Unsupported 32-Bit Windows Help Files
AdminStudio 2025 | 29.0 | 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
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2801—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-1809 (and 2019 LTSC) (32-Bit)
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7001—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-21H2 (32-Bit)
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7201—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-22H2 (32-Bit)
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2901—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-1809 (and 2019 LTSC) (64-Bit)
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7101 —Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-21H2 (64-Bit)
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7301—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 10-22H2 (64-Bit)
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7401—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 11-22H2 (64-Bit)
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7501—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 11-23H2 (64-Bit)
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7601—Operating System Compatibility/Windows 11-24H2 (64-Bit)
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0501—Operating System Compatibility/Windows Server 2012
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0601—Operating System Compatibility/Windows Server 2016
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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Windows Vista and later do not support 32-bit Windows Help files (.hlp), now superseded by HTML Help (.chm).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