[SOLVED] Hyperlink Problems

knockerwhite · 11-04-2009, 12:35 PM

Hi all,
I recently gave my Dell Inspiron 9400 laptop to my granddaughter. Prior to passing it to her, I deleted all my programs and files that I knew she would not need or use. She now has a problem as follows:
When clicking on a program hyperlink that should open internet explorer, it instead opens the print menu! e.g. In the Piriform Defraggler program, clicking on the "check for updates" hyper link the print menu opens! As a further example, when she clicks on the "Email link" in Windows Live Messenger, again the print window opens. Clearly my clear down has caused this problem.
Help please.
Many thanks

joeten · 11-04-2009, 05:06 PM

HI and welcome to TSF if I'am honest I'am not entirely sure what is causing the issue however you could try running ie without addons or reset ie,and see if it makes a difference,of course you could try system restore to before you cleared out

**TheOutcaste** · 11-04-2009, 08:55 PM

Go to the File Associations Fixes on Doug Knox's site.
Download the URL File Association Fix zip file, extract the enclosed .reg file to your desktop.
Double click the file and merge into the registry, see if that will clear it up.

I have no idea how that would have gotten associated with the print menu, or even if that's the cause, but worth a shot

**jenae** · 11-04-2009, 10:06 PM

Hi, I think you can see from the last two posts that what you describe is unusual, the normal hyperlink fix is to run:- from an elevated CMD prompt,

Code:

regsvr32 urlmon.dll

press enter you should receive a success confirmation.

knockerwhite · 11-05-2009, 11:22 AM

Dear All, many thanks for your speedy responses. Unfortunately, will not be able to put any of your suggestions to practice until I next see my Grand-daughter, hopefully in the next few days. Will let you know how I get on. By the way, should have mentioned it but laptop running Vista.
Joeten: Thank you for your suggestions. Thought about System Restore but I presumed that if it sorted the problem out, it would only re-appear when I re-deleted the programs again (if you see what I mean).
I do not think it is an ie problem but rather some form of link to ie.
TheOutcaste: Thank you. Have downloaded URL Fix = note file name says "xp" will it work with Vista?
Jenae: Many thanks. Will give it a try.

Thanks to all. Good to be part of the community. Buying new laptop for Christmas, loaded with Windows 7. Looking forward to it. Currently running very old Sony laptop with Ubuntu Linux, which runs very well. Any form of Windows goes to slowly.
Will get back to you all and let you know how the suggested fixes go.
Knockerwhite (Silver Surfer).

**TheOutcaste** · 11-05-2009, 08:37 PM

Opps, sorry about that, didn't notice this was Vista; must have just switched from the XP forum at the time. The XP file is a little different, it's missing some of the keys Vista has, though nothing that would break anything. One difference is the XP file will add .url file types to those that are searched when you do a "search for files containing XXX" type search; on Vista .url files are excluded from that type of search.

The method jenae posted above should do the same though, so give that a try.

If it doesn't do the trick, you can use the Vista_url_shortcut_fix I've attached here.

Jerry

knockerwhite · 11-06-2009, 01:30 AM

Hi Jerry
sorry, should have stated Vista in my first posting!
When Jenae says to run the fix from the 'higher command prompt'
does that mean from the 'run' command?
Also did not make it clear, but ie opens fine when opened
from the start menu or desktop shortcut. Just a problem from
program links.
Many thanks
Knockerwhite

**TheOutcaste** · 11-06-2009, 01:38 AM

No need to apologize, it was my mistake. This is the Vista forum, and your info on the left clearly says OS: Vista

"Higher command prompt" means an Administrative prompt or Elevated prompt
To open an Elevated Command Prompt:
Click Start, type cmd, press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER, hold CTRL+SHIFT until the UAC prompt appears

Or
Click Start, type cmd, wait for cmd.exe to appear in the Start Menu, then right click it and click Run as Administrator.

And yes, it's clear that IE will run, it's just shortcuts that should start IE by association open the wrong thing.

knockerwhite · 11-07-2009, 01:00 PM

Hi Jerry,
Many thanks for the clear explanation. Good news; before I read your email today, I managed to get on my Grand-daughters laptop and fix the problem! Fix is probably not entirely correct, work-around is probably more accurate. I had a brainwave and downloaded the Firefox Web Browser, ensuring I selected it as the "default" web browser. Voila, problem sorted. Clicking on the links now opens Firefox. Hasn't really cured the problem, but now it's not broke, I don't want to fix it any further!
Can I thank all concerned for taking the time and trouble to come to my aid. A great forum and a community I am now proud to be part of.
Many thanks and best regards,
Happy surfing
knockerwhite

**TheOutcaste** · 11-08-2009, 09:00 PM

It's quite possible that switching back to IE would get IE working as well, as it will re-write the registry links to point to IE instead of Firefox.

Though she might find she likes Firefox better, so why bother...

If your issue has been resolved you can mark this thread Solved by using the Thread Tools at the Top Right of this thread (above the first post)

Jerry

11-04-2009, 12:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
knockerwhite Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4 OS: Vista	[SOLVED] Hyperlink Problems Hi all, I recently gave my Dell Inspiron 9400 laptop to my granddaughter. Prior to passing it to her, I deleted all my programs and files that I knew she would not need or use. She now has a problem as follows: When clicking on a program hyperlink that should open internet explorer, it instead opens the print menu! e.g. In the Piriform Defraggler program, clicking on the "check for updates" hyper link the print menu opens! As a further example, when she clicks on the "Email link" in Windows Live Messenger, again the print window opens. Clearly my clear down has caused this problem. Help please. Many thanks

11-04-2009, 05:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
joeten Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 3,181 OS: vista	Re: Hyperlink Problems HI and welcome to TSF if I'am honest I'am not entirely sure what is causing the issue however you could try running ie without addons or reset ie,and see if it makes a difference,of course you could try system restore to before you cleared out __________________

11-04-2009, 08:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
TheOutcaste TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 815 OS: MS-Dos 6.22 - Win7	Re: Hyperlink Problems Go to the File Associations Fixes on Doug Knox's site. Download the URL File Association Fix zip file, extract the enclosed .reg file to your desktop. Double click the file and merge into the registry, see if that will clear it up. I have no idea how that would have gotten associated with the print menu, or even if that's the cause, but worth a shot __________________ Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Of course I know all the answers; I just don't always match the answers to the right questions. Rated R for Violence -- When your PC flies through a window, that's violent, right?

11-04-2009, 10:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
jenae Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,307 OS: XP & Vista	Re: Hyperlink Problems Hi, I think you can see from the last two posts that what you describe is unusual, the normal hyperlink fix is to run:- from an elevated CMD prompt, Code: regsvr32 urlmon.dll press enter you should receive a success confirmation. __________________

11-05-2009, 11:22 AM	#5 (permalink)
knockerwhite Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4 OS: Vista	Re: Hyperlink Problems Dear All, many thanks for your speedy responses. Unfortunately, will not be able to put any of your suggestions to practice until I next see my Grand-daughter, hopefully in the next few days. Will let you know how I get on. By the way, should have mentioned it but laptop running Vista. Joeten: Thank you for your suggestions. Thought about System Restore but I presumed that if it sorted the problem out, it would only re-appear when I re-deleted the programs again (if you see what I mean). I do not think it is an ie problem but rather some form of link to ie. TheOutcaste: Thank you. Have downloaded URL Fix = note file name says "xp" will it work with Vista? Jenae: Many thanks. Will give it a try. Thanks to all. Good to be part of the community. Buying new laptop for Christmas, loaded with Windows 7. Looking forward to it. Currently running very old Sony laptop with Ubuntu Linux, which runs very well. Any form of Windows goes to slowly. Will get back to you all and let you know how the suggested fixes go. Knockerwhite (Silver Surfer).

11-06-2009, 01:30 AM	#7 (permalink)
knockerwhite Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4 OS: Vista	Re: Hyperlink Problems Hi Jerry sorry, should have stated Vista in my first posting! When Jenae says to run the fix from the 'higher command prompt' does that mean from the 'run' command? Also did not make it clear, but ie opens fine when opened from the start menu or desktop shortcut. Just a problem from program links. Many thanks Knockerwhite

11-06-2009, 01:38 AM	#8 (permalink)
TheOutcaste TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 815 OS: MS-Dos 6.22 - Win7	Re: Hyperlink Problems No need to apologize, it was my mistake. This is the Vista forum, and your info on the left clearly says OS: Vista "Higher command prompt" means an Administrative prompt or Elevated prompt To open an Elevated Command Prompt: Click Start, type cmd, press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER, hold CTRL+SHIFT until the UAC prompt appears Or Click Start, type cmd, wait for cmd.exe to appear in the Start Menu, then right click it and click Run as Administrator. And yes, it's clear that IE will run, it's just shortcuts that should start IE by association open the wrong thing. __________________ Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Of course I know all the answers; I just don't always match the answers to the right questions. Rated R for Violence -- When your PC flies through a window, that's violent, right? Last edited by TheOutcaste; 11-06-2009 at 01:40 AM.

11-07-2009, 01:00 PM	#9 (permalink)
knockerwhite Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4 OS: Vista	Re: Hyperlink Problems Hi Jerry, Many thanks for the clear explanation. Good news; before I read your email today, I managed to get on my Grand-daughters laptop and fix the problem! Fix is probably not entirely correct, work-around is probably more accurate. I had a brainwave and downloaded the Firefox Web Browser, ensuring I selected it as the "default" web browser. Voila, problem sorted. Clicking on the links now opens Firefox. Hasn't really cured the problem, but now it's not broke, I don't want to fix it any further! Can I thank all concerned for taking the time and trouble to come to my aid. A great forum and a community I am now proud to be part of. Many thanks and best regards, Happy surfing knockerwhite

11-08-2009, 09:00 PM	#10 (permalink)
TheOutcaste TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 815 OS: MS-Dos 6.22 - Win7	Re: Hyperlink Problems It's quite possible that switching back to IE would get IE working as well, as it will re-write the registry links to point to IE instead of Firefox. Though she might find she likes Firefox better, so why bother... If your issue has been resolved you can mark this thread Solved by using the Thread Tools at the Top Right of this thread (above the first post) Jerry __________________ Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Of course I know all the answers; I just don't always match the answers to the right questions. Rated R for Violence -- When your PC flies through a window, that's violent, right?