Can't access Explorer favorites?, Part 2

Last week, Susan S. asked the question:

" I can't access the web from my favorites in the Start/Favorites list or in the Internet Explorer taskbar. When I click on a link and nothing happens! How can I fix this problem? "

My Response:

I asked Infopackets Readers to send me their thoughts. Below are some suggestions.

OffsaMedic wrote:

" I've had this problem several times. Using the 'repair associations' feature in Tweak UI worked for me. You can get Tweak UI (power toys) Windows XP, or Tweak UI v1.33 for Windows NT, 2000, 95, 98. "

Chris B. says:

" This sounds like the same problem as the person who couldn't activate hyperlinks in Outlook Express, and the solution is most likely one-in-the-same: Click Start -> Control Panel; Click Add/Remove Programs; Select Microsoft Internet Explorer; Click the Add/Remove button; Select the "Repair" option and click on OK; and finally: Wait till the routine is finished and re-boot your machine. "

J. Oliver agrees with Chris B. and suggests that URL monitor may resolve this problem as it does for a seemingly similar problem in Outlook Express:

" Click Start -> Run, and then type in 'regsvr32 urlmon.dll' (no quotes). "

Mike B. writes:

" I had a similar problem once, and it was because one of my favorites had a name greater than the allowed 256 character long-filename limit in MS Windows. Of course, I realized that after I deleted the entire favorites directory which caused the favorites to reset. "

Michael B. suggested that it might be a 3rd-party ad-blocker:

" Have Susan check if she installed any new software that 'protects' her browsing ads, and either uninstall the software or change the preferences to be less aggressive. "

Lynn wrote in and said that the problem may be related to a dial-up connection setting:

" I have run into situations where Windows has changed my Dial Up Connection Preferences in IE properties from 'always dial my default connection' to 'never dial a connection.' If this happens, URLs won't work because the pages can't load. Ensure that 'always dial my default connection' is turned on and this should correct the problem. "

A user named Swifty also provided me with the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 175306 on Unable to View Internet Shortcuts.

Steven H. suggested that there may be non-URL favorite shortcuts present in the Favorites folder and they can be safely deleted; he referred me to the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 326853.

I received many more slightly varying suggestions, but they were all related to the answers already given above.

Once again, thanks to all who wrote in!