Error "Internet Explorer was not able to open this Internet site" when using Help and Support in Windows Vista

Symptom

When you open Windows Help and Support in Windows Vista and search for a word or phrase, the following error may occur:

Internet Explorer cannot download / from Help.

Internet Explorer was not able to open this Internet site. The requested site is either unavailable or cannot be found. Please try again later.

Resolution

This happens if the Content Type registry setting for .xml file types is incorrect. To resolve the problem, use one of the following methods:

Method 1

Open an elevated Command Prompt window, and run the following command:

regsvr32 msxml3.dll

Press ENTER.

Note: To open an elevated Command Prompt window, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.

Method 2

Download xmlfix_vista.reg available at the end of this article and save to Desktop. Right-click on the downloaded file and choose Merge.