Can't access Help and Support in XP

I went to restore to a restore point and when I click on Help and Support in the Start menu it tells me it can't find helpctr.exe. This is core feature of the Windows operating system, I don't understand.

 

Start >Run
Under cmd type ''sfc /scannow'' exactly and without quotes

Have your XP cd ready to put in

 

Ok, before I do that I wanna be clear what's gonna happen. I have an OEM version of XP and last time I had to do anything involving my password I had to phone a call centre and faff about big time. I assume any system repairing is going to onvolve me typing in my key and I'm sure last time I had anything like that I had to do a load of jumping through hoops.

Sorry I'm kind of in a bit of a flap right now, NOD32 picked up a virus ealier (Tenga.gen) I zapped that, did a scan and it picked up purity scan too. It isolated the files and I thought that was it then later on I got another alert from NOD32 about purity.scan. It was in a restore point so I was going to delete them all, realised I didnt know how and couldnt find the help files to tell me how and to be honest I'm not sure what to do next. When I saw the helpctr wasnt working I thought I woulf go to the earliest restore point I had but after I found a way of bringing the help thing up (I searched for it and clicked on the exe there) I found I didnt have any other than today and yesterday.

And I also need to clear out purity scan too but everything I loook at doesnt seem to be telling me what to do.

 

What sfc /scannow does is fix any files that may be missing in your windows setup. It's a way of repairing Windows XP and does not require the serial number to fix it. Just make sure you have your Windows XP disk ready so it can copy the fills you may be missing. You may need to do this 2 or 3 times to get it all fixed.

 

If you are having malwrae problems then I suggest visiting the Malware Forum
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407

 

Ok, I typed sfc /scannow in the run command window, a little window popped up and a progress bar slowly went along for a half hour or so and then when it had got to the end it disappeared. Nothing about inserting the disc or anything.

The Hellp and Support button still brings up a can't find helpctr.exe message, even though a search files and folders manages to find it.

Typing msconfig into the run box also throws up a can't find it error.

 

I'm not sure if this will work though but go to Start > Run > type: services.msc
Scroll down look for 'Help and Support' double click on it and make sure its started and on automatic.
THIS IS FOR WINDOWS XP MAYBE 2000
I BELIEVE IT IS DIFFERENT FOR WIN 9X

 

Or ye can try:
Download : http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/FixWinXPHelp.zip

[/FONT]

 

Ok it is started and on automatic and FixWinXPHelp.exe didn't see anything to fix.

I had another oddity too. I grabbed the winsteng.exe from Adobe that installs a Postscript printer driver, to replace the one that got trashed and when I run it I get:

The Win 16 Subsystem was unable to enter Protected Mode, DOSX.EXE must be in your AUTOEXEC.NT and present in your PATH.

This is getting ridiculous. I seem to be missing essential files from all over the place.

 

That's fixed it. Thanks.

Still doesn't explain why I have to go the long way to find msconfig, why I get that weird error message when I try and install my adobe postscript driver or why the mouse keeps randomly locking up.