Unsupported 32-Bit Windows Help Files

AdminStudio 2022 | 23.0 | Application Manager

For this operating system compatibility test, the Windows Installer database is scanned for the presence of 32-bit Windows Help files (.hlp).

Test Group/Test Category

0301—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 8.1 (32-Bit)
0401—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 8.1 (64-Bit)
2801—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-1809 (and 2019 LTSC) (32-Bit)
5201—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-1909 (32-Bit)
5401—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-2004 (32-Bit)
5601—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-20H2 (32-Bit)
5801—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-21H1 (32-Bit)
7001—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-21H2 (32-Bit)
2901—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-1809 (and 2019 LTSC) (64-Bit)
5301—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-1909 (64-Bit)
5501—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-2004 (64-Bit)
5701—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-20H2 (64-Bit)
5901—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-21H1 (64-Bit)
7101—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-21H2 (64-Bit)
6701—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 11-21H2 (64-Bit)
0501—Operating System Compatibility/Windows Server 2012
0601—Operating System Compatibility/Windows Server 2016
1001—Operating System Compatibility/Windows Server 2019

Severity

Warning

Message

[PACKAGE_NAME] (Table: File, Key: [FILE_KEY]).

Background

Windows Vista and later do not support 32-bit Windows Help files (.hlp), now superseded by HTML Help (.chm). Users who try to open .hlp files see an error message instead of the expected Help. Note that support for viewing 16-bit .hlp files remains available in Windows 7.

Resolution

The following resolutions are available.

Manual Fix

Windows Help (.hlp) files should be converted to the Microsoft HTML Help (.chm) format. Where the conversion is not feasible, Microsoft supplies a downloadable version of the executable for 32-bit .hlp files, available from update KB917607.

Basic Auto Fix

The Windows Help browser (WinHlp32.exe) and necessary file associations are added in a Windows Installer transform via a Merge Module.

This fix is enabled by default.

Advanced Auto Fix

The Windows Help browser (WinHlp32.exe) for Windows 7 (update KB917607) is added in a Windows Installer transform via a Merge Module.

See Also