX_ in the i386 folder.

I have not been able to find out how to expand the EX_ file – anyone know how to decompress it?

Tom

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Try
expand D:i386helpctr.ex_ Cfolderhelpctr.exe

StuartR

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Select Start | Run…
Type or copy/paste the following line:

expand D:I386helpctr.ex_ C:WINDOWSPCHealthHelpCtrBinarieshelpctr.exe

Then press Enter or click OK.

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A little bit of reading here at: EXPAND

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I expanded all three of the files
HELPCTR.EX_ HELPHOST.EX_ and HELPSVC.EX_

I expanded the second and third file because I continue to get the unable to find helpctr.exe message, at one point in the process – I got a message saying to start the Help and Support Service. One of my reference books says to go into ctl panel – admin tools and double click on the Help and Support process to restart the service.
I cannot find any Help and Support Service anywhere in ctl panel – admin tools.

Is there a command line option to restart the Help and Support Service?

Tom

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To start the Help and Support service…

Start > Run > services.msc > OK
Scroll down the list to find the Help and Support Service and check that it is set to Automatic and is started.

StuartR

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I ran services.msc and have been thru each and every service listed in both the Extended and Standard Services – there is nothing named Help Support and Service in either panel. I read each of the descriptions and there was nothing mentioned about help services in any of the descriptions.

It seems to me that somehow that service has been deleted, but I have no idea how that happened.

Any ideas about how to reconstruct would be appreciated.

Tom

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Tom,
There are a couple of suggestions at Kelly’s Korner for restoring the Help & Support. Scroll about 1/4 way down the page for them. Click on the “H” at the top of the page to bring you to the proper directory page, first.

HELP

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Thanks Bob

I went over to a friends and checked their XP – I am positive that somehow I killed the service “Help and Support”.

I have printed the info you pointed me to and will work my way thru it. I am sure I need to recreate the “Help and Support” Service.

Thanks again

Tom

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Success – I had to use my orig xp disks, but it is all ok now.

Thanks to everyone who helped along the way.

Tom

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Also checkout the info at HELP CENTER

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You can always use the Windows key + D or Windows key + M to display the desktop.

To create a shortcut:
– Start Notepad.
– Copy/paste the following text into it:

[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=explorer.exe,3
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktop

– Save the file as Show Desktop.scf
– Drag the file to your Quick Launch toolbar.

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Restore Desktop Icon to Quicklaunch Bar

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