Search & Help have gone A.W.O.L.

[Sinluan 0]

I don't know what the underlying cause was but for some reason, after I installed XP, the 'Search' function just didn't seem to be able to find its own arse with both hands. Now I notice that the 'Help & Support' gives no response when I click on it. Is there a method one can use to restore these aspects of XP? I've tried using the Recovery Console (chkdsk /r) but that was ineffective. If the cure involves reinstalling the OS, I believe I'll learn to live without them. Thanks for your time & expert advice, as always.

[Wilhelmus 1]

1)

See that "Help and Support" service is enabled and running in Services app (services.msc).

 

2)

Launch regedit and goto this path (if exits):

"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoFind"

If "NoFind" has the value "01 00 00 00" change it to "00 00 00 00". You will need to restart / or logoff and login again.

 

[Sinluan 0]

I changed the Help and Support setting from manual to automatic. Then in the registry where you suggested to modify the key, it didn't exist so I created it and gave it the appropriate value and rebooted. Clicking Help and Support still gets no response. Is there anything else I could try?

[Wilhelmus 1]

Sorry for long reply.

 

Found this from other forum:

Quote:

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1108432315

1. Click Start, go to Run, type in CMD and press Enter.

2. In the command mode, type the following command lines and press Enter at the end

of each:

 

CD /D %SYSTEMROOT%\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR

 

Note: it will enter the %SYSTEMROOT%\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR folder.

 

RD /S /Q PACKAGESTORE

 

Note:It will remove the PACKAGESTORE subfolder.

 

CD BINARIES

 

Note:It will enter the BINARIES subfolder.

 

START /W HELPSVC /SVCHOST NETSVCS /REGSERVER /INSTALL