Document Explorer can't open - anything

Question

Windows Vista 64 Ultimate, 4GB, Intel Core 2 Duo.

 

I had this problem with Visual Studio 2005, and hoped it would be fixed by installing Visual Studio 2008.  It is not.

I did a complete uninstall of Visual Studio 2005 and SQL, following the manual uninstall steps for add-ons.

 

I then installed Visual Studio 2008 and MSDN library for Visual Studio 2008 from RTM DVDs, to default locations.

 

Help table of contents works fine; all topics show in navigation pane.

 

Every attempt to select an actual topic, like Locating Readme Files

(ms-help://MS.VSCC.v90/MS.MSDNQTR.v90.en/dv_vstoc/html/01fe5446-804e-4de1-9457-f74970b0a7c3.htm),

results in a navigation error:

Internet Explorer cannot download ...4e-4de1-9457-f74970b0a7c3.htm from MS.VSCC.v90.

Unspecified error

 

I don't see any related events in the event viewer.

 

I have tried repair on both Dovument Viewer and Internet Explorer; no luck.

 

Any input would be appreciated!

 

Thanks!

 

Robert

Answer 1

Robert,

I am sorry that you are experiencing this. I have escalated this issue to the MSDN team responsible for this area. They will get back to you shortly.

 

Anand..

 

Answer 2

Hi Robert,

Sorry for the late response.

Sometimes IE cache can cause this type of error.

Please close MSDN and VS and then go to IE >Tools> Internet Options and delete your temporary internet files.  Open MSDN again. 

 

Let me know if the issue is not resolved.

 

Thanks

Answer 3

Thanks for your reply!

 

Deleting temporary files did not help.  Norton deletes these almost daily.

 

I solved my immediate problem, but there is an underlying error in Vista.

 

I originally got in trouble by moving my Temporary Internet Files from C:\Windows\Temp

to D:\Temp (a Raid 0 disk).  Temp and Tmp in environment variables was changed to match.

 

MSDN downloads stopped working - it was unable to launch the file download manager.

I - unhappily - solved this by moving Temp back to Windows\Temp along with Temporary Internet Files.

 

MSDN Downloads has been working fine like this - but Document Viewer does not.

 

I just changed Temp to C:\Temp, and moved the Temporary Internet Files there too.

My environment variables still have Temp and Tmp pointing to C:\Windows\Temp.

 

With this combination, Document Viewer is working correctly.  I am a little scared to try MSDN Downloads again -

I will deal with that problem when I get to it.

 

I really think this is related to UAC, and specific permissions on folders.  I would love a permission tool

that goes through and makes everything "right".  Biggest challenge and problem in Vista.

 

Robert Mitchell

 

Answer 4

Hello.

 

I’m having the same issue as described in the previous post but it is occurring in all of the recent Microsoft applications I’ve installed. Any link formatted like the example listed below, whether in Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint 2008, Web Developer 2008, C# Express 2008 and Visual Basic Express 2008, does not work. Any link that uses http:// does work.  

 

Problem link example:

 ms-help://MS.VSTA.v20.en/dv_vstaide/html/4920d795-2285-4f5c-9622-632e64ed629f.htm

 

I’ve been on the phone with Microsoft support on three separate service calls totaling over five hours and the issue has not been resolved. I’ve installed and uninstalled and reinstalled several times over. I’ve tried using a different user account but no change in behavior. I upgraded IE to version 8 with no results. I’m running XP Pro on SP2. Windows updates are current. Does anyone know how ms-help works and how it is integrated into these applications and what is needed to view online help. Thank you so very much for your time and/or attention with this issue.

Best regards,
Howard

Answer 5

For Robert & Howard

Rob make sure you reboot when changing Temp Files location. And clear the Temp files area before moving.

In CP > Add Remove programs there is a "Microsoft Document Explorer 2008" 

/ "Microsoft Document Explorer 2005" item that you can run to repair help. Or remove 

then Install using you VS Setup disk.

Try that. Anand has escalated the problem so the engineer responsible for maintaining MS Help 2 will hopefully be able to help.

Rob

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Rob Chandler http://Helpware.net