Unable to get to a URL directly from Task Bar

[daxx]

This is in Windows XP Pro (using IE6, sp1). I like getting directly to specific Websites from the Task Bar. I created a shortcut toolbar to my Favorites by right clicking the Task Bar and it worked for the longest time. Suddenly I lost that feature. I am now unable to get to a URL from the Task Bar.

Help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[smah]

Please clarify what has happened. Is the 'Favorites' toolbar no longer on your taskbar; or do the links there not open Internet Explorer? Do your favorites still work correctly from within IE?

 

[daxx]

Thanks for the reply, smah . . .

The Favorites toolbar is still in the Task Bar and all the URL links are still there they just won't open IE. And yes, they do still work from within IE.

 

[bcastner]

I suspect some corruption in the .lnk section of the registry, but at least eliminate a registration issue:

Open a new notepad session, to be called IE_fix.cmd, and copy/paste the below:

regsvr32 urlmon.dll
regsvr32 Shdocvw.dll
regsvr32 Msjava.dll
regsvr32 Actxprxy.dll
regsvr32 Oleaut32.dll
regsvr32 Mshtml.dll
regsvr32 Browseui.dll
regsvr32 Shell32.dll

Save the file, then double click IE_fix.cmd and answer the prompts. Ignore any error messages.

Reboot and test again.

Based on:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q281679

 

[smah]

OK, last question before I take a shot at this...

Will an internet shortcut on your desktop open IE correctly?

Try bcastner's IE_fix.cmd as mentioned in thread608-856444
It used to be the '78% fix' - I don't know if it's gotten better or worse

If that doesn't do it, I suspect a file association that we may have to fix manually.

 

[bcastner]

smah,

Great minds think alike. I though of changing the "78% of the time" description upwards, and have credible evidence to do so, but IE not opening links is a very complicated issue, that reinstallation of IW 6 does not often resolve. In the end, the resolution is somewhere in the complicated MS KB:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q281679

Or in this case, possible with the registry settings for .lnk or other shortcuts.

 

[bcastner]

I apologize for the spelling errors above,
"that reinstallation of IW 6 does not often resolve."

I meant IE. apologies.
Bill Castner

 

[smah]

Bill, we must have posted at nearly the same time. The reason I knew you weren't using the '78%' anymore is because that's the keyword search term I used to find your posts with that info. This time when I searched, I knew there more recent posts than the ones I found, so I dug a little further. I'll have to start searching for 'IE_fix.cmd'

Steve

 

[daxx]

Thanks for the reply smah . . .

The Favorites Tool bar is still in the Task Bar with all the URL links intact. They just won't open IE. And yes, all Favorites do still work from within IE.

I have just been told that this incident started after a Windows Update to IE6 was run. Sorry, there is no information as to which update was run when this happened. It may have been the installation of the service pack.

Thanks again.

 

[daxx]

Hi smah . . .
To answer your question

"Will an internet shortcut on your desktop open IE correctly?" No, it will not open it.

I'll have to try the suggestions that everyone's suggested and I shall keep you all updated.

Thanks one more time.

 

[bcastner]

smah,

I, in deference to you, will furthermore refer to the IE_fix.cmd as the "78% of the time will fix the problem" fix. I stopped doing so because someone yelled at me that I had no basis for the percentage, which is true. (It should be higher).

Whether it helps in this instance, I cannot say. See the link at the bottom of my note:

The official "78% of the time fix" fix:

Open a new notepad session, to be called IE_fix.cmd, and copy/paste the below:

regsvr32 urlmon.dll
regsvr32 Shdocvw.dll
regsvr32 Msjava.dll
regsvr32 Actxprxy.dll
regsvr32 Oleaut32.dll
regsvr32 Mshtml.dll
regsvr32 Browseui.dll
regsvr32 Shell32.dll

Save the file, then double click IE_fix.cmd and answer the prompts. Ignore any error messages.

Reboot and test again.

Based on:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q281679

 

[daxx]

Thanks for all the help fellas. I guess this issue is not part of the 78%. I did follow your suggestions first before I referred to Q281679. I had to do the final recourse and re-installed IE6 sp1. And that resolved the issue.

Again, thank you all for the help.