I would check these threads:
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.public
.office.misc&mid=7d76a11e-dfd7-41a3-947c-0565798787da&sloc=en-us
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.public
.office.misc&mid=d0659665-bdc9-4646-8d61-bbe7be45f45c&sloc=en-us
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.public
.office.misc&mid=6af84142-8288-47f2-bd8b-ca05bb3dec12&sloc=en-us

Signature
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html
> When I try to open the help in Powerpoint I get the following error
> message:
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> in
> Powerpoint?
> When I try to open the help in Powerpoint I get the following error message:
> "Unable to connect to Microsoft Office Online"
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> I have done this, and have got the Microsoft Office Online site in my
> browser. In what way is this supposed to be helpful?
It simply tests your internet connection. In other words, by going there (and
by finding your way here) you've proven that your connection's working and that
something else is preventing online help from working.
Possibly your firewall settings or your IT department's policies are blocking
access to online help. Check that out; if no luck, let us know what you did
learn and also mention which version of Office you're using.
(I haven't found
> anything useful about powerpoint apart from this discussion group) I still
> cannot use "Help" in Powerpoint. What do I need to do to make "Help" work in
> Powerpoint?
-----------------------------------------
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================
mpia_worker - 27 Nov 2007 18:10 GMT
Hi,
I think I've worked out the problem. For some connections (e.g. the test of
your internet connection in the Help system) Microsoft Office uses the
connection settings of your default browser (Firefox in my case), while in
other parts of Microsoft Office it seems to look at the connection settings
of Internet Explore, even if Internet Explorer is *not* the default browser.
After setting up the connection settings of Internet Explorer, the Online
Help system now works.
mpia_worker
> > When I try to open the help in Powerpoint I get the following error message:
> > "Unable to connect to Microsoft Office Online"
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
> PPTools: www.pptools.com
> ================================================
Echo S - 27 Nov 2007 18:35 GMT
That's really good to know. Thanks for posting back.

Signature
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html
> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 51 lines]
>> PPTools: www.pptools.com
>> ================================================