Nice try, but that is how I got there. It reads right in the shortcut and then I went to the target and clicked on it to try to open it. Any other suggestions?
thanks
Mike

Mike56555,

Go to Accessories\System Tools\System Information, right-click it and select Properties. The entry in the Target box should be (including quotation marks):
"C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo\msinfo32.exe" and if it isn't it should be changed (assuming that is the correct location of the file. When you went to the msinfo32.exe I assume you browsed to it in Windows Explorer and double-clicked it. If Dell Help and Support has somehow replaced msinfo32.exe, you can restore it using system file checker (Start|Run, enter sfc /scannow and ).

I found 3 copies of the msinfo32.exe file on my computer. Each of them opens to the dell support center page. I ran sfc /scannow and it didn't change anything. Still looking for a solution.
Mike

Mike56555,

Go to the existing msinfo32.exe file and change it to msinfo32.old. Now replace it with the proper file (substitute the letter of your CD-ROM drive for X:\ and have the Windows XP CD in the drive.

Go to Start|Run, enter cmd and
At the command line enter:

expand X:\i386\msinfo32.ex_ c:\program files\common files\Microsoft Shared\MSinfo\msinfo32.exe

and .

You should see a messsage indicating that the file was extracted.

ok, I did all of that and I still get the same results.... dell support center. Could the act of clicking on the file trigger another process? I don't show any malware on my machine.
Any help appreciated.
Mike

According to this DSL Reports thread, deletion of a particular index.dat file will produce this symptom. How very odd!

Jim

If you deleted all your index.dat files that will happen. I know because I did. However, when the Dell Help and Support screen opens, under "Pick a help topic", click on "Computer Information".  Is this what you're looking for?

delta 

Message Edited by delta7000 on 05-08-2005 09:04 AM

Delta and Jimw, you identified the problem. The Ccleaner software recommended by some is perhaps a little too aggressive. This is not the first problem I have had because I deleted "unnecessary" files.

Now how to repair the problem. If I get a friend to send me the file from her computer and just plug it in, will that do the trick? The file is not on my computer and I can't find it on a system restore disk. Is it a generated file?

Jim, the dell help center page will give me the info I require, but like a lot who are here, I do not like my computer not doing what it should as Efficiently as possible. (hence the tweaking and screwing it up!)
Thanks for your help.
Mike

Mike,

I later found another thread that says if you get someone to send you a copy of the file index.dat from the directory C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\OfflineCache, msinfo32.exe will work as expected after that one file is restored.

If you search Google for msinfo32.exe index.dat, you'll find the problem is actually fairly common.  It illustrates one of the key reasons why file and registry cleanup programs need to be used very carefully.  Nevertheless, I was surprised when I found the first thread I posted! What a strange symptom!

Jim

Thanks to all who helped me find the solution to this problem. My friend sent me the file and I saved it to the proper directory and now my system information program works just fine.
Mike

I knew that it was that index.dat that would screw things up if deleted. What surprises me is that it can be transferred from one PC to another and restore functionality.

Just curious: when you do that, does it still show any additional files you've maybe stored in help centre, such as favorites, system guides, etc?

My index.dat file there is 78kb; is that the same?

I use index.dat suite to clean up my index.dat files. It is safer as you can select to clean up just the ones in Documents and settings. It also flags the Healthcentre one in red to warn you it's dangerous to fix it!

http://support.it-mate.co.uk/?mode=Home

Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 05-09-2005 12:25 AM

Just to keep any information about this problem from showing too much consistency, I can report that my Index.dat file is 86KB.

JRosenfeld

Earlier today my brother sent me the file and I put it where it's suppose to be. It was totally functional. The size of the index.dat file was 78KB. Actually I had never used this tool before and was really surprised at the amount of information it provides.

delta 

Denny

I read the reason for that is privileged users get the larger index.dat file.

Take Care........delta