Excel Help Does Not Work

[Scott Cox]

When I'm in Excel, select F1 to bring up the help column on the side, and the select a subject, I get a drop down menu of sub-topics to choose from.  I select a sub-topic and click it, but the help never goes any further.  I don't get any info about the topic I selected.  The help function seems to be broken.

How do I fix this?

[#2]

Hi Scott, 

Give this a shot: 

Start > "search for cmd" > Open a command prompt > Enter "RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 8" 

[#3]

Hey Smitty,

Will this affect anyting about my current install of Excel?  Any risks to this?

Thanks.

Scott

[#4]

That only removes browser cache - temporary internet files

Delete Temporary Internet Files:
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 8

Delete Cookies:
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 2

Delete History:
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 1

Delete Form Data:
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 16

Delete Passwords:
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 32

Delete All:
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 255

Delete All + files and settings stored by Add-ons:
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 4351

[#5]

Scott,

As Sergei points out, it just clears your browser cache. Our engineer wanted to see if the help cache is stuck, as the help panes are technically web pages that are surfaced in Office.

[#6]

I cut and pasted it into a command prompt.  It ran without response; I didn't get any messages from the system.  The help problem persists.  Oh, I did not encase the commands with quotes?

[#7]

Scott,

Sorry for the delay. There won't be any response, but since the issue persists, check your private messages. I'm going to put you directly in touch with an engineer on our team.

Smitty

[#8]

Smitty,

Thanks for that.  I cannot find the link on this web page for private messages.  The link on the email to me from you led me to private messages settings, but where do I go to receive or send messages?

Thanks.

Scott

[#9]

Look in the upper right-hand corner of the forum, in the blue ribbon. There's an envelope next to your profile picture.

[#10]

Chris,

After you sort this out I appreciate if you share what was the reason, or how you solved that if the reason is unclear.

[#11]

Yes, of course.

[#12]

Any luck?

[#13]

Scott and one of our engineers were going to have a call last week. I haven't heard back yet.

[#14]

I sent him another time/date option, but haven't heard back.