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

All solutions mentioned above to open .hlp-files in Windows 10 have the result that when running sfc /scannow at the end it says: "... found corrupt files ...". And I don't like this.
I believe I found a much simpler solution which works on my Windows 10 - 64 bit and does not affect the sfc /scannow. This is what I did:

• Go to a Windows XP (32 bit) PC and copy the file winhlp32.exe (found in C:\WINDOWS)
• Paste this file on the Windows 10 (64 bit) PC in the root of C:\ (or another location of your choice)
• Navigate to the Registrykey HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\hlpfile\shell\open\command and change in the rightpanel the Default String Value to "C:\winhlp32.exe" %1
• Now doubleclick on a .hlp-file to open. Works fine for me, hope it will for you too.

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• Thank you Johan99. Your suggestion helped but I had to change it on my system.
• The Registrykey HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\hlpfile\shell\open\command does not exist on build 16199.
• However: Registrykey HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.hlp does so I changed the default value to "C:\users\temp\winhlp32.exe" %1
• Now my hlp file's open with no problems *Busted

Thanks again to all poster's on this thread!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I followed the instructions and now I can open help files on Windows 10. However, I installed XP winhlp32.exe 32 bit version on my 64bit Windows 10 machine. I get one error, even though the .hlp file opens. The error reads "Cannot find or load the file inetwh32.dll. This file should be copied to the C:\windows\system32 directory in your path." OK to follow this instruction?

Second, can you explain what the following 2 lines are for in your .cmd file?

icacls "%windir%\winhlp32.exe" /grant *S-1-5-32-544:F >nul

icacls "%windir%\winhlp32.exe" /setowner "NT Service\TrustedInstaller" >nul

Thanks much!
Eddo

 

Just a note, WinXP did have a 64-bit version available but only as the Professional edition.

 

After following your instructions, I tried to open a hlp file and it complained that I need inetwh32.dll in the c:\windows\system32 directory. I'm running Windows 10 Home. Any further instructions?

 

I was recently raped by the Win10 big update, and Microsoft again reuninstalled my
old HLP format support that I managed to get again after original install by the tricks
described here. So Microsoft, will you please stop to play with my finely tuned system,
or pls provide some mean to stop all the updates altogether and forever.

 

It's a known problem. Even if you do an SFC /Scannow it will replace the stub with the "new" version, reverting changes.
To solve this "forced rollback" every time and once and for all and let you use old winhlp32.exe with .hlp here is an easy solution: Can't read older *.hlp files on Windows-10