Problem - Links Stop Working in Outlook Express. A Solution

Normally, when you click on a blue text link in an email, it opens up Internet Explorer and shows the page that was linked to. Then, one day, it stops working. Why?

A common cause is that you have loaded Google Chrome as a browser on your computer to try it out or another program has done it for you and made Chrome the default browser.

'Default' in computer-techno-speak and in this instance, means that when a page on the Internet is asked for then your computer opens Chrome to view the page rather than another browser like Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, etc. It is your selected browser of choice, whether you realise it or not!

Even if you decided not to use Chrome and then removed it, the link problem may still exist. Naturally, you may not realise that there is any connection with loading Chrome and links not working in emails. There may well have been several days between the two events as not all emails have links you wish to click on.

Solution.

1. Remove Google Chrome.

In Windows XP operating system Go to Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs > Wait patiently for all your programs to load > Scroll down the alphabetical list to Google Chrome and click on it to select it (goes blue background) > Click on Remove.

In Windows Vista operating system Click on the coloured ball bottom left.> Control Panel > Programs or Programs and Features > Uninstall a Program > select Google Chrome > then click on Uninstall which can be found above on the same row as a question mark - black text on dark blue background. If it was on a black background then Microsoft would have made a better job of hiding it!

In Windows 7 operating system Click on the coloured ball bottom left.> Control Panel > Programs - Uninstall a Program > select Google Chrome > then click on Uninstall/Change which can be found above on the same row as a question mark - black text on light blue background. This Uninstall/Change link only shows when you have selected a program.

2. Close Outlook or Outlook Express

3. Open Internet Explorer. From the top menu click on Tools > Internet Options. Click on the Programs tab > Click on Make Default. On earlier versions of Internet Explorer, like version 6, there is no Make Default button. In this version click on Reset Web Settings and also tick the box for 'Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default browser'. If a subsequent window pops up later asking if you wish to make Internet Explorer your default browser, say Yes.

4. Re-start your computer and open Outlook or Outlook Express and your links should now be working.

Now, you may choose not use Internet Explorer as your browser or Outlook Express as your email client yet you still have the same problem in Eudora or Thunderbird, etc. The reason is that Internet Explorer and Outlook Express are integrated parts of Windows and so affect many other programs, even in the background.

Once you have sorted out the problem, then you can make Firefox your default browser again if you wish.

If it is still not working ...

... then try to alter your Registry as follows after making a backup of your Registry just in case of errors.

You will be removing the reference to Chrome in the .htm, .html and .shtml keys though one or more of those keys may not exist on your computer.

1. Go to Start > Run > type in Regedit > OK

2. Go to the sub-key HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClasses.htm

3. Right click the (Default) value for the .htm key and select Modify...

4. Change the value from ChromeHTM to htmfile

Follow the same process for .html and.shtml keys if they exist.

Save and exit Regedit and re-boot your computer.

If links still don't work then pick up your computer and throw it under a truck! At least that will give you some satisfaction :o)

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