JSI Tip 8039. MS04-015 does not install correctly on Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 if the Help and Support service is disabled?

If the Help and Support service is disabled, your computer is NOT vulnerable to the flaw fixed by MS04-015.

If you ever started the service, your computer would be vulnerable, so installing MS04-015 is good practice.

If the Help and Support service is   Disabled   when you attempt to install   MS04-015,   the installation will appear to succeed, but the Connection.htm file, from the Hsc.system.errors.connection.htm.cab file, is NOT installed in the %systemroot%PCHealthHelpCtrSystemerrors folder.

You may also have a System event log entry similar to:

Date: MM/DD/YYYYTime: HH:MM:SSType: ErrorUser: Computer: Source: DCOMCategory: NoneEvent ID: 10005 Description: DCOM got error "The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled             or because it has no enabled devices associated with it."              attempting to start the service helpsvc with arguments "" in order to run the server:            {833E4012-AFF7-4AC3-AAC2-9F24C1457BCE}For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Additionally, MBSA and Windows Update report that the update is installed correctly.

To fix this problem:

1. Set the Help and Support service to Automatic, using Services.msc, and Start it.

2. Since Windows Update won't offer to re-install the package, download the appropriate MS04-015 package and run it.

NOTE: Help and Support may have been disabled using domain Group Policy at Computer Configuration / Windows Settings / Security Settings / System Services.