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Due to some security concerns related to now-very-outdated WinHelp files that usually come with .HLP file extension, Microsoft decided to pull the plug and stopped supporting these files in Windows Vista, 7, 8.x and now in Windows 10. Before Windows 10, users had option to download WinHlp32 Viewer (KB917607) from Microsoft’s website and install it on their PC if they needed to view the HLP files. But Windows 10 users have no such luck since Microsoft has decided not to offer any such option for them. And if you try to install the KB917607 hotfix released for Windows 7 or 8.x on your Windows 10 system, then it displays the update incompatibility message.
So what the Windows 10 users are supposed to do? If you really want to access the .HLP files on your Windows 10, then we at TrishTech.com have created a tiny utility that can extract WinHlp32.exe from KB917607 hotfix files for you. First you have to extract the files from this hotfix and then replace the ones from the Windows folder with these files.
Part 1: Extraction of Files
- Visit https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/917607 and download 32-bit WinHlp32.exe hotfix for Windows 8 (32-bit version has “x86” in the file name). If you are having any trouble downloading, try using Firefox web browser instead of Edge or Internet Explorer.
- Download our tool – magic.zip. Extract magic.exe from the downloaded archive.
- Put both magic.exe and the downloaded KB917607 update MSU file (e.g., Windows8-RT-KB917607-x86.msu) in the same folder.
- Double-click on magic.exe and wait a couple of seconds. Now you have WinHlp32.exe and supporting files for your use. You can delete magic.exe if you want. Do not delete the Windows8-RT-KB917607-x86.msu file, it is needed for Part 2.
Part 2: Replacing Files in Windows Folder
- Download replace-winhlp32.zip, extract replace.bat from it and copy it in the same folder where you have extracted the WinHlp32.exe file and other helper files.
- Skip this step if you use English as the Windows interface language. If you are not using English as the default Windows system language, then edit replace.bat and change en-US to your own language in the last line. For example, if you want Russian language, then replace en-US with ru-RU, if you use French then replace with fr-FR and so on.
- Download Process Hacker from https://github.com/processhacker/processhacker/releases. You can download the installer version and install it in your PC. But I personally like the portable (binaries) version which does not need to be installed.
- Launch Process Hacker with elevated privileges (right-click on ProcessHacker.exe and select Run as administrator). Keep it running.
- Double-click on Windows8-RT-KB917607-x86.msu to launch the update. Of course, this update is not for Windows 10 and will fail. Do not close any dialogs or error messages that it shows.
- Quickly switch back to Process Hacker, locate TrustedInstaller.exe in the list of processes, right-click on it and select Miscellaneous → Run as this user from the right-click menu.
- In the program command type cmd.exe and click on the OK button.
- When the command prompt window opens up, change the drive letter and path to the folder where you have extracted WinHlp32.exe and Replace.bat. For example, if you have extracted these files to E:\Helper, then first type E: and press Enter in the command prompt. Then type CD E:\Helper in the command prompt and press Enter.
- Next, type Replace.bat in the command prompt and press Enter. You will see that it is copying and replacing files.
- Close the command prompt window, the Process Hacker window and any other windows opened through these instructions. Now your system is ready for opening .HLP files. Just double-click on any .HLP file and it will be opened in the familiar Windows Help.
While this makes it very easy for you to use the older and very dated help viewer for your Windows 10 PC, you should keep in mind that this viewer could also be vulnerable to all kinds of security risks. This is the main reason Microsoft has dropped the support for such help files. Make sure the .HLP files you open using this WinHlp32.exe viewer come from trustworthy and reliable sources.
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From Windows 3.0 all the way to Windows XP, Microsoft used to provide online help to its users through their WinHelp files. All of these WinHelp files carried the extension of .hlp. But with the release of Windows Vista, Microsoft discontinued using WinHelp platform for online help and replaced it with Microsoft Compiled HTML Help. It doesn’t makes sense to me but as a matter of fact, Microsoft made almost all their windows backward compatible, meaning older programs many of them would still run on Windows 10. However, the .hlp files associated with those older programs will not open.
Solution 1: Use Patched WinHelp32.exe
WinHelp32.exe is the application which is used to read the .hlp files. Here we will inject the patched WinHelp32 application into your Windows 10 through some really simple steps given below.
First, Download the zip file from this link that has the patched WinHelp32 files and its installer.
Right Click on the downloaded zip file and Click Extract All…
Enter the path where you want to extract the files, or leave the default path their if you like. Place a Check next to Show extracted files when complete and click Extract.
A folder will open with the extracted content once the extraction finishes. Now Right Click on Install.cmd and Click Run as Administrator. Click Yes if the User Account Control warning message appears.
A couple of commands will run in a black window. Press the Enter key if you see a pause in that black window.
At one point, the black window will close. Now Restart your computer. You should now be able to open the .hlp files in Windows 10. If not, move on to the next solution.
Solution 2: Use Patched WinHelp32.exe Application from Windows 8.1
For one reason or the other, Solution 1 may fail. So in this solution, the patched version of WinHelp32.exe we’ll use will be system type specific, which means it will be depend if your Windows 10 is a 32 bit or 64 bit.
To find out your system type (32 bit or 64 bit), Hold the Windows key and Press R. Type msinfo32 in the Run dialog box that appears and Press Enter.
System Information window will open. In the Right pane, next to System type, if the value is x64-based PC, then your Windows is 64 bit. If it is x86-based PC, then it’s a 32 bit Window. Note it down.
Now Download the zip file with the patched files from this link.
Right Click on the downloaded zip file and Click Extract All…
Enter the path where you want to extract the files, or leave the default path their if you like. Place a Check next to Show extracted files when complete and click Extract.
A folder will open with the extracted content once the extraction finishes. Open the 32-bit folder or the 64-bit folder depending on what you noted earlier for your System type.
In the 32-bit/64-bit folder, Right Click on Install.cmd and Click Run as Administrator. Click Yes if the User Account Control warning message appears.
Once done, reboot PC and test.
Kevin Arrows
Kevin Arrows is a highly experienced and knowledgeable technology specialist with over a decade of industry experience. He holds a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification and has a deep passion for staying up-to-date on the latest tech developments. Kevin has written extensively on a wide range of tech-related topics, showcasing his expertise and knowledge in areas such as software development, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. His contributions to the tech field have been widely recognized and respected by his peers, and he is highly regarded for his ability to explain complex technical concepts in a clear and concise manner.
Windows 10 is a modern operating system, therefore it has few compatibility issues with older software. For example, it can’t natively open .hlp files and there are several causes for this problem.
Many programs come with their own help files, and some older applications use .hlp format for those files.
This format was supported by older versions of Windows, but Windows 10 doesn’t have native support for it, which means that you can’t open .hlp files on the newest OS from Microsoft.
Hlp files are commonly used for reading help documentation for older applications. However, according to users, they are unable to view .hlp files.
In this article, we’re going to present you with the solutions to fix this predicament, and how to open hlp files on your Windows 10 computer.
How do I open .hlp files in Windows 10?
1. Use a dedicated third-party tool
If you want to open .hlp files on Windows 10, you can always use third-party solutions. We recommend you a tool that can be used for both authoring and opening these types of files.
It will also help you to create Help, policy, and knowledge base content. Using rich media, you can be sure that your text looks awesome and is easy to understand.
After creating the content, you can choose to generate the output for multiple platforms, web or mobile, or select from a variety of presets, such as PDF, HTML5, and more.
Adobe RoboHelp
Open any .hlp files from your Windows 10 with one of the best software solutions available.
2. Copy winhlp32.exe from Windows XP PC
Windows 10 doesn’t have a winhlp32.exe file that is in charge of .hlp files, and to fix this issue you can copy this file from Windows XP if you have any old PC running Windows XP.
Also, if you have a Windows XP installation disc you can set up a virtual machine with Virtualbox on your PC, install Windows XP, and transfer winhlp32.exe.
If you don’t know how to set up a VM or what tools to use, we recommend you to take a look at our dedicated guide and learn everything you need to know.
You might be able to download this file online from third-party sources, but that file can contain malware, therefore, use extra caution and be sure to scan it with your antivirus.
3. Convert .hlp files to PDF documents
Although .hlp files have their advantage, some users are suggesting that the best way to view those files is to convert them to PDF documents.
This is a relatively simple procedure, but in order to do it, you need to find a proper converter online. There are many free converters online, so feel free to try any of them.
4. Use Command Prompt
- Create a TEMP folder on your D drive. The location of the directory would be D:TEMP.
- Now copy winhelp32.exe to D:TEMP directory.
- Open Notepad and paste the following lines:
@echo off
set crtpth=%CD%
takeown /f "%windir%winhlp32.exe" >nul
icacls "%windir%winhlp32.exe" /grant *S-1-5-32-544:F >nul
copy /y "%crtpth%winhlp32.exe" %windir%
icacls "%windir%winhlp32.exe" /setowner "NT ServiceTrustedInstaller" >nul
echo.
echo Done.
echo.
echo Press any key to Exit
pause >nul
exit
- Now click on File, then Save as.
- Set Save as type to All Files. Enter the desired file name as Win10-Hlp32-Fix.cmd. Select D:TEMP as the save location and click the Save button.
- Now you need to start Command Prompt as administrator. To do that, simply type cmd in the Windows search bar.
- When Command Prompt starts, switch to D:TEMP directory and run:
Win10-Hlp32-Fix.cmd - If you’re not familiar with Command Prompt, you should be able to switch the directory using the cd command.
According to users, you might be able to open .hlp files on your PC simply by running a few commands from Command Prompt, but you need to copy winhlp32.exe from Windows XP.
Keep in mind that you need to copy the file from a 32-bit version of XP if you’re using a 32-bit version of Windows 10. The same goes for 64-bit versions.
If you copy winhlp32.exe from a 32-bit version of Windows XP to a 64-bit version of Windows 10, this procedure might not work.
After running Win10-Hlp32-Fix.cmd the issue should be resolved and you’ll be able to view .hlp files on your PC. This is an advanced solution, so please read and follow the instructions carefully.
5. Drag the desired file to the winhlp32.exe
According to users, in order to view .hlp file naturally on Windows 10, you need to copy winhlp32.exe from a Windows XP.
However, you might also have to change your security permissions and replace certain system files.
According to users, you might be able to avoid all this trouble simply by finding the .hlp file that you want to open and dragging into the winhlp32.exe file.
This will open the .hlp file automatically without changing your security permissions and you’ll be able to view the contents of the file.
6. Install the patched winhlp32.exe
- Download this archive.
- Once you download it, extract all files to your PC.
- Locate Install file, right-click it and choose Edit.
- Notepad will now open. Locate the Settings area and add these two lines if they aren’t there already:
set WindowsVersion=7gotoBypassVersionError
- Now right-click Install file again and choose Run as administrator.
- Command Prompt will open and run certain commands. After the procedure is completed you just need to press any key to close Command Prompt.
- After you’ve done that, just drag and drop a .hlp file to the winhlp32.exe icon in order to open it.
The default application used to read .hlp files in older Windows platforms is Winhelp32.exe. Thus, we will try to install a version that is compatible with Windows 10.
To do this, you need to be able to open Command Prompt as admin. If you can’t open it as an administrator, you need to resolve this firstly, with the help of our comprehensive guide.
After installing it, you should be able to run .hlp files on your PC. Keep in mind that this solution is rather advanced, and if you’re not careful you can cause damage to your Windows installation.
Windows 10 doesn’t have native support to open .hlp files, but if you have an older application that still uses those files you can try to avoid this limitation by using one of our solutions.
If you have any other files with unknown extension, you can try to open them with these best software to open all types of files on Windows 10.
We’d like to hear your opinions on this issue so feel free to comment in the dedicated section below.
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This tutorial explains how to open .hlp files in Windows 10, and other versions of Windows. Windows used to open .hlp files earlier natively, but they stopped support for them. Such type of help files are included with many software. But there is a way to get native support back for .hlp files in Windows 10 and other versions of Windows (like, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server, etc.). This tutorial will tell you how to do that.
SSuiteWindowsHelp32 is a package of Windows help installation program (WinHlp32.exe) for various versions of Microsoft Windows. You just need to select your correct version of Windows, and then choose to run the corresponding installer, and Windows will take care of the rest. Windows will actually install an update on your PC to get the support for .hlp files back.
Following steps explain how you can install Windows help utility WinHlp32.exe using SSuiteWindowsHelp32 easily in your PC.
Step 1: Download and unzip SSuiteWindowsHelp32 to any location of your PC. You will see that it has separate folders for each of the supported versions of Windows. Open the folder for the Windows version that you are interested in. Then open Command prompt with administrator privileges.
Step 2: Run install.bat by typing it in the command Window and wait for the procedure to complete.
When it’s done, exit the Command prompt and try opening any test help file to confirm the installation. You will see the similar window as shown in the first snapshot of this article.
In this way you can install .hlp Help File Viewer in Windows 10 using SSuiteWindowshelp32.
The Verdict
If you frequently come across .hlp files and don’t like the fact that support for them is missing in Windows 10, then this is a good option to get the native support back. After following the steps in this tutorial, you will be able to just double click on any .hlp file and open it in Windows 10.
Give it a try from the following link.
Get SSuiteWindowsHelp32 here.
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| Home Page URL: | Click Here |
| Works With: | Windows 10 |
| Free/Paid: | Free |