Microsoft KB Archive/138950

PPT4: Error: PowerPoint Could Not Locate or Start Help

PSS ID Number: Q138950 Article last modified on 05-16-1998

4.00

MACINTOSH

================================================================ ==

The information in this article applies to:

 == Microsoft PowerPoint for the Macintosh, version 4.0 == 

= SYMPTOMS =

When attempting to access Help in PowerPoint, you may receive the following message:

PowerPoint could not locate or start Help. You may not have enough memory, or you may need to install it using PowerPoint Setup.

= CAUSE =

Some possible causes include:


 * The Microsoft folder has been moved.
 * There is insufficient memory.
 * Microsoft Help or the Help files were deleted.
 * There is file corruption on the hard disk.

= RESOLUTION =

When PowerPoint loses the location of its Help files, you need to reestablish the connection. The best way to do this is to remove and then reinstall the Help files. During Setup, PowerPoint will be pointed to the correct location of the Help files.

To Remove the Help Files
  Run Microsoft Office Setup.   Click Add/Remove.   Click the triangle to the left of the Microsoft PowerPoint section so it points down.   Clear (remove the X from) all items except Help, Quick Preview And.   Click the triangle to the left of Help, Quick Preview And.   Clear all items except Help and Customer Support Help. The following four boxes should contain an X or hyphen (-): Microsoft PowerPoint Help, Quick Preview and Help Customer Support Help </li>  Click Continue. </li></ol>

Setup will now remove the selected Help files. After the Setup program completes the removal, you should verify that the files have been removed. In some cases, Setup cannot delete files from the computer. If they are still on the computer at this point, drag them to the Trash.

To Add the Help Files
<ol style="list-style-type: decimal;">  Run Microsoft Office Setup. </li>  Click Add/Remove. </li>  Click the triangle to the left of Microsoft PowerPoint from the Components Not Yet Installed section, so that the triangle points down. </li>  Clear all categories except Help, Quick Preview And. </li>  Click the triangle to the left of Help, Quick Preview, And. </li>  Clear all categories except Help and Customer Support Help. The following four boxes should contain an X or hyphen (-): Microsoft PowerPoint Help, Quick Preview and… Help Customer Support Help </li>  Click Continue. </li></ol>

= MORE INFORMATION =

The following are some other troubleshooting steps to try:

<ol style="list-style-type: decimal;">  Make sure that there is enough memory to access Help. Start PowerPoint. With the program running, check the Largest Unused Block. </li>  Rebuild the Desktop. </li>  Use the following table to determine which Help component is causing the problem: Help Menu Listing Help File —————– ——— PowerPoint Contents PowerPoint Help PowerPoint Search for Help on PowerPoint Help PowerPoint Index PowerPoint Help PowerPoint Technical Support PowerPoint Technical Support Help All the above Help files require the Microsoft Help engine to work. For example, if PowerPoint Index works incorrectly but PowerPoint Technical Support works just fine, the problem is with PowerPoint Help. </li></ol>

Additional query words: 4.00 macppt Help could not locate couldn’t m_powerpt ppt4 ====================================================================== Keywords : kbenv kberrmsg kbtshoot kbenv kberrmsg kbtshoot Version : 4.00 Platform : MACINTOSH ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1998.