Links in e-mail fail.

We get an e-mail that has a link.

We click on it and nothing happens.

Has not always been that way - the only change to this computer is a Windows suggeted critical update called IE6. It failed to complete the installation - so we still got 5.x.

Hey, the links do work - on other folks computer - we did check that out before posting.

Thanks for any help.

 

Oh me - we goofed !

On my posting, I failed to name my Operating System.

It is Windows ME.

Thanks for the responce - that bulletin was for XP only.

 

It's possible that that the failed update has broken the entry making IE the default application for opening Web links.

In Internet Explorer, click Tools, Internet Options, then the Programs tab. Make sure the "Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default browser" checkbox is checked.

If it is not, check it. Close and reopen Internet Explorer, then try your e-mail links again.

If it is, uncheck it, close and reopen IE, check it, close and reopen IE then try again.

 

Still will not work

We followed all the suggested steps and all were sussessful.
However no links work. That is for outlook express.

Mozilla Thunderbird did open the links, until today.
But is has stopped opening them now.

Even a new installation of Windows XP Pro Sp2 has a non working Outlook Express as far as those links go.

 

Fixed it ! But we paid the price !

Ok, we finally fixed the basic problem of Outlook Express not opening links included in e-mail.

But what a price we had to pay !

Here is the fix:

Made the C drive a slave and used another working drive as C.

That made original C drive drive D.

Then we reformatted drive D (The original C).

Lost "all" but got a clean drive.

Removed all drives and only put back the original drive C (now wiped clean)
as a "Master ".

Installed Windows XP Pro SP2 CD.

Installed Anti Virus etc and finally were ready to check Outlook Express.

And it works !

But, as we said earlier - "What a price to pay ! ".

OK, anyone out there wanta say we could have done it different ?
Remember, we tried all suggestions so far.

The reason we ask is that:

We have another drive (and another drive) with the same problem and would like to solve the problem without all that sacrifice. In fact, these drives are our backup to access all we lost from above - only thing is, we can't get Outlook Express to do the "Link" bit !

Please, I'm not being a smart ---.
I just didn't know anything else to do.

 

jbarker--You have fixed the problem, and that is what counts. However, I thought I would make a couple of comments.

The suggestion Newt made reads as if it is for IE, but it also usually fixes OE. Do not forget the two programs are tightly meshed and you are using IE to activate links in OE.
I think I would have changed Newt's recommendation just one little bit and that would have been to suggest a reboot after checking that box. Usually the next time you open IE or OE you would then be asked if you wanted IE to be the default and you should click Yes.
At least you have more modern programs on your PC now!!

 

Newt - what would be the fix for the same problem in XP Pro SP-2.

 

RickyD2--I am not Newt, but if you run Outlook Express you should have that box about IE checking whether it is the default. So that is one solution--though I suggest a reboot. Steve R Jones has given another. And then there are the fixes here
http://help.att.net/docs/use/email/msole/prb_xxx_w95-3x_e-mail-links-dnw.htm?platform=none

 

Thanks all, I filed all this away for future use. However, in my case, re-booting resolved the issue, as it so often does.

 

Well the re-booting fix was only temporary. The link that welsh jm posted did the trick.

 

RickyD2 --Thanks for posting back. Always good to learn what worked.

 

You all are more than welcome, thanks for the help, expert and prompt as usual.