Missing MSinfo32.exe file

Delanna · 08-23-2008, 09:49 PM

Hello all,

I am a omputer novice, so when i found this forum, i thought i hit a gold mine! Firstly, thankyou to everyone who contributes and helps poor computer illiterate people like me ;)

I have been having issues with a certain PC game which is crashing at certain areas. I have been talking to Tech Support for the game and they have asked me to run MSinfo32.exe (start, run, type MSinfo32) and export the data.

The problem is that i do not have this file! I have done a full search (including hidden and system files) and its no where on my PC!

I am running Windows XP with Service Pack 2. I have this and also a Dell provided windows XP professional home edition, and exploring both does not show the file or the install for the file anywhere. The dell windows installation CD does have support tools, but checking the readme and installing it also showed that MSinfo32 is not part of the package.

My question is two fold:

a) is it possible to download this file from somewhere?

b) is there an alternative program that can do it? basically, i need certain parts of the msinfo.nfo file to post to the tech support.

Thankyou in advance,

Delanna

**jenae** · 08-23-2008, 11:57 PM

Hi, sometimes when you run cleaners you will have the problem that the index.dat file is deleted from windows PCHealth , the result no system information. There are a number of ways to fix , this might be the easiest go here to line 221 and download and run the fix for msinfo32.

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Delanna · 08-24-2008, 04:23 AM

Thanks Jenae for the link.

i went to your linked site and got the fix for MSinfo32.exe, saved it on my HDD and then double clicked and imported into registry. Rebooted, and still no MSinfo32.exe file! i did another search, including hidden folders, and a manual search too (with my eyes :P) /... nothing in windows. The C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries has a pchshell.DLL file in it... the rest of that path is empty.

Any more ideas?

**jenae** · 08-24-2008, 06:05 AM

Hi, this is a two step fix hopefully will get it back for you (will do no harm)
Step1
Click Start, click Run and type Taskmgr and click OK. This opens Task Manager. Click the Process tab. Stop all of the following processing if running:
helpsvc.exe
helphost.exe
helpctr.exe

Step 2
Reinstall Help and Support
Click Start, click Run and type CMD, and click OK.
In Command Prompt, type the following commands and press Enter after each line: (Alternately, create a Batch file and run.)

net stop helpsvc
cd /d %windir%\pchealth\helpctr
rd packagestore /s /q
rd installedskus /s /q
cd binaries
start /w helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver /install
start /w helpsvc /register

Some of these commands can take awhile to run (especially the second last one) so be patient. If this fails:-

From a CMD prompt you can try windows file verification checker at the prompt type sfc /scannow press enter you may be asked for your XP cd.

**LonnyRJones** · 08-27-2008, 01:36 AM

Hi
Any progress yet Delanna ?
What happens exactly when you go start, run, type MSinfo32 and press enter ?

"C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo\msinfo32.exe" Isnt that file there ?
Is this file present ?
C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\OfflineCache\ index.dat

08-23-2008, 09:49 PM	#1 (permalink)
Delanna Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2 OS: Windows XP, SP 3	Missing MSinfo32.exe file Hello all, I am a omputer novice, so when i found this forum, i thought i hit a gold mine! Firstly, thankyou to everyone who contributes and helps poor computer illiterate people like me ;) I have been having issues with a certain PC game which is crashing at certain areas. I have been talking to Tech Support for the game and they have asked me to run MSinfo32.exe (start, run, type MSinfo32) and export the data. The problem is that i do not have this file! I have done a full search (including hidden and system files) and its no where on my PC! I am running Windows XP with Service Pack 2. I have this and also a Dell provided windows XP professional home edition, and exploring both does not show the file or the install for the file anywhere. The dell windows installation CD does have support tools, but checking the readme and installing it also showed that MSinfo32 is not part of the package. My question is two fold: a) is it possible to download this file from somewhere? b) is there an alternative program that can do it? basically, i need certain parts of the msinfo.nfo file to post to the tech support. Thankyou in advance, Delanna

08-23-2008, 11:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
jenae Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,295 OS: XP & Vista	Re: Missing MSinfo32.exe file Hi, sometimes when you run cleaners you will have the problem that the index.dat file is deleted from windows PCHealth , the result no system information. There are a number of ways to fix , this might be the easiest go here to line 221 and download and run the fix for msinfo32. http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

08-24-2008, 04:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
Delanna Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2 OS: Windows XP, SP 3	Re: Missing MSinfo32.exe file Thanks Jenae for the link. i went to your linked site and got the fix for MSinfo32.exe, saved it on my HDD and then double clicked and imported into registry. Rebooted, and still no MSinfo32.exe file! i did another search, including hidden folders, and a manual search too (with my eyes :P) /... nothing in windows. The C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries has a pchshell.DLL file in it... the rest of that path is empty. Any more ideas?

08-24-2008, 06:05 AM	#4 (permalink)
jenae Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,295 OS: XP & Vista	Re: Missing MSinfo32.exe file Hi, this is a two step fix hopefully will get it back for you (will do no harm) Step1 Click Start, click Run and type Taskmgr and click OK. This opens Task Manager. Click the Process tab. Stop all of the following processing if running: helpsvc.exe helphost.exe helpctr.exe Step 2 Reinstall Help and Support Click Start, click Run and type CMD, and click OK. In Command Prompt, type the following commands and press Enter after each line: (Alternately, create a Batch file and run.) net stop helpsvc cd /d %windir%\pchealth\helpctr rd packagestore /s /q rd installedskus /s /q cd binaries start /w helpsvc /svchost netsvcs /regserver /install start /w helpsvc /register Some of these commands can take awhile to run (especially the second last one) so be patient. If this fails:- From a CMD prompt you can try windows file verification checker at the prompt type sfc /scannow press enter you may be asked for your XP cd.

08-27-2008, 01:36 AM	#5 (permalink)
LonnyRJones Expert Analyst, Moderator, Security Team Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,646 OS: xp	Re: Missing MSinfo32.exe file Hi Any progress yet Delanna ? What happens exactly when you go start, run, type MSinfo32 and press enter ? "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo\msinfo32.exe" Isnt that file there ? Is this file present ? C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\OfflineCache\ index.dat __________________ Our help is voluntary. But this site needs donations to operate. Last edited by LonnyRJones; 08-27-2008 at 01:38 AM.