Category: Windows
by Dennis Faas, infopackets editor
http://www.infopackets.com
Last week's question asked:
" I use Outlook Express to read emails. When I click on a web
address in an email, nothing happens. I am plagued with the old cut,
copy and paste. Is there a way to get Outlook Express to open up the
web address in my Internet Explorer browser? "
My answer:
I asked Gazette readers to send me their thoughts on
this question.
The gist is that the problem may be caused if you have
installed another browser other than Internet Explorer on your
system. This can include ISP providers that install their own version
of browsers, including AOL, and Earthlink. The same effect can be felt
if Netscape, Opera, and Mozilla Browsers are installed. Here's the
theory that was sent by many users:
- Outlook Express and Internet Explorer are very much apart of one
another. If you change your default browser to anything but Internet
Explorer, Outlook Express will go senile and links won't work.
- Internet Explorer can be reset and "repaired". Once this is
done, hyperlinks accessibility in Outlook Express should be restored.
Here are a few short-but-sweet comments from readers:
Steven H. suggested a methodical way to update and repair Internet
Explorer in hopes of fixing Outlook Express:
" First, update your Internet Explorer via
Windows Update.
This should reset Internet Explorer and will ask you to set it as the
default -- choose yes when prompted.
Next, ensure your emails are set
to HTML in Outlook Express. From within Outlook Express 6: click
Tools -> Options -> Read, and make sure "plain text" is NOT selected.
Lastly, keep in mind that Hyper Links will not function if you are
composing an email -- only when reading received mail. "
Virginia S. suggests a 1-step fix which uses the "URL monitor"
to fix the problem. I'm not sure if this is available with all
versions of Outlook Express, but here goes:
" Try re-registering the URL monitor:
- Click Start -> Run
- type in "REGSVR32 URLMON.DLL" (without quotes).
- You should then have a dialog box telling you that the procedure
was completed.*
PS: Love your newsletter! 
"
* Side note: I tried this on XP (even though
my links work) and it appeared to work as I received the "completion"
message.
Roger J suggested a fix for AOL and Earthlink
people:
" As a Technical Support Rep for Earthlink, I run into this
question many times as our software (as well as AOL's and many
others) reset the default programs to open when clicking on a link
in your mail program.
Solution:
- Load Internet Explorer.
- Click: Tools -> Internet Options -> Programs Tab
- Click: Reset Web Settings. Make sure to also uncheck
"reset my home page" check box.
- Go to Advanced tab and click Restore Defaults.
These two steps will re-write the proper registry settings and
the 'Click On Links' function in your mail program should again
work fine. "
Chris B. also suggested a way of repairing Internet Explorer by
uninstalling it and invoking the repair utility:
" I recently ran into this problem when I dumped a third
party browser I had installed (Avant) to replace Internet
Explorer.
When I went back to Internet Explorer and reset it
as the default browser it wouldn't open links in e-mails.
I solved the problem by repairing Internet Explorer.
- Go to Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs and choose
Internet Explorer.
- Select Remove Program.
- You are offered the option to Repair Internet Explorer.
- Select Repair and reboot when the routine is finished. "
And finally, Matthew T. also sent me this Microsoft Link:
" I went to the MS website and found the following
knowledge base article which describes fixes Outlook Express
fixes for all versions of Windows.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;256953
"
