Mac Help not working anymore

[Speedy974]

Hello,

First, I am new to this community.

I got couple weeks ago a MacBook Pro (15 inches, 256 MB video card).

Here is my issue:

- On the Finder, if I click on Help > Mac Help, it open the help window but it shows an empty page called Untitled. After couple seconds, this window disappear.
- In addition, when I go to System Preferences > Click on any icon and then the question mark (to get some help): same issue. It brings a blank full page called Untitled and it shuts down couple seconds later.

FYI, I tried to create another user account, and it does not do that. So it must be user account related.

Thank you very much for you help!

Julien

PS: I also posted this on your forum. I hope it is Ok, if not let me know, I will know for next time.

[Satcomer]

Download the free program Onyx and in that maintenance program will be a check mark to reset the Help file.

[simbalala]

Refer back to your original thread...

Mac Help not working anymore

and tell us if you have a folder at

/Users/yourshortname/Library/Caches/com.apple.helpui

I don't have 10.5 so I'm not sure how help is organized on your system. Once I have your answer I may have a solution for you.

[Speedy974]

Hey guys,

Sorry for the delay, I was on-site and so could not get back to you earlier.

The issue stopped when I got rid of the designated folder. Then I started OnyX. The information window of OnyX popped up, as usual. I closed OnyX and tried again: issue was back.

So then , I kind I tried to turn off the information window of OnyX, got rid of the com.apple.helpui folder: it seems to work since then...

Thanks a lot guys, I guess we can close this issue.

Julien

[simbalala]

Here’s what I’ve done. I had the /Users/myname/Library/Caches/com.apple.helpui locked, read only for group and other. It was pretty much empty.

So I unlocked it and over the last day or two it became populated. I’ve labeled all the files inside green (I know they’re not causing the problem). Now if Help stops working again I can check to see if a new file is added which causes the problem. Locking the folder even if empty solves the problem. It’s only a cache folder so if the system can’t find a file in it if goes off elsewhere to find the original.

It’s an old, old problem with Help, I’m surprised it still exists in 10.5. I imagine the “Reset Help” function in OnyX simply deletes that folder but I haven’t checked to be sure.

[Speedy974]

Thanks again Simbala!