Windows 10: Can't read older *.hlp files on Windows-10

Thanks to whomever posted a fix for the help files. I replaced the existing Win-10 WinHlp32.exe with the XP version and my Visual Basic Pro 5.0 help works!!!! Thanks loads (maybe from post #46 or later).

 

Thanks! I followed the instructions in the zip file and it worked great in Windows10
Dave

 

kimio kanda: Thanks very much: it worked perfectly.

 

Works as described. Yours is the only "fix" that worked for me.

 

Here is a procedure that works, the zip file containing:
Readme.txt
RoboEX32.dll
Win10-Hlp32-Fix.cmd
winhlp32.exe (From Windows XP SP2 X64)

Read old hlp.zip

 

I have tried about 4 solutions to the problem of not being able to read old .hlp files on Windows 10 and this is the only one that worked!
Many thanks.

 

I got lucky and found an easy fix with my first Google search. Here are the instructions I found:

Here is a solution (thanks to Komeil Bahmanpour):

Go to his site:

Windows Help Program (WinHlp32.exe) for Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 x64 and x86 - Komeil Bahmanpour

Download winhlp32-windows-7-x86-x64-komeil.cab:

winhlp32 windows 7 x86 x64 komeil.cab - Komeil Bahmanpour Download Center


I needed a solution in order to get help working for Delphi Studio Architect on Windows 10.
Komeil's install.cmd file didn't work as is (its pre Win10) so I simply modified it.
Unpack the download (Install.cmd, winhlp32.exe, winhlp32.exe.mui) to a new directory. Edit the install.cmd and add the following two lines to the 'settings' section:

set WindowsVersion=7
goto :BypassVersionError

(yes, 'WindowsVersion=7' is correct.) Save the file and execute as administrator.
All should go without error. Delphi help, and every other help file I've tried, now works exactly as it should!

I got a little confused (inexperience) so to make it easy for others, this is what I did (maybe more than necessary):

I downloaded the file (winhlp32-windows-7-x86-x64-komeil.cab) from the website and placed it in a new folder that I called WinHlp32.

Inside that folder, I made another new folder called WinHlp32Extract.

I clicked on the .cab file, which then displayed 3 files.

I clicked on each of the 3 files (one at a time), selected "Extract", and extracted them to my WinHlp32Extract folder.

I edited the extracted Install.cmd file with Notepad as described above, adding the two lines after the existing Set statements in the Settings section at the top.

@echo off

:: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
:: Settings

set MuiFileName=winhlp32.exe.mui
set ExeFileName=winhlp32.exe
set WindowsVersion=7
goto :BypassVersionError

Saved the file.

Right clicked on it (Install.cmd), selected Run As Administrator, and it worked the first time, well... the first time after I did it correctly as I just described *Wink

 

Thanks, hannelius.

 

Worked like a champ! Thank you!

 

This works perfect for me. Why the hell MS wants me not to open Help Files i used for 15 years wo problems?

 

While it is indeed possible under Windows 10 to use an older winhlp32.exe to read .hlp files, there are security vulnerabilities in doing so.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microso...-of-hlp-files/

Converting to PDF is one option, but reading a PDF is not quite the same as having a fully functional Help file. Conversion to a help file format that Windows 10 supports would be the ideal.

The replacement format for help files is the compiled HTMLHelp format (CHM). The look and use of a .chm help file is almost identical to that of the older .hlp files. In fact, the project files (table of contents, images, text etc.) used to compile a .hlp file can easily be converted to a .chm project. From there it's an easy step to recompile the project in .chm format. Microsoft of course don't release the project files for their Help files, but these can be recreated by decompiling the .hlp file. A step-by-step guide including links to the (free) software required is here:

http://www.help-info.de/en/Help_Info...converting.htm

 

Hello,

I performed one by one the steps described in your message (#46), and now I can read the .hlp files!

But.. I still have the same problem with the "find" tab , as described in message #47.
Although I have copied the "mui" file, the search (find) is not displayd.

Do you have any hint about it?
Yiota

 

Did you put mui files in YOUR language dir? For Ita is "C:\Windows\it-IT", USA should be "C:\Windows\en-US" etc...
Be also sure they are the correct files (x64?) and have proper security flags to be opened by std users...
Check also your mui file has the same name of the exe, e.g. "winhlp32_legacy.exe.mui" if you renamed the exe as "winhlp32_legacy.exe"
Mui files must be in a subdir (it-IT, en-US etc. depending on your localization) where is the winhlp.exe, e.g.:
"C:\Users\...\Util\WinHlp_Legacy\winhlp32_legacy.exe"
"C:\Users\...\Util\WinHlp_Legacy\it-IT\winhlp32_legacy.exe.mui"

 

worked fine in the case of Windows 10 (x64) using winhlp32.exe existing in XP (x86) - thank you very much

 

OMG! It worked perfectly!!! You are a genius sir!
Ever since I took the suggested MS upgrade option to upgrade from Windows 7 Pro to Windows 10 Pro, I have had major problems with the help systems on all of my older development software.
I followed your instructions explicitly and I can now read my old PowerBuilder and SQL Server Help Files as before.
In fact, all the older help systems are back on line!!!
I just hope I can have the opportunity to help you out in return some day!!!
THANK YOU!!!