Freeze on OE hyperlinks

This one is tough.

I click an hyperlink in OE, a deformed window of IE opens, the computer freezes and the OE window becomes deformed, too. If several sessions of IE are running, only the one I tried to link to is corrupt. To the others I can still navigate and browse with.

I know that it is an IE feature. If I have Task Manager running, sometimes I succeed to END IE, and then OE returns to normal and I can go on working.

The issue of dead hyperlinks has been presented and answered here many times. I know the standard answers as per MS Knowledge Database (file associations, restoring corrupt dll's, etc)and they don't apply in my case. I've gone through the motions.

I feel that it is a Registry issue, but I am not savvy enough to find the vilain.

Help?

TIA,
haim

 

Internet Shortcuts in Outlook Express Do Not Start Web Browser
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q177054&
Microsoft Outlook Express, version 6.0 , for Windows XP
Microsoft Outlook Express versions 4.0 , 4.01 , 5 , 5.01 , 5.5 , for Windows NT 4.0
Microsoft Outlook Express versions 5 , 5.01 , 5.5 , for Windows 98
Microsoft Outlook Express versions 4.0 , 4.01 , 5 , 5.01 , 5.5 , for Windows 95

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.

-----------------------------------------------------

http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/answers2.htm#blank_windows

Hyperlinks don't work

First, try setting IE5 as your default browser. Go to IE tools/internet options/programs and
turn on the check box for IE to check if it is the default browser. Shut down and restart IE.
When it asks to be default browser, say yes.

Also have a look at this link:

Internet Shortcuts in Outlook Express Don't Start Browser (Q177054)
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q177/0/54.asp

Incorrect Settings in the Dcomcnfg.exe Tool [Q274696]
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q274/6/96.asp

Internet Explorer Home Page Opens When You Click a Link That Is Pasted into an E-mail Message
(Q291859)

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q291859

Also see 'open in new window doesn't work'

Go to my computer, view/folder options/file types (or control panel, folder options depending on
your operating system.

Scroll down to the URL:Hypertext Transfer Protocols, click edit twice and make sure the
following is in the application used to perform action box:

"C:\PROGRAM FILES\INTERNET EXPLORER\iexplore.exe" -nohome

The same applies for URL:Gopher

DDE should be set to: "%1 ",,-1,0,,,,
Application should say: IExplore
DDE application not running should be blank
Topic should be: WWW_OpenURL

 

guivon Hi

Is IE set as the default browser ?
It needs to be regardless of any other browsers used I would think.

Lonny

 

guivon--Some long shots if nothing else helps
http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/problems/performance.htm

 

Thanks a lot to all the good people who tried to help me.

I went thru all the advices. Left nothing unchecked. To no avail.

As I said, the problem is not that the links are not active, but that clicking them freezes my machine. And about this weird behavior, I've found nothing applicable.

One more question to jmatt, please: I couldn't follow the advice in Art. 274969 about a possible Incorrect Settings in the Dcomcnfg.exe Tool. Because when I follow the instructions pasted below:
---------------------------------------------------
Click Run and type:
Dcomcnfg

Click OK.
Click the Default Security Tab.
-------------------------------------------------
I simply don't have such a tab. I made all the possible things to customize the "component services" window (customize, columns), but such an option simply is unavailable. The Art. Header says that it is applicable to Windows 2000, but nothing about XP.

A second question: is there a way in XP to repair IE without having to go through uninstall and reinstall? I know that the culplrit is IE and not OE. Or perhaps somebody can tell me about suspect files which I could replace, or how to find if there are, and which, corrupted files.

Thanks to all,
haim

 

Repair IE6
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q318378
http://www.3dspotlight.com/tweaks/ie6/index.shtml
http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/442/