title: Microsoft Help Viewer can be used as an independent Application?
body: <p>I have a machine with <strong>Windows 8</strong> where I've installed <strong>VS2013</strong> without <strong>Help viewer</strong>, and a <em>VirtualMachine</em> with the same <em>OS</em> and the same <strong>VS</strong> but with the <strong>Help Viewer</strong> package installed (<code>Help Viewer v2.1</code>).</p>
  
  <p>I've create that <strong><em>VM</em></strong> with an unique purpose, I would like to be able to use <strong><em>Microsoft Help Viewer</em></strong> (or other alternative software, if exist) in my host <em>OS</em> without resinstalling <strong><em>VS2013</em></strong> in my <em>OS</em>.</p>
  
  <p>...So in a very basic intent of reverse engineering to be able to use <strong>Microsoft Help viewer</strong> in my host <em>OS</em> I've just copied these folders from the <em>VM</em> to my <em>PC</em>:</p>
  
  <pre><code>C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Help Viewer
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>And</p>
  
  <pre><code>C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\HelpLibrary2
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>And added these keys:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
  
  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Help]
  
  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Help\v2.1]
  "AppRoot"="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Help Viewer\\v2.1\\"
  "DefaultHelpViewerCLSID"="{FE220E43-FE17-47BE-A57E-84D2B9A5635D}"
  
  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Help\v2.1\Catalogs]
  "ContentStore"="C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\HelpLibrary2\\Catalogs\\"
  
  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Help\v2.1\Catalogs\VisualStudio12]
  "LocationPath"="%ProgramData%\\Microsoft\\HelpLibrary2\\Catalogs\\VisualStudio12\\"
  "LastUpdated"="02/26/2014 06:34:55"
  
  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Help\v2.1\Catalogs\VisualStudio12\en-US]
  "SeedFilePath"="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Help Viewer\\v2.1\\CatalogInfo\\VS11_en-us.cab"
  "catalogName"="Visual Studio Documentation"
  
  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Help\v2.1\Setup]
  "AppRoot"="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Help Viewer\\v2.1\\"
  "Install"=dword:00000001
  "Version"="2.1.21005"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Notice the value:</p>
  
  <pre><code>"DefaultHelpViewerCLSID"="{FE220E43-FE17-47BE-A57E-84D2B9A5635D}"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I don't know what reffers that CLSID but a search on the registry of the VM with the search pattern <code>FE220E43-FE17-47BE-A57E-84D2B9A5635D</code> does not find anything (but the help viewer works properlly on the VM):</p>
  
  <p>And I launch the Help Viewer (from commandline) with the same arguments as I get in the VM:</p>
  
  <pre><code>HlpViewer.exe /CatalogName VisualStudio12 /Locale en-US /Sku 3000 /LaunchingApp Microsoft,VisualStudio,12.0 /Manage
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But when I press the <code>Update</code> button in the <strong>Help Viewer</strong> to download a package, just does nothing (of nothing) any error is shown or something else, just anything, so I can't download documentation or know what error I'm having.</p>
  
  <p>Any idea to resolve this strange problem? maybe I need a missing component to copy on my host <em>OS</em>?</p>
  
  <p><strong>Microsoft Help Viewer</strong> can be just downloaded and installed as a standalone application?</p>
  
  <p>Any alternative Software to replace <strong>Microsoft Help Viewer</strong>?</p>
  
  <p>I've tried to use <a href="http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/4c360395-6afd-4087-94ed-cbcbebe04a20" rel="noreferrer">H3Viewer</a> but seems that it's only for VS2010, when I try to use the library manager the program says that I have not VS2010 Help installed.</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>UPDATE:</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>I've solved the issue by downloading the documentation on the VM and copying them into my OS, but anyways I would like to know a solution for this problem.</p>