My 'System Information' short-cut used to show 'System Information'.

It now opens the 'Help and Support Center' window.


The short-cut points to

"C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo\msinfo32.exe"

Which works perfectly on another WinXP system.


I've just done a bit of house keeping and finished off with a Defrag, so I assume something in the registry is pointing to the wrong place.

Any ideas

Widey.

What happens if you (double)click on the exe instead of start|Run?

What happens if you Start|Run - winmsd

Try finding msinfo32.inf on your XP CD, right click|Install
If prompted for a source point to i386 on CD or if XP preinstalled on your HD most likely, but not always, C:\i386


Martin

What happens if you (double)click on the exe instead of start|Run?

What happens if you Start|Run - winmsd

Try finding msinfo32.inf on your XP CD, right click|Install
If prompted for a source point to i386 on CD or if XP preinstalled on your HD most likely, but not always, C:\i386

Tried all those still get the wrong window.


Widey - still scratching head

Tried all those still get the wrong window.

OK now verify these registry entries


HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSInfo

Path value = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo\msinfo32.exe

and


HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\msinfo32.exe

Default value = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo\MSInfo32.exe

Path value = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo

Martin

OK now verify these registry entries


HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSInfo

Path value = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo\msinfo32.exe

and


HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\msinfo32.exe

Default value = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo\MSInfo32.exe

Path value = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo

Both show as you have indicated.

Widey

Should have suggested a System Restore earlier, have you tried one?

Also
Start|Run - hcp://system/sysinfo/sysInfoLaunch.htm

Can you launch system Info from the window this should give you?

Martin

Try running this script
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/fixwinxphelp.htm
it's really meant to mend Help and Support when it's been knackered by Toniart's cleaner. It just sets all 'Help and Support' registry settings etc to default. It *might* help.


Martin

Should have suggested a System Restore earlier, have you tried one?

Yes, no good. First thing I did.

Also
Start|Run - hcp://system/sysinfo/sysInfoLaunch.htm

Can you launch system Info from the window this should give you?

This brings up 'Advanced System Information' in the 'Help and Support Window'.
When I click on the Tab for 'View Detailed System Info ( Msinfo32.exe)' I get a new 'Help and Support Window'.

Also tried the script aswell, still no joy.


Widey

What kind of defrag did you do!!!!!

Copy between the ---------- and save as a msinfo.bat and then click on it.

What happens?

---------------
C:\
cd C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo
msinfo32 /categories +all -loadedmodules
---------------

Getting serious now.
Try this

Backup registry using ERUNT
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/erunt.html

Copy between the ---------------- into notepad and save as restoremsinfo.reg
Then (double) click to enter it into the registry

Martin

------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{273380E8-1438-4B2C-95B0-713284FBC302}]
@="System Information"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{273380E8-1438-4B2C-95B0-713284FBC302}\Control]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{273380E8-1438-4B2C-95B0-713284FBC302}\InprocServer32]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\msinfo.dll"
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{273380E8-1438-4B2C-95B0-713284FBC302}\Insertable]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{273380E8-1438-4B2C-95B0-713284FBC302}\MiscStatus]
@="0"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{273380E8-1438-4B2C-95B0-713284FBC302}\MiscStatus\1]
@="131473"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{273380E8-1438-4B2C-95B0-713284FBC302}\ProgID]
@="Msinfo32.MSInfo.1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{273380E8-1438-4B2C-95B0-713284FBC302}\Programmable]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{273380E8-1438-4B2C-95B0-713284FBC302}\ToolboxBitmap32]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\msinfo.dll, 102"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{273380E8-1438-4B2C-95B0-713284FBC302}\TypeLib]
@="{7AC18319-0739-4377-8984-848573D519A5}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{273380E8-1438-4B2C-95B0-713284FBC302}\Version]
@="1.0"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{273380E8-1438-4B2C-95B0-713284FBC302}\VersionIndependentProgID]
@="Msinfo32.MSInfo"
---------------------------

Just got back from dropping sisters kids off.

Defrag was just standard Win defrag.

C:\
cd C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo
msinfo32 /categories +all -loadedmodules

Have tried that, it runs inside the 'Help and Support Center' window.

I've been posting on the WinXP Newsgroups to see if they can help too
so I will have a look to see if they have come up with a solution.


Widey

Getting serious now.
Try this

Good try Martin, I'm about an hour in front of you.

Tried it, still no good.

Widey

Bingo?????

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,4426941~mode=flat

Not sure what you do now though

Martin

One poster said an index.dat from A N Other worked.
If you send me your email off board I'll send you a copy of mine it's about 75KB

Martin

Bingo?????

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,4426941~mode=flat

Cheers Martin thats it. I ran Spider just before I did the defrag.

Not sure what you do now though

Easy, as I have XP on two different drives on this machine I've just searched for the DAT file, copied and pasted and it works a treat.

A whole day to resolve such a small matter.

Thanks again.

Widey

There you go Martin

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/newsgroups/rea...


Widey

I've just searched for the DAT file, copied and pasted and it works a treat.

Following with interest - which folder was it located in?

There you go Martin

Thanks for that.

Next time try
http://www.ccleaner.com/
instead of Spider.
It leaves that index.dat alone.

Martin

For Supremetwo

its in, well on my system,

C:\WINDOWS\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\OfflineCache\index.dat


Next time try
http://www.ccleaner.com/
instead of Spider.
It leaves that index.dat alone

I normally do...LOL

Thought I'd have a change.

Widey

I normally do...LOL

Thought I'd have a change.

New broom to sweep clean for the New Year was it??????

We've all done it - I now keep two sets of two generations of disc images, one set on the system drive and one set on a physically different drive.

Martin