Solving the "Cannot display this help file" error with Windows Help (.hlp) Files Under Vista/Windows 7/and later

This blog post provides simple step-by-step solutions to getting Windows Help files to display under Windows Vista/ Windows 7.


NOTE: Microsoft Help Viewer is not installed as standard in any of the newer operating systems (Microsoft is actively discouraging it's use). In order to add this feature to you system consult this Mircosoft Knowledgebase Article;

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917607

This gives you the information you need to install the Help viewer on Vista/7/2008/etc. Without it you will not be able to view help files *at all*.

The message which this knol is attempting to solve when viewing a Help file is;

The error message reads;

 "Cannot display this help file. Try opening the help file again, and if you still get this message, copy the help file to a different drive, and try again".

First of all it's just "information" (not an error) and whilst copying it to a drive with different permissions could solve the problem the fact that you're seeing this error in the first place indicates that it might not.

The problem is caused by the file not being from a "known" source and being in a location (on your hard drive/ network share/ USB stick/ etc) where items with a unknown source cannot be run. Windows in effect treats Help Files in the same was as it does with executables. The message is quite correct in that moving it to a location where this restriction isn't enforced will solve the problem, it's just pretty unlikely there is one!

Anyway to solve the problem right-click the file and select "Properties" (usually at the bottom).

I've highlighted the "Security" section. Click "Unblock". Click "OK".

You should now be able to open the file.

Installing Active Directory Tools Under Windows Vista (SP2)

This blog post is a step-by-step guide to installing the Active Directory Tools (i.e. Active Directory Users and Computers) on a Windows Vista machine. It has been tested on Windows Vista Enterprise (32-bit, Service Pack 2) but will probably work with all non-home versions.

First of all you need to download the software from Microsoft. If you type "windows vista remote server administration tools" into Google one of the results it returns will be titled "Microsoft Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows Vista", click on this link. Alternatively a direct link is available here;

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=21090

You will need to have validated your version of window in order to download/ install it.

NOTE: If you are running the 64-bit version of Windows Vista then this is not the right link for you. You can either go to the directly link;

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=18787

Or type "Microsoft Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems" into Google for the correct link.

If you're unsure of which version you're running then go to the start button, right-click "Computer" and then select "Properties". You'll see something like this;

 

Look at the "System type:" value and you'll see what version of Windows you're running.

Once you've got the file install it (it's a standard KB update file, you will need Administrator rights on the machine you are using).

 

After it's been successfully installed go to the Start Menu > Control Panel and select "Programs and Features", then select the "Turn Windowsfeatures on and off" under Tasks on the left;

The "Windows Features" dialog box will be displayed, scroll down to "Role Administration Tools" (under "Remote Server Administration Tools") and select the the following items;

Click "OK" to make the changes.

 

In order to make finding these under the Start Menu a little easier right-click the Start Button and select "Properties";

Select "Customize ..." and then scroll down the list until you see "System administrative tools" and choose where you want the tools to display;

Under the Start Menu you will now see an "Administrative Tools" option, under this you'll see the new AD Tools you've just installed.

 

NOTE: Sometimes a reboot is required to pick up these changes!