Could not perform this operation because the default mail client..

[Mopsy]

I have Vista Home Premium (3 mos old). It was recommended that I have my
admin user and then do another one for the main stuff. On the admin side, I
can go into a website and hit an email link and it pops right up. I checked
the default on that side and went to my main user. I hit default and it will
not allow me to change any default settings. Why is the button there then?
But when I go to an email link on main user, it gives me the message could
not perform this operation because the default mail client is not properly
installed. I have looked through some of the similar questions and it does
not pertain exactly to me. I am on Comcast for internet service, I use a
server that is private on the main user, comcast on the admin side. It says
I have 6.0.6 for windows mail. I have a firefox icon on the desktop that I
use to connect to the Internet on both users but on the main user (not admin)
the error message comes up after opening IE behind firefox telling me it
can't bring up the email. Have I given you enough info to help me with this.
I won't reinstall Vista and will just run with the challenge if I have to
but I feel there must be a way to work around this. It makes no sense. Hope
someone can help.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Open the Default Programs applet, which you can access either from
the Start menu or via the Control Panel, then click the first item:
"Set your default programs."
After a few seconds, a list of programs comes up. Click on Windows
Mail. If it doesn't respond with "This program has all its defaults"
then fix it by clicking on the option indicated by the first green arrow.

 

[Mopsy]

Open the Default Programs applet, which you can access either from
the Start menu or via the Control Panel, then click the first item:
"Set your default programs."
After a few seconds, a list of programs comes up. Click on Windows
Mail. If it doesn't respond with "This program has all its defaults"
then fix it by clicking on the option indicated by the first green arrow.

 

[Mopsy]

Gary, I did this on the main user side and it says the program has all its
defaults. I can email from a website on the admin side but not the main
user. Is it possible for me to make that one an Admin with a password and
then be able to do it? Or is this just an annoyance with Vista. I am using
Firefox. Thanks.

 

[Mopsy]

Plus I cannot use the email to go to a website. I have to copy and paste to
the browser. I could not do that with the link in the email notifying me
that I had your answer. It took quite a while to find the link in this
forum. I would get a blank page saying done.

 

[Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM]

Paste this command line into the Start Search box and press <Enter>:

"C:\Program Files\Windows Mail\WinMail.exe" /reg

 

[Mopsy]

Thanks Frank, but I get to windows mail and then see an application for
winmail. I hit that and the winmail opens. It does not help me to send an
email from a website. I don't see .exe and I can't get to /reg is that the
registry? My search says nothing found when I get to the WinMail.exe part.
I see the win mail in the default list so it is installed. I tried pasting
the command without the " marks. and adding /reg. Maybe I am not
understanding what I am supposed to do here. Thanks again.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Do both users have Firefox as their default browser? If only the
malfunctioning user has Firefox, it could be a Firefox problem.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Is that the user with Firefox? If so, Firefox has a known problem registering
with Vista. Use this fix:

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/f...internet-shortcut-or-hyperlink-using-firefox/

 

[Mopsy]

Yes, Firefox is my browser on both. The email comes up from Firefox in admin
but not in main user. I suppose it could still be firefox but IE doesn't
work either in main user.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Sounds like the 'main' user has a problem with the MailTo protocol handler.
Go to Default Programs as before, but this time select "Associate..."
After the list gets populated, scroll all the way down to where the Protocols
section is. Look for the MailTo protocol, and tell me which program it is
assigned to.

If the MailTo protocol is missing from that list do this:
In Default Programs, click "Set program access and computer defaults."
Click Custom, and select Windows Mail. Click OK.

Did that restore the MailTo protocol?

 

[Mopsy]

There are these protocols for Mail--news rotocal, nntp protocol, s-news
protocol. When I go to the the When I go to the set program access, it says
that I don't have the right to change these. I am in my side user. If I do
this in Admin will it transfer over? Admin is doing just fine with emailing
out of a website. thanks for staying with me on this. I will be heading out
for grandchildren and my access will be limited in here till later today.

 

[Mopsy]

I just went over to admin and the email works great with either IE or Mozilla
opening emails from websites. It is the non admin that is the challenge and
I can't do any changing in there. Why would it not apply to both users when
it is correct in admin? I hope the advice is not redo Vista. 4 months is
too soon. This is bizarre. Is there a way to redo mail? Or is there a fix.
I see miles and miles of fixes already happening in the computer. Oh for a
Mac!!!

 

[Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM]

Thanks Frank, but I get to windows mail and then see an application for
winmail. I hit that and the winmail opens. It does not help me to send
an
email from a website. I don't see .exe and I can't get to /reg is that
the
registry? My search says nothing found when I get to the WinMail.exe
part.
I see the win mail in the default list so it is installed. I tried
pasting
the command without the " marks. and adding /reg. Maybe I am not
understanding what I am supposed to do here. Thanks again.

Highlight the line after this and press Ctrl-C

"C:\Program Files\Windows Mail\WinMail.exe" /reg

Now click the Start orb (the circle where earlier versions said 'Start") and
press Ctrl-V.
Press <Enter>.
That should do it although you probably won't see anything happen.

You don't see .exe because your Windows Explorer is set to Hide extensions
for known file types.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Let us know if Frank's suggestion does or does not work for you.

I am not familiar with the limitations of a user type other than the
initial user that gets created when setting up Vista for the first time.

Try this while logged in as that 'Main' user. Go to Start, All Programs,
find Default Programs and right-click on it. Is one of the options
"Run as administrator"? If so, use that option to fix the missing MailTo
protocol.

 

[Mopsy]

OK, I typed the stuff you told me in the search box. I got to it exactly as
you showed me to do. When I hit it, Mail came up. What does that do? I
looked on admin side at the protocols and I do see one that is not on the
regular user side. The mail to protocol is definitely missing from the non
admin user. How would I get that back? or is should this question be
addressed to Gary?

 

[Mopsy]

Gary, I tried the run as administrator but it still won't let me into that
last section on the default. It won't come up. I would think that the mail
to protocol would come up on both sides. Most programs do. I realized this
morning that it did work as I often get emails from a walking site saying
send congrats to so and so for accomplishing this goal. I got one this
morning and, sure enough, up popped IE saying Windows Mail is not properly
installed. It is so weird it works on one side-admin-and not the other. Any
more suggestions? I checked that link you sent from Firefox, but that does
not pertain to my issue that I could see.

 

[Mopsy]

Highlight the line after this and press Ctrl-C

C

Now click the Start orb (the circle where earlier versions said 'Start") and
press Ctrl-V.
Press <Enter>.
That should do it although you probably won't see anything happen.

You don't see .exe because your Windows Explorer is set to Hide extensions
for known file types.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto
FriendlyTypeName REG_EXPAND_SZ @%ProgramFiles%\Windows
Mail\winmail.ex
e,-211


C:\Windows\system32>cmd /k reg query hkcr\mailto /s

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto
FriendlyTypeName REG_EXPAND_SZ @%ProgramFiles%\Windows
Mail\winmail.ex
e,-211


C:\Windows\system32>

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

As I said before, I have no experience working with a Windows user
account other than the initial account created when Vista is installed.
So, I don't know why the standard fix for a missing Mailto protocol
doesn't work for you. If it was me, I would delete that 'Main' user and
replace it with a standard user account.

 

[Mopsy]

My user is the standard user account. Sorry I never looked at it. the other
one is the admin. Why wouldn't what is in the admin on this cross over to
the standard user? I have beem able to send emails out of Firefox in the
standard user account. I went to Firefox and took all extensions out incase
that was the challenge, but no luck. I looked at that link you sent me but
it doesn't pertain to my challenge. I saw another post where they said they
saw another place in a post that showed a registry change. I don't know
where that is but maybe that would help? It seems clear that the mail to
protocol is missing on the standard user. Saying run as administratro and
typing my password does not let me in to that bottom line on the default
page. It is correct on the admin side. So frustrating when I see your
suggestion work for others.