CHM Help opened with F1 from some dialogs, after closing then not released by TC, and not re opened with F1 if unlocked

[petermad]

What can I say, here on Russian 32-bit Windows XP Pro SP3 with hh.exe v. 5.2.3790.2453 and hhctrl.ocx v.5.2.3790.4110 for this case I also get Access denied error on overwrite attempt...

I have the same versions of hh.exe and hhctrl.ocx - The only difference is that my Windows is Danish and it is the Home Edition.

My Windows XP build is: 2600.xpsp_sp3_qfe.120704-0421 : Service Pack 3

[DrShark]

try checking which process blocks the file (for example, in Process Explorer).

It's locked by TOTALCMD.EXE (ProcExp shows 1 handle with 3 References for this file).

Maybe it's your antivirus…

It's close to clean Windows XP, so no antiviruses.

Also, as I wrote above, Christian Ghisler is experiencing the same CHM lock on his Windows XP.

[DrShark]

I have the same versions of hh.exe and hhctrl.ocx - The only difference is that my Windows is Danish and it is the Home Edition.

I just tested on Home Edition of Russian Windows XP SP3 with hh.exe v.5.2.3790.2453 and hhctrl.ocx v. 5.2.3790.4110, and there is no CHM lock there!

Flint, Usher, did you test on Home Edition too?

[Flint]

2DrShark
No, mine is Pro.

[Usher]

2DrShark
Mine is Home. Have you tried to run TC from another Windows user account? Don't manipulate with "Run as", just create a new user account.

[DrShark]

Have you tried to run TC from another Windows user account?

I have second account on machine with WinXP Pro, it has user (not Administrator) privileges and there's a classic theme on that account, while the account with Administrator privileges uses default XP theme, and the lock problem is on both accounts (tested with closing of all TC instances or complete logging off user before switching to another account).

On WinXP Home, where I don't have the lock problem, there is only one account with Administrator privileges which uses default Windows XP theme.

I don't think it will be easy to find the reason of CHM lock on some Windows XP machines: it may be some Windows update installed or not installed on certain Windows, some Internet Explorer or Windows setting / local policy etc...

[Usher]

2DrShark
Testing already existing account isn't helpful. I really mean a freshly created user account without unknown or forgotten settings changes. You should first test a clean account and if its all OK, change theme to classic and test again, then make another change etc.

The problems may be on a registry level (system or user part) or on a file system level. Some hints:
* Some program might make the changes - virus or other malware, antivirus or internet security suite, overzealous crap cleaner or other cleaning software, etc. – and you don't remember which one and when. In this case TC may work OK from a new user account.
* The changes might be made also for default user settings. In this case TC may have problems also on a new user account.
* There may be broken privileges for TC directory or some files inside. In this case you should make a backup of TC config (plugins, addons etc.), delete the whole directory, run chkdsk on the system partition and partition where TC has been previously installed, and only then reinstall TC. If there is no problem with registry settings, TC will run OK.

One forgotten question: Did you install all updates for Windows POSReady2009 / XP Embedded? Maybe missing updates are the reason, as you suspect.

[ghisler(Author)]

Unfortunately Windows XP locks the CHM file even when you just open the index (F1 in main TC window), something which never happened in Vista or newer even on older TC versions. There seems to be no way to prevent that lock in XP.

[petermad]

Unfortunately Windows XP locks the CHM file even when you just open the index (F1 in main TC window

well, not here on my Windows XP Home Edition SP3 (it is a pretty prestine installation)

[DrShark]

2ghisler(Author)
As you can see from above posts, petermad, Flint and Usher don't have the lock issue on their XP systems, and I also don't have it on one of my XP computers, but have on another one. Do you have the lock on all your XP systems?

I really mean a freshly created user account without unknown or forgotten settings changes. You should first test a clean account and if its all OK, change theme to classic and test again, then make another change etc.

On XP machine with lock problem I tested with built-in Administrator account in Safe Mode without Explorer shell, and the lock is still there, so I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with local accounts settings.

There may be broken privileges for TC directory or some files inside.

On both XP computers TC installed in C:'\totalcmd\, which shouldn't have issues with privileges (is they would, CHM help probably wouldn't even be opened) and the lock problem is only on one of XP system.

Did you install all updates for Windows POSReady2009 / XP Embedded? Maybe missing updates are the reason, as you suspect.

I don't have latest updates installed, so it's possible that some missing update is a reason.

[Usher]

2petermad
Just confirmed the problem. Create a new user account with LIMITED rights (NO Administrator) and do tests using the new account. It doesn't matter – Windows XP Home or Pro.

2ghisler(Author)
Which process is called to run CHM help? HH.EXE is used only for direct CHM opening with Enter or double click.

[DrShark]

2ghisler(Author)
Which process is called to run CHM help? HH.EXE is used only for direct CHM opening with Enter or double click.

This question is answered in this topic, see posts by ghisler(Author).

[Usher]

2DrShark
Direct link or direct answer, please. Sorry, I'm distracted by high temperature.

[Flint]

Even with limited account in XP I cannot reproduce the problem. I open the Pack files dialog, press F1 - help is opened, Process Explorer shows that totalcmd.exe now has the file handle to the CHM. I close the help window - the handle disappears.

[DrShark]

2Usher

TOTALCMD.CHM is used by TOTALCMD.EXE.

TC does not use the Delphi help system here. I'm using Delphi 2 for 32-bit, and it only supports HLP files. Instead, I make just a single function call:
HtmlHelp (as described above)
[...]
Maybe it's protected somehow by the html control

I suppose the "html control" mentioned there is hhctrl.ocx.