Help and Support Center Index is blank with a red X mark
"Related Topics" link does not work


When you click the Index button in Windows XP Help and Support Center, the Index page may be completely empty, with a placeholder icon showing up in the top left corner.

Additionally, when you click the Related Topics link in a Help and Support Center article, the pop-up may not be displayed. Each time when you click the Related Topics link, the "Notes" icon may multiply as seen in Fig 2.

 

 

This happens if the Microsoft HTML Help control is blocked (probably by a Microsoft Update) by setting a "Kill bit" in the registry. To fix the problem, upgrade to Service Pack 3 which issues an updated version of hhctrl.ocx control.

If that does not help, run the following command from Start, Run dialog:

regsvr32.exe hhctrl.ocx

Press {ENTER}

More Information

Microsoft HTML Help Control GUIDs
GUID Status Replaced by
{ADB880A6-D8FF-11CF-9377-00AA003B7A11} Blocked {41B23C28-488E-4E5C-ACE2-BB0BBABE99E8}
{41B23C28-488E-4E5C-ACE2-BB0BBABE99E8} Blocked {52A2AAAE-085D-4187-97EA-8C30DB990436}
{52A2AAAE-085D-4187-97EA-8C30DB990436} Allowed
(as of Windows XP SP3)
 N/A

Security Bulletins from Microsoft

  1. MS05-001 Vulnerability in HTML Help Could Allow Code Execution

  2. MS05-026 Vulnerability in HTML Help Could Allow Remote Code Execution

  3. MS06-046 Vulnerability in HTML Help Could Allow Remote Code Execution

  4. MS07-008 Vulnerability in HTML Help Could Allow Remote Code Execution

Related Topics

  1. Help and Support link from Start Menu does not work

  2. Error "Your current security settings prohibit running ActiveX controls on this page" in Help and Support