Windows error opening Internet shortcut or local HTML file - Firefox

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Revision as of 15:05, 25 July 2007 by Alice Wyman (talk | contribs) (updating 2 bugzilla links to https)
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On some Windows systems, if Firefox is not already running and you click an Internet shortcut or local HTML file, two instances of Firefox may open, or Firefox may open along with the error dialog, "Windows cannot find <url or path to file>. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. To search for a file, click the Start button, and then click Search." Also, if Firefox is not open and you click a webpage link in a document or spreadsheet, Firefox may open a window with a message that the page could not be found with the address bar showing "FirefoxHTML%5CShell%5COpen%5CCommand" appended to the URL. [1]

Try the following to fix these problems (you may need to repeat these steps after a Firefox update):

File Types edit

(In Windows XP and Windows 2000)

  1. Open Windows Explorer (or My Computer).
  2. Go to Tools -> Folder Options -> File Types
  3. Select Extension: "(NONE)" File Type: "URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol"
  4. Click "Advanced". In the "Edit File Type" window, select "open" and click "Edit"
  5. Uncheck "Use DDE" (the dialog should then hide the lower part)
  6. Click OK for that dialog and the next one (afterwards the DDE message box will be cleared, as shown here)
  7. Repeat for Extension: "(NONE)" File Type: "URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol with Privacy" (and any other protocols you want to fix)
  8. Repeat for Extension: "(NONE)" File Type: "Firefox URL"
  9. Repeat for Extension: "HTM" (or "HTML") File Type: "Firefox Document"

Sources:

Note that the "File Types" user interface as described above is not available in Windows Vista [2] so you will need to edit the registry.

Registry edit

You will need to manually edit the registry in Windows Vista or in cases where the File Types listing is missing certain entries such as "URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol" (HTTP) and "URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol with Privacy" (HTTPS).

Caution: Editing the registry incorrectly can damage your system. Do not attempt these steps if you are inexperienced or uncomfortable using the Registry Editor.

  1. Go to "Start -> Run" (or press the windows key+R) then type regedit and click OK
  2. Use the directory tree hierarchy to navigate to "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HTTP\shell\open\ddeexec"
  3. Delete the "ddexec" registry key
  4. Repeat for "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HTTPS\shell\open\ddeexec" (and any other protocols you want to fix)
  5. Repeat for "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FirefoxURL\shell\open\ddeexec"
  6. Repeat for "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FirefoxHTML\shell\open\ddeexec"

Alternate method:

  1. Go to "Start -> Run" (or press the windows key+R) then type regedit and click OK
  2. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FirefoxURL\shell\open\ddeexec\Application\Topic
  3. Change (Default)'s value to System and, in ddeexec, delete the Default value of "%1",,0,0,,,,
  4. Repeat for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FirefoxHTML\shell\open\ddeexec\Application\Topic
  5. Repeat for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HTTP\shell\open\ddeexec\Application\Topic
  6. Repeat for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https\shell\open\ddeexec\Application\Topic (and any other protocols you want to fix)

Sources:

Related bug reports