HOWTO: Troubleshooting MSDN Library Run-Time/Install/Uninstall Problems

ID: Q216109

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

This article describes steps to troubleshoot MSDN library run-time, installation, and uninstall problems.


MORE INFORMATION

The following are some troubleshooting steps that may fix a number of MSDN library problems:

  1. Before installing the MSDN Library:

    Make sure there are no programs running in the background such as antiviral software. Remove any such programs from the Windows Start menu and reboot.



  2. Rename the Hh.dat file:

    Exit the MSDN library and then rename the Hh.dat file that resides in your Windows\Help directory. Launch the MSDN library. The Hh.dat file is re-created every time you rename it and launch MSDN library.


  3. Examine the registry:

    Launch either Regedit.exe or Regedt32.exe and look for the following key: 
    
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\HTML Help Collections\Developer Collections\0x0409\0x035efac10
    The 0x035efac10 key is not unique; you will have a different value after installation. Make sure that the Filename key has the path set to the proper collections file. The collections file takes different file names depending on the version of MSDN library; for example, Msdnvs98.col for MSDN 6.0, Msdn830.col for MSDN October 1998, and Msdn900.col for MSDN January 1999.

    If the path is not set properly, make the changes and launch MSDN library again. Please make sure to exit from MSDN library before making changes to the registry.

    If you don't want to modify the keys, then rename the HTML Help Collections key, reinstall the MSDN library, and follow the steps in item number 1. If the installation is successful, new registry keys will be created.


  4. Test the MSDN library installation:

    The MSDN library is based on HTML Help, which depends primarily on two files, Hh.exe and Hhctrl.ocx.

    Open any MSDN file with the .chm extension in Internet Explorer; if the MSDN file opens successfully, then Hhctrl.ocx is working properly.

    Hh.exe can be tested by opening a command prompt and going to the drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\MSDN98\98OCT\1033 directory.

    For MSDN Oct 98, type the following: 
    
hh.exe msdn830.col
    For MSDN 6.0, type: 
    
hh.exe msdnvs98.col
    This should launch the MSDN library. The above path name to the 1033 directory may vary depending on the MSDN library installation directory.

    When you get errors involving Hh.exe and Hhctrl.ocx, replacing the files should correct the errors. Hh.exe and Hhctrl.ocx are located on the MSDN library CD-ROM 1 \X86\Os\System and \X86\Os\System\Resource\1033 directories, respectively. The files may get corrupted for some unknown reason and affect MSDN library.


  5. Perform a manual uninstall and a reinstall of the MSDN library:

    1. Launch Control Panel.


    2. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon to remove the MSDN library.


    3. Then delete/rename Hhcolreg.dat from your Windows\Help directory, and Hh.exe and Hh.dat from your Windows directory.


    4. Delete/rename Hhctrl.ocx, Itss.dll, and Itircl.dll from your Windows\System directory.


    5. Delete/rename all directories under drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\MSDN98\. There could be multiple directories under drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\MSDN98\; these are for the various MSDN Libraries that you have installed on your machine.


    6. Install the MSDN library again by running Setup.exe from the MSDN library CD-ROM 1, and follow the steps on item 1.


    Because Hhcolreg.dat will be renamed, please reinstall any other collections that you want to use and make sure you follow the steps in item 1. Other collections would include (but not be limited to):

    1. Multiple releases of MSDN.


    2. Other products that ship with a collection.




  6. Reinstall the product within which MSDN is being used, such as Visual C++ 6.0:

    MSDN problems may also be caused by an unsuccessful installation of the product being used in conjunction with the MSDN library. In such cases, it may be possible to launch the MSDN library from the shortcut menu on the desktop or from the Start menu on your task bar, but not from the product.

    For example, if you are using Visual C++ 6.0, from the Tools menu, click Options and click the Help System tab. Your Preferred Language and Preferred Collections fields should not be empty. For example, the Preferred Language could be English and Preferred Collections could be MSDN Library - January 1999 (12/2/98). If these fields are empty, the most likely cause is an unsuccessful Visual C++ installation, and therefore you might try reinstalling Visual C++ 6.0 and then the MSDN library.


  7. MSDN uses the HTMLHelp technology, which is dependent on Internet Explorer technology. There could be situations where MSDN exhibits unexpected behavior, due to problems with your Internet Explorer installation. There may be situations where you need to uninstall and reinstall Internet Explorer. Please see the REFERENCES below for information on uninstalling and reinstalling Internet Explorer.


  8. MSDN library Setup may freeze on Windows NT and Windows 95/98.

    If MSDN library Setup.exe freezes, then perform a flat install. In a flat install, copy the CD-ROM bits to the hard drive and then run Setup; for a typical install, copying CD 1 bits will be sufficient. By specifying "setup.exe /G filename" you can create a log file of the setup process.

    If Setup continues to freeze, then restart the computer in VGA mode for Windows NT and Safe Mode for Windows 95/98 and rerun Setup. This behavior maybe due to the display device drivers or a damaged CD-ROM.


  9. If the keywords in the Index tab disappear, then you may want to copy just the files with the .chi extension from the MSDN CD-ROM 1 to the hard drive location where the MSDN library has been installed (or in other words, overwrite the .chi files).


  10. Please note that "Favorites" will be lost if another version of MSDN library is installed on a computer that already has the library installed. There is no way to move the Favorites to newer installations.



REFERENCES

For additional information about install errors, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q197686 MSDN 6.0 and October 1998 Cause Error During Install
For additional information about uninstall errors, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q198928 PRB: MSDN Library Error During Uninstall
For additional information about Internet Explorer problems, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q156933 Windows 95 Files Replaced by Internet Explorer Setup
Q166322 Uninstalling Internet Explorer 4.0 Platform Preview 1.0
Q176667 "Installation Is Incomplete" Installing Internet Explorer 4.0
Q175610 How to Manually Uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0
Q174867 Errors Installing Internet Explorer

Additional query words: MSDN INSTALL UNINSTALL ERRORS 


Keywords          : kbHTMLHelp kbMSDN kbVC600 kbGrpDSTools 
Version           : winnt:6.0
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: July 29, 1999