Can't set default e-mail client!

I want to use my MSN email as the default client. However, when I follow procedure through MSN, despite being told that MSN mail is the default mail client, this is not the case. In other words, when I try to email a file from windows, it attempts to open Outlook (which is not configured). Also, all other applications do the same. I have tried to change manually using internet options, but MSN Mail is not on the list of registered email clients. Only Outlook is on the list. Also, I have tried to manually change using file types "(NONE) URL:Mailto Protocol ". Using advanced options, even after typing in the path exacly as it appeared on a working computer, it still does not work. Does anybody know what's going on here? To my knowledge, this has never worked on my PC (XP Home sp2, 1GB RAM, Intel Hyperthread unsure of clock speed, but over 3, plenty of HD space free.) MSN Support said it is a windows issue, not an MSN issue.

 

skingolf--Have you looked in IE Tools|Internet Options|Programs tab to see what email program is chosen as default? All installed programs should be in the dropdown menu. If MSN mail is not there, it may be that MSN mail is not correctly installed. So it could be MSN's fault after all.
There are ways of adding programs to the list--see about halfway down this reference for adding email clients
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...figuration/clientreg/clientregistrylayout.asp
And though I have never tried it you could run the following from Start|Run
regsvr32 c:\progra~1\msn\msncorefiles\mailui.dll
If you get a succeeded message, see if MSN mail is now in the Programs tab list and is Default. If you get an "unsucceeded" message, you will not have hurt anything.

 

Yes, I looked at the programs tab, and MSN mail is not an option, only Outlook. Thinking this was MSN issue, I called their support, but they said this was windows issue, and was unsupported. I actually use Mozilla Firefox as my browser, but still want to use MSN mail since I don't like the Hotmail UI. (I'm stuck with MSN mail for a variety of reasons, although I am on broadband now). However, Firefox cannot open a new mail window until I fix this issue. As far as the registry fix per your link, I do not know the correct syntax to identify the MSN mail client. I did someting very similar to this by changing the MailTo settings in Folder Options>File Types> "(NONE) URL: MailTo Protocol ">Advanced>Edit>Application Used = rundll32.exe "C:\Program Files\MSN\MSNSharedFiles\MAILMAPI.DLL ",MailToProtocolHandler %1 . Unfortunately this did not work. It seems like it should have, as I took the "Application Used" directly from another working computer running MSN also. When I run this command using start|run, sure enough it opens a blank MSN mail window. I will try your other suggestion when I am back at the affected PC.

 

I exported the MSN mail client entires from the registry of a working computer running MSN and imported it into my non-working computer's registry. Rebooted, selected MSN mail in the programs tab for IE options, and all is working. Too bad this will be of little help to others with this problem (if there are any). For some reason, when MSN intalled, it did not create a registry entry.

 

skingolf--Thanks for posting back. Glad to hear that you solved the problem. (Ingenious!) It does seem this might not work for everyone, but I suspect what you report suggests that MSN had not been properly installed. Too bad MSN techs could not have been more helpful.