Windows 10: HLP file Workaround for WIndows 10

I had a workaround to use the old HLP files but M$ appears to have broken the ability to use a HLP again.
Sadly, the workaround (using XP HLP files) no longer appears to work.

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Questions
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1) Anyone have a workaround that works (recently tested) ?
2) Any simple alternative to convert the HLP file contents to a CHM format or other format?
Sadly, this will force one to get help by running a second program instead of selecting Help from
an old M$ program (e.g. Word, Excel, VB Classic, etc.), but at least available.

:)

 

How to Open old HLP files from Windows 10

@andylaode
The easiest way to solve this problem is to use the XP version of winhlp32.exe.
If you have the Windows XP installtion disk, you can extract from it or download the attachment below which contains both X86 and X64 version of winhlp32.exe (XP64winhlp32.exe & XP32winhlp32.exe). Use the appropriate version with your Windows 10.

1. Copy XP64winhlp32.exe to C:\Windows or to C:\Windows\system32 if your Windows 10 is 64 bit. else copy XP32winhlp32.exe.
2. right click on the .hlp file that you want to open->Open with->More Apps then browse to the executable in step one to select it, put a check mark on "Always use ...." as shown below to associate the file type .hlp with this XP version.
   
   
   
   The original .hlp has an icon as shown:
   
   
   
   new association will change to:
   
   
   

To open the .hlp file, simply double click it or open it within the program you are running (Only work if the app is not hardcoded to open with winhlp32.exe)


XPWinhlp32.7z

 

How to Open old HLP files from Windows 10

Microsoft deprecated the old .hlp format over 10 years ago because of security risks.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/micros...-of-hlp-files/

I've converted some of my more useful .hlp files to .chm.

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

 

How to Open old HLP files from Windows 10

Hi, I was following this guide and came up with something even better for Windows 10:

* Make a batch file and make the original be replaced by the new one, and use the already existing settings to REALLY open *hlp files and not just redirect to some M$ webpage.

batch content (command prompt must have admin privilege):

takeown /F C:\Windows\winhlp32.exe
icacls C:\Windows\winhlp32.exe /grant "you username without the quotes":F
ren C:\Windows\winhlp32.exe winhlp32.exe.bak
copy "PATH to the folder of the batchfile and the downloaded x86 or x64 hlp viewer without quotes(I use x64)"\XP64winhlp32.exe C:\Windows\winhlp32.exe