OLEXP: Internet Shortcuts in Outlook Express Do Not Start Web Browser
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This article was previously published under Q177054
SYMPTOMS
When you double-click an Internet shortcut in an Outlook Express e-mail message, your Web browser may not start or connect to the Web page.
CAUSE
This behavior can occur for one of the following reasons:
Internet Explorer is not currently your default Internet browser, and the browser that was formerly the default is no longer installed.
A short file name (standard 8.3 naming) is used for the program name associated with Internet shortcuts.
RESOLUTION
Resolving the First Cause
Set Internet Explorer As the Default Browser
To resolve the first cause, and to set Internet Explorer to be the default Internet Browser, follow these steps:
On the Start menu, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.
Double click the Internet or Internet Options icon, and click Programs.
Ensure that Internet Explorer should check to see if it is the default is selected, click Apply, and then click OK.
Open internet Explorer, and then click Yes when you receive the following prompt.
Internet Explorer is not currently your default browser. Do you wish to make it the default?
Links in e-mail messages should then open Internet Explorer.
Outlook Express 5 Only
NOTE: This section does not apply to Windows 2000. This issue is also resolved for Outlook Express 5 by using the Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 Repair utility. To run the Internet Explorer 5 Repair utility, perform the following steps:
Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Programs.
In the list of installed programs, double-click Internet Explorer 5 and Internet Tools.
Click Repair Internet Explorer.
When the process is finished, restart the computer.
Windows XP
Open Internet Explorer.
Click on the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the Programs tab.
Ensure that the Internet Explorer should check to see if it is the default check box is checked, click Apply, and then click OK.
Close Internet Explorer, re-open Internet Explorer, and then click Yes when you receive the following prompt.
Internet Explorer is not currently your default browser. Do you wish to make it the default?
Links in e-mail messages should then open Internet Explorer.
Resolving the Second Cause
To resolve the second issue, you need to correct your file association. To do this, change the name of the program associated with Internet shortcuts to the long file name of your Web browser. Follow the steps appropriate for your operating system.
Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows NT
On the Start menu, point to Programs, and then click either Windows Explorer or Windows NT Explorer.
Click View, click Folder Options, and then click File Types.
In the Registered File Types box, click URL:File Transfer Protocol, and then click Edit.
In the Actions box, click Open, and then click Edit.
The Application Used To Perform Action box may display the path to your Web browser as a short file name. Type the path to your Web browser using the full file name. For example, change:
c:\progra~1\intern~1\iexplore.exe
-to-
c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe (including the quotation marks).
Click OK, and then click Close.
Repeat steps 3-6 for the following registered file types:
URL:Gopher Protocol
URL:Hypertext Transfer Protocol
URL:Hypertext Transfer protocol with Privacy
Click Close.
NOTE: If you follow these steps, you may receive the following prompt when Internet Explorer starts:
Internet Explorer is not currently your default browser. Would you like to make it your default browser?
Ensure that the "Internet Explorer should check to see if it is the default browser" check box is not checked under Internet Options, or the issue may recur.
If you click Yes, the issue may recur.
Windows 2000
On the Start menu, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.
Click Tools menu, click Folder Options, and then click File Types.
In the Registered File Types box, click URL:File Transfer Protocol, and then click Advanced.
In the Actions box, click Open, and then click Advanced.
The Application Used To Perform Action box may display the path to your Web browser as a short file name or an incorrect path. Type the path to your Web browser using the full file name. For example, change:
c:\progra~1\intern~1\iexplore.exe
-to-
c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe (including the quotation marks).
Click OK, and then click Close.
Repeat steps 3-6 for the following registered file types:
URL:Gopher Protocol
URL:Hypertext Transfer Protocol
URL:Hypertext Transfer protocol with Privacy
URL:Internet Shortcut
Click Close.
NOTE: If you follow these steps, you may receive the following prompt when Internet Explorer starts:
Internet Explorer is not currently your default browser. Would you like to make it your default browser?
Ensure that the "Internet Explorer should check to see if it is the default browser" check box is not checked under Internet Options, or the issue may recur.
If you click Yes, the issue may recur.
Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional
Click Start, point to All Programs, click Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.
Click Tools menu, click Folder Options, and then click File Types.
In the Registered File Types box, click URL:File Transfer Protocol, and then click Advanced.
In the Actions box, click Open, and then click Edit.
The Application Used To Perform Action box may display the path to your Web browser as a short file name. Type the path to your Web browser using the full long file name. For example, change:
c:\progra~1\intern~1\iexplore.exe
-to-
c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe (include the quotation marks).
Click OK, click OK again, and then click Close.
Repeat steps 3-6 for the following registered file types:
URL:Gopher Protocol
URL:Hypertext Transfer Protocol
URL:Hypertext Transfer protocol with Privacy
Click Close.
NOTE: If you follow these steps, you may receive the following prompt when Internet Explorer starts:
Internet Explorer is not currently your default browser. Would you like to make it your default browser?
Ensure that the Internet Explorer should check to see if it is the default browser check box is not checked under Internet Options, or the issue may recur.
If you click Yes, the issue may recur.
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 for Windows NT 4.0
Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 for Windows NT 4.0
Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 for Windows NT 4.0
Microsoft Outlook Express 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0
Microsoft Outlook Express 4.0 for Windows NT 4.0
Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 for Windows 98
Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 for Windows 98
Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 for Windows 98
Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 for Windows 95
Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 for Windows 95
Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 for Windows 95
Microsoft Outlook Express 4.01 for Windows 95
Microsoft Outlook Express 4.0 for Windows 95
Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 for Windows XP
Last Reviewed: 10/30/2002 (1.0)
Keywords: kbenv kbprb KB177054