Not able to find HlpViwer.exe in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Help Viewer\v2.0

Question

Not able to find HlpViwer.exe in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Help Viewer\v2.0. Because of this, I am not able to launch help. I have repeatedly attempted to repair Visual Studio 2012 Ultimate RC installation, but Help Viewer is not getting installed.

Above issue came after upgrading Visual Studio 11 Beta to Visual Studio 2012 RC. Earlier Help Viewer was working fine.

Answer 1

Hello mirtipati,

I am moving your case to the Developer Documentation and Help System forum so that you can get better support there.

Thanks.

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Vicky Song [MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us

Answer 2

Hi,

if the file is not there, then the installation of the help wasn't successfull. Do you see "Microsoft Help Viewer 2.0 RC" in the list of installed software? That contains the help viewer. It does not contain a repair option so an uninstall and reinstall is the only way I see.

The setup for it is on the DVD inside \packages\help. There is a check inside the MSI that makes sure, that the MSI is installed from VS Setup. So after an uninstall, a VS Repair should install it again (my test is still ongoing.)

Another option could be to edit the MSI with Orca and remove the check for "VS_SETUP or Installed" completly. After that a setup should be possible with a simple double click (untested - have to wait till the repair test is over first). Maybe it is even simplier like a call of

msiexec /i help3_vs_net.msi VS_SETUP=0

or something like that. I have to experiemnt with that first, too.

In general you should think twice about the time you spend on it! You are just trying to fix one issue! Maybe you run into another issue later. It could be easier to set up a clean system and do a clean install of Visual Studio. (That is what I am doing to avoid any problems of a maybe broken system when I want to test a new version!)

Konrad

Answer 3

Ok, I do not really like the Visual Studio installer. Now it starts to tell me, that the event log is full... crazy ... (Cannot be the real error because the event log is overriting older events if neccessary - I checked the settings!)

But back to your topic:

- My try to get the help installed failed. Which wasn't really nice but maybe a problem that I maybe mixed some parts together (I tried to install the lightswitch component, too)

- What directly worked was: msiexec /i help3_vs_net.msi VS_SETUP=1
So there is no need to modify the msi or any other trick. You can directly install the help viewer.

I hope this helped a little bit.

With kind regards

Answer 4

Thanks for the response. I have searched for the package 'help3_vs_net.msi' on my pc, but not able to find it. So, I have removed VS2012 RC installation and re-doing it (in between it did not progressed for more than an hour, so I have cancelled and restarted it.).

Where I can find the package 'help3_vs_net.msi'. If this is not on my computer, is there any way downloading this directly?

Thanks for the help,

Uma

Answer 5

'help3_vs_net.msi' is inside the VS 11 install ISO.

Extract this and try 

msiexec.exe /i c:\SomeFolder\help3_vs_net.msi VS_SETUP=1

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Rob Chandler Help MVP http://Helpware.net/ http://mshcmigrate.helpmvp.com/

Answer 6

Hi,

it is on the installer DVD inside the directory packages\help.

If you used the web installer, then you have to download the complete ISO because the packages are not stored on the target system after installation.

And I am not aware of the redistribution license of Microsoft and also not sure, if the package is signed correctly. If you have problems downloading the ISO, you might ask me (through email) to give you the required 2 files - but please be aware that you should NEVER EVER install or start software from untrusted sources - so I have to tell you to NOT install software someone (e.g. me) gives you on a public forum!

(And I just hope that Microsoft is not mad if I just give you the 2 small files of the DVD!)

With kind regards,

Konrad

Answer 7

Thanks. I was using web installer till now. I will attempt to download the full image today. In case if I get some issue, I will request you for these packages.

- Umamahesh Mirtipati

Answer 8

:-) The policy is very strict. You may not distribute this the HV2 software at the present time. 

HV 2.x is currently only installed using VS 11 (2012). But note that the help runtime is installed with Windows 8 as the general OS help system (runtime only. The Updater and Viewer are only included with VS 11). Win 8 has its own custom viewer.

However my opinion: what you do in you own home office or office is up to you. :-)

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Rob Chandler Help MVP http://Helpware.net/ http://mshcmigrate.helpmvp.com/

Answer 9

That is what I thought so I wouldn`t post a link in here for everyone ...

So Umahahesh: if you encounter a problem with the full dvd download: you might reach me at konrad at neitzel dot de. Forgot the adress ...

With kind regards,

Konrad

Answer 10

Hi,

die the suggestion work for you? Was you able to get the Help Viewer up and running?

With kind regards,

Konrad

Answer 11

I had the same issue, msiexec /i help3_vs_net.msi VS_SETUP=1 is the solution

location: en_visual_studio_ultimate_2012_RTM_x86_dvd\Ultimate\packages\Help\help3_vs_net.msi