Desktop shortcuts to websites are broken.

[lowellc]

Operating system: XP sp2 2005 tablet edition.
Browser IE7

I recently noticed that shortcut to various websites, on my desktop, no longer work. I double-click or right click -> open, and nothing happens, not a flicker. Additionally, internet shortcuts I have dragged to the quicklaunch bar have stopped working. (I actually made copies of all the desktop shortcuts I had created on my desktop, put them in a directory, and dragged them to Favorites, where they happily reside, and work fine.)

Unfortunately, I don't have a restore point before which this problem started.

I also tried justpassingby's suggestion:
Go to start => run, type regedit.
Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\New\
Double click the default value in the right pane and set it to
{D969A300-E7FF-11d0-A93B-00A0C90F2719}

I also tried reinstalling IE7, and tried Control panel->add remove->Set program access and defaults (to IE where applicable)

I have attached the msconfig startup and services screenshot, as well as a screenshot of the properties of a typical shortcut which used to work.

I have scoured the internet for a solution, to no avail, then I found this forum which looks very smart and promising. Just tell me what to do. I recently downloaded Hijackthis, so I could upload a log of that as soon as I figure out how, if that would be helpful.

Thanks so much in advance!! lowellc

[Go The Power]

Hello and welcome to TSF

Please try this:

Click Start => My computer, on the menu bar click Tools => Folder options click on the tab File types, go down to Html click Change and choose Internet explorer. repeat the steps for HTM

[lowellc]

Thanks for the welcome GTP, and the suggestion. That was something I hadn't tried. Both were already set to Internet explorer, but I went through the motions and did it anyway. Alas, the problem still exists.

[Go The Power]

Hello again,

Please try this:

Re-install Internet Explore 7

• Please go Here (Click on the Blue link) and download a fresh version of Internet Explore 7.
• Uninstall the version of IE you have installed now, to do so follow these steps:

1. Click Start
2. Click Control Panel
3. Double click Add or Remove Programs
4. Scroll down until you find Internet Explore
5. Then click Change/Remove, and follow the prompts.

** Please Note: If you are unable to see IE7 in Add or Remove Programs follow these steps:

• Click Start
• Click Run
• Type or copy and paste, into the text box:

%windir%\ie7\spuninst\spuninst.exe

• Then Press Enter **

• Restart your computer.
• Install the fresh version of Internet Explore.

[lowellc]

Thanks again, GTP. I was able to carry out the reinstall with no problems, exactly as you instructed, but unfortunately the problem persists.

[nickster_uk]

Hi lowellc,

you may need to reset the file association for url's. To do that, please follow these instructions:

- Open Windows Explorer
- Click Tools -> Folder Options -> File Types
- Scroll down to and highlight:
URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol
- Click the Advanced button then select Open, then press Edit
- In the box titled 'Application used to perform this action', click browse and navigate to and select the following:
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
- Click OK/Apply till the settings are saved
- You may need to apply the same settings for the following file associations:
URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol with Privacy
URL:File Transfer Protocol
URL:Gopher Protocol

If that doesn't help, try running the attached registry file...you just need to unzip it, then double click it to merge with your registry.

You may need to reboot before these changes take effect but if things are still not working properly after that, please let us know and remember to list any signs of progress or further problems.

[lowellc]

Thanks Nickster!! I followed your instructions to reset the file associations for URLs, rebooted, and the shortcuts now work *elation*.

Interesting note: After rebooting, a dialog box came up (see attach), stating IE was not my default browser, and asking me if I wanted it to be. I chose no for the sake of testing, then clicked on one of the desktop shortcuts and it worked. To further test, I rebooted again, and when the dialog box came up, I chose to make IE the default browser. I rebooted again to test with IE now officially my default browser. And sure enough, the shortcuts stopped working. So I repeated resetting the URL file associations, rebooted, and when the dialog came up again, chose NOT to make IE the default. And every thing seems to be working fine again. Have any idea what's up with that?

Thanks again Nickster, and GTP. What a great resource this forum is. I appreciate your generosity.

[nickster_uk]

Glad that sorted the initial problem but not sure whats happening afterwards...it's normal for the box to pop up asking you reapply the default browser setting, just not sure why it's affecting your shortcuts again.

What happens if you click yes..the create a fresh shortcut?

[lowellc]

Clicking yes breaks the shortcuts again, and newly created ones don't work either. I think this may have started after I uninstalled Firefox and upgraded to IE7, though I can't remember for sure. I was using IE6 before Firefox. But Firefox wasn't compatible with some software I used for work.

THANKS AGAIN. It's so great t have that fixed, I use it a lot, especially in the quick launch. I'd be interested in any theories you have on this behavior. Basically all systems are go, but my system thinks that IE7 isn't my default brower, even though it's the only installed browser. If I recheck the notification in internet options, it'll ask me if I want to change.

[nickster_uk]

We'll try another possible fix which includes re-registering IE's dll files. First of all, make IE your default browser, then do the following please:

- Click Start -> Run -> type:
regsvr32 urlmon.dll
- Click OK
- Then a confirmation prompt will appear, just click Yes/OK

Now you will need to repeat the above (Start -> Run ->) with the following dll files:

regsvr32 actxprxy.dll
regsvr32 shdocvw.dll
regsvr32 mshtml.dll
regsvr32 browseui.dll
regsvr32 jscript.dll
regsvr32 vbscript.dll
regsvr32 oleaut32.dll

When it's all done, try again..hopefully that should sort it.

If you get any error messages, please note them down and we'll take it from there.

[lowellc]

Thanks for your perserverance, Nickster.

I re-registered all the dll's you listed, and was successful except for numerous attempts to run regsvr32 mshtml.dll, and was told each attempt it loaded but was unable to register (see thumbnail).

Another bit of behaviour I noticed that I missed before was that after making IE the default browser, the first shortcut I click works, but all subsequent shortcuts fail.

[nickster_uk]

It's ok, my fault...you're using IE7! That's normal.

I have attached a batch script for you which will automatically unregister then re-register all IE7 dlls. All you need to do is unzip it and double click it to run...you'll notice a dos box quickly appear then disappear but don't worry. Before running the script, you can right click it and select Edit in order to view the contents in notepad if you like.

Let me know if it helps please

[lowellc]

OK - I ran the batch file and received a number of messages, which I screeen printed, pretty much in the order they appeared.

The same problem persists, i.e., making IE the default browser breaks the shortcuts. You wouldn't have a batch file for reassociating those URL's would you?

[nickster_uk]

I'm using Vista at the moment which is a little different when it comes to file associations but i'll log into XP later and will put some scripts together for you.

Not sure if they will fix it though...seems something has screwed with your IE installation.

[lowellc]

Thanks again.

FYI about a week ago my AVG Free picked up a virus which I moved to the vault, and was finally able to delete after momentarily turning off system restore. (I think that's how I lost any valid restore points.) Anyway, for what it's worth I've attached a screen print of the AVG vault.

I also ran a bunch of anti-spyware programs recently, all legit, but in my internet searching I seem to have come across more than one report of that kind of software interacting with IE. Is that angle worth pursuing? I've attached a thumbnail of the programs I'm using.

[nickster_uk]

Yes, it's very worthwhile pursuing that angle considering the vault screenshot. There may still be infections on the computer.

The programs you have been using are all legit and fine but as you mentioned, they could be interfering with eachother, plus some have settings that lock down certain IE features. Do you have them all running in realtime, or just use them to scan?

With regards to the vault screenshot, I do advise you to follow through our 5 step process as there is a chance one of our analysts will find some malware:

http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...oval-help.html

[lowellc]

I'm running the 5 step now. I think the only real time I run is AVG (the anti-virus, not the anti-spyware) Question: how can I tell if there are any running running real time? Would they show up in the task manager under applications?

[Go The Power]

It looks like you might have a regenerating virus, as by looking at the times it seemed to come back every minute after AVG removed it.

Question: how can I tell if there are any running running real time? Would they show up in the task manager under applications?

Sometimes they are shown in there. Just not all the time.

[lowellc]

FYI, I started a thread in Hijack this. Thanks for all your help.

[Ried]

Good call guys.

I've picked up the HijackThis thread and we'll continue there.