When i go to help and support on my desktop for windows, i get a error
message:  helpctr.exe  unable to find or something like that.  i am
posting several questions all related to the same computer which all
may be related.

Alrighty, seems as if your helf support file is either been misplaced
or it is corrupt.

let's see if we can't get it to work again.  There are several things
that could be wrong, an needed to fix this. first off make sure you
have your windows xp disk with you, cause your going to need it.

>> Now go to "Start" then select "Run..." (or you can hold down the
windows key while pressing the 'r' key to open the run dialog box)
>> Now in the textbox type in "helpctr -regserver" (no quotes)
>> next open "MY Computer" up and go to the top and click "Tools",
then scroll down to "Folder Options".
>> When a dialog opens, click to "View" tab.
>> now in "Advanced settings:" under "hidden files and folders" click
the option that says "Show hidden files and folders".
>> Then click "ok"
>> now go to double click your "C" drive and open it
>> double click the "windows" folder
>> double click the "inf" folder
>> find a file called "pchealth.inf" (it should look like a notepad
document with little gears on it).
>> right click the file and click "Install..."
>> then restart your computer.

if this doesnt work, let me know, we will try something else that
could work.  to help me out, what was the EXACT error message.

There is a folder called just PCHealth, it doesn't have the inf, when
I right click on it, there is not an install, the exact message is
windows cannot find 'helpctr.exe'. Make sure you typed the name
correctly, and then try again.  To search for a file, click the Start
button , and then click Search.  When I do that I get a lot of stuff
for helpctr.exe the $NtService Pack, $NtUninstall , service pack
files, pchealth\help center and HELPCTR.EXE-0BD5B31B.pf which has
Prefetch.  If I right click on the one with PCHealth\Help Ctr, it
opens the help and support page, which I guess I can just use it this
way, the is a place for it above run with the name, but it  doesn't
work there, you might know how to get it there.  also now after
folling what dell told me to do which didn't work, I get runtime error
"want to debug line 3 access denied and the same thing with line 26
error object expected, I don't know if this has anything to do with a
new program i just installed on my computer that won't open and says:
Director Player 5.0 This program requires at least 3 MB of free
virtual memory to run, which I think if I was looking in the right
place I have 1536 to 3072 virtual memory, i don't know if that is free
though.

yeah the virtual memory, thats more than enough.  you were suppose to
go to the "c:\windows\inf\" (no quotes) folder, in which you need to
unhide the folders (which i told you above)

when you are there, you really have to look for the file, its called
"pchealth.inf", its not a folder, its a file.  it looks like a notepad
with gears on it.  you need to right click it and select "install..."
from the menu.

if this doesnt work, you need to try running the windows file
protections program.  make sure your windows xp cd is in the drive.
open the run... dialog box (go to the start menu and click "run...". 
when you get the dialog box, type in the following:

sfc /scannow

let it run until it is done, then check if it works.  let me know if this helps any.