Click to See Complete Forum and Search --> : How do you detect whether or not WinHelp is installed in Vista?


luweewu
August 18th, 2008, 08:03 PM
Since Microsoft is not letting developers include the WinHelp installer for Vista and Win2k8 Server, I need my installer to be able to detect the absence of WinHelp and then make a call into it to get the OS to pop up the window containing the download link. My problem is, since winhlp32.exe is always there, even if WinHelp is not installed, I need another way to detect the absence of WinHelp.

Can someone point me to a Registry entry or file that is not there unless WinHelp is installed or a Registry entry that is different when WinHelp is installed vs when it is not? If possible, I would like my detection method to be a generic as possible (i.e., it shouldn't depend on whether it is being run on Vista, Win2k8 or a newer OS).

PeejAvery
August 20th, 2008, 05:14 PM
Well, I don't have Vista, but it's registry key is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WinHelp. Maybe you will find a change if it is not installed.

luweewu
August 20th, 2008, 05:33 PM
Well, I don't have Vista, but it's registry key is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WinHelp. Maybe you will find a change if it is not installed.

Even with WinHelp installed, there is no such Registry key in Vista.

PeejAvery
August 21st, 2008, 08:56 AM
Well, then Microsoft needs to correct their information (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917607).