Can't start IE6 from desktop icon

[Guest]

Hello - I've run into a strange problem on a laptop with WinXP Pro SP2
(recently upgraded from XP Home). All functioned well for a few days after
the upgrade, but since the weekend the owner reports that IE6 "hangs up".
Here is what happens:

- Double-click desktop IE6 icon & an IE6 shortcut is created on the desktop.
Do this 5 times, get 5 shortcuts!
- Right-click IE6 icon - different dialog box (no "open home page")
- Double-click one of the (5) shortcuts - IE6 does not start.
- Start, Run "iexplore" - browser starts OK. Can browse home page & click
links, etc. & all works OK. As soon as another address is typed in the
address bar, a second IE window opens & then both IE's hang - have to kill
the tasks, which takes a while. Same result if second IE is opened with
"start->run_>iexplore".

I have scanned for viruses & malware, run disk cleanup util, etc. - no
change in behaviour. There are no Yahoo toolbars or anything like that
installed, and I have run SysInternal's Autorun & Rootkit Revealer & all is
OK.
The problem happens no matter who I log in as (this is a domain connected
machine) and it happens when I boot safe mode with networking.
There are no system restore points that predate the problem.
Have tried the "reinstall" using the registry tweaks suggested by "ElderGeek".
Have run sfc utility & have re-installed SP2 - no joy!

The work-around, to get the laptop user going again, has been to install
Mozilla Firefox, which works perfectly. The problem is that Windows Updates
will not run because of the broken IE6, so I would like to get this fixed.

Has anyone out there seen anything like this? I know a reformat & re-install
will probably fix this, but I reeeealy don't wanna do that ....

Thanks,
Dave Blom

 

[Don Varnau]

Hi,
In Folder Options> File types> [NONE] Internet Shortcut> Advanced, is
Actions:Open selected as the Default?

Also worth checking... is IE the default browser in Control Panel> Add or
remove programs> Set program access and defaults?

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

 

[Guest]

Interesting. I have a customer's machine in the shop with the same symptoms.
It would not go to a web site, it would open a 2nd blank window whenever I
typed in a web address. I removed IE and reinstalled XP SP2, ran updates
(exc. IE7) and I now have the same behavior you have. When I click on IE6 i
get shortcuts and the browser does not startup. Don's suggestions did not fix
the problem.
Any other ideas??
Ray

Hi,
In Folder Options> File types> [NONE] Internet Shortcut> Advanced, is
Actions:Open selected as the Default?

Also worth checking... is IE the default browser in Control Panel> Add or
remove programs> Set program access and defaults?

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

Hello - I've run into a strange problem on a laptop with WinXP Pro SP2
(recently upgraded from XP Home). All functioned well for a few days after
the upgrade, but since the weekend the owner reports that IE6 "hangs up".
Here is what happens:

- Double-click desktop IE6 icon & an IE6 shortcut is created on the desktop.
Do this 5 times, get 5 shortcuts!
- Right-click IE6 icon - different dialog box (no "open home page")
- Double-click one of the (5) shortcuts - IE6 does not start.
- Start, Run "iexplore" - browser starts OK. Can browse home page & click
links, etc. & all works OK. As soon as another address is typed in the
address bar, a second IE window opens & then both IE's hang - have to kill
the tasks, which takes a while. Same result if second IE is opened with
"start->run_>iexplore".

I have scanned for viruses & malware, run disk cleanup util, etc. - no
change in behaviour. There are no Yahoo toolbars or anything like that
installed, and I have run SysInternal's Autorun & Rootkit Revealer & all is
OK.
The problem happens no matter who I log in as (this is a domain connected
machine) and it happens when I boot safe mode with networking.
There are no system restore points that predate the problem.
Have tried the "reinstall" using the registry tweaks suggested by "ElderGeek".
Have run sfc utility & have re-installed SP2 - no joy!

The work-around, to get the laptop user going again, has been to install
Mozilla Firefox, which works perfectly. The problem is that Windows Updates
will not run because of the broken IE6, so I would like to get this fixed.

Has anyone out there seen anything like this? I know a reformat & re-install
will probably fix this, but I reeeealy don't wanna do that ....

Thanks,
Dave Blom

 

[Jon Kennedy]

Courtesy Frank Saunders, MVP:

From http://www.fjsmjs.com/OE/nolinks.htm

Open Windows Explorer.
Go to Tools | Folder Options | File Types.
Scroll down to URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol (NOT URL:Internet Shortcut)
and select it.
Click Edit or Advanced, depending on your Windows version.
Select 'open'.
Click Edit.

"Application used to perform this action" should read:

"C:\PROGRAM FILES\INTERNET EXPLORER\iexplore.exe" -nohome
(Check the path to iexplore.exe to make sure that is correct and use the
double quotes.)

DDE should be checked and in the boxes below it you should have:

#1:
"%1",,-1,0,,,,
#2
IExplore
#3 (blank)

#4
WWW_OpenURL

URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol with Privacy should be the same.

Sometimes it is necessary to uncheck Use DDE.

If that doesn't fix it, go to Start | Run and type

regsvr32 urlmon.dll

 

[Bill DeShawn]

Dave Blom's problem is not unique. I have the same problem. Recent repair,
changed to this version, ran a few days and suddenly this crap.
Changing Shortcut options doesn't cut it. The same is happening to me.
Remember: The icon for IEXPLORE on the desktop that comes with WINDOWS is
not a true shortcut. Instead, it's actually a part of the application. If
we create shortcuts to IEXPLORE.EXE, they open the browser to the default
home page. But browsing is broken. Internet Explorer freezes up and the
only way to unfreeze it that we have found out is via the task manager. I
personally created a shortcut to IEXPLORE.EXE and it worked. But browsing
is still broken. Also, the original Internet Explorer Icon is still without
an OPEN option. All the Application Access settings appear OK.

--
_________________________

Bill DeShawn
(e-mail address removed)
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn

Hi,
In Folder Options> File types> [NONE] Internet Shortcut> Advanced, is
Actions:Open selected as the Default?

Also worth checking... is IE the default browser in Control Panel> Add or
remove programs> Set program access and defaults?

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

Hello - I've run into a strange problem on a laptop with WinXP Pro SP2
(recently upgraded from XP Home). All functioned well for a few days
after
the upgrade, but since the weekend the owner reports that IE6 "hangs up".
Here is what happens:

- Double-click desktop IE6 icon & an IE6 shortcut is created on the desktop.
Do this 5 times, get 5 shortcuts!
- Right-click IE6 icon - different dialog box (no "open home page")
- Double-click one of the (5) shortcuts - IE6 does not start.
- Start, Run "iexplore" - browser starts OK. Can browse home page & click
links, etc. & all works OK. As soon as another address is typed in the
address bar, a second IE window opens & then both IE's hang - have to
kill
the tasks, which takes a while. Same result if second IE is opened with
"start->run_>iexplore".

I have scanned for viruses & malware, run disk cleanup util, etc. - no
change in behaviour. There are no Yahoo toolbars or anything like that
installed, and I have run SysInternal's Autorun & Rootkit Revealer & all is
OK.
The problem happens no matter who I log in as (this is a domain connected
machine) and it happens when I boot safe mode with networking.
There are no system restore points that predate the problem.
Have tried the "reinstall" using the registry tweaks suggested by "ElderGeek".
Have run sfc utility & have re-installed SP2 - no joy!

The work-around, to get the laptop user going again, has been to install
Mozilla Firefox, which works perfectly. The problem is that Windows Updates
will not run because of the broken IE6, so I would like to get this
fixed.

Has anyone out there seen anything like this? I know a reformat & re-install
will probably fix this, but I reeeealy don't wanna do that ....

Thanks,
Dave Blom

 

[Bill DeShawn]

In my copy of Windows (Windows XP Pro SP2), there is no such file type as
URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol. What happens now? I think we're on to
something here.

--
_________________________

Bill DeShawn
(e-mail address removed)
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn

 

[Jon Kennedy]

It should be at the top of the file types list - with [NONE] as an
extension. Easy to miss as you scroll down.....

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

Dave Blom's problem is not unique. I have the same problem. Recent
repair, changed to this version, ran a few days and suddenly this crap.
Changing Shortcut options doesn't cut it. The same is happening to me.
Remember: The icon for IEXPLORE on the desktop that comes with WINDOWS is
not a true shortcut. Instead, it's actually a part of the application.
If we create shortcuts to IEXPLORE.EXE, they open the browser to the
default home page. But browsing is broken. Internet Explorer freezes up
and the only way to unfreeze it that we have found out is via the task
manager. I personally created a shortcut to IEXPLORE.EXE and it worked.
But browsing is still broken. Also, the original Internet Explorer Icon
is still without an OPEN option. All the Application Access settings
appear OK.

Do a thorough check for malware, following all of the steps at one of these
Web pages.
Help with malware:
All MS-MVP Sites.
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/darnit.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm

Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827315

So How Did I Get Infected Anyway?
For quite a few people it's by installing Messenger Plus, whose ads for
malware don't identify the malware as such and try to convince you that you
owe it to the author. See also:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=27971
Don't ever do a "default" install of anything. Always choose Custom and see
what else is being carried along. Don't install any extras you're not sure
of.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

In my copy of Windows (Windows XP Pro SP2), there is no such file type as
URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol. What happens now? I think we're on to
something here.

Yes there is. Look harder. HINT: (NONE)

 

[Bill DeShawn]

Thanks. I'll give them a try.

--
_________________________

Bill DeShawn
(e-mail address removed)
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn

 

[Bill DeShawn]

I found it. It says:
"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" -nohome
I think that matches yours (except for case, which shouldn't matter):
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\INTERNET EXPLORER\iexplore.exe" -nohome


--
_________________________

Bill DeShawn
(e-mail address removed)
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn

It should be at the top of the file types list - with [NONE] as an
extension. Easy to miss as you scroll down.....

--

Jon R. Kennedy MS MVP/IE
Charlotte, NC USA
(e-mail address removed)

In my copy of Windows (Windows XP Pro SP2), there is no such file type as
URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol. What happens now? I think we're on to
something here.

--
_________________________

Bill DeShawn
(e-mail address removed)
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn

 

[Bill DeShawn]

Found it. See my other response.

--
_________________________

Bill DeShawn
(e-mail address removed)
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn

 

[Jon Kennedy]

Are the DDE settings for that file type entry correct and the box checked?
If no joy, uncheck that box. Did you do the Start...Run... type in
"regsvr32 urlmon.dll" (no quotes), Enter bit?