Windows 7: Notepad starts with what appears to be HTML

Synesthesia · 29 Apr 2012

Hi there!

I'm running into an issue with Windows 7 lately. I believe it started after I installed a previous version of AIM (AIM 7, IIRC) because the new version is irritating and ugly, and also spams anyone I have a conversation going on with "So and so is using the new version of AIM! Blah blah..."

I would load the old version of AIM and as soon as I logged in, Notepad would start with a filed called something like "login..[2]psp". I can't remember the full title of the filename. It happens similarly with the Gadgets as well. This is what I see when I click "Get more gadgets online": Notepad opens a file called fwlink[3]..com_fwlink__LinkId=124093

Inside this file is:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US">
<head><title>
Desktop gadgets - Microsoft Windows
</title><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="robots" content="noodp" /><script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
var gTrackEvents=0;
var gDomain="m.webtrends.com";
var gDcsId="dcsaukzid100008i3dphd1nqy_6p8b";
var gFpc="WT_FPC";
var gOffsite=true;
if(document.cookie.indexOf(gFpc+"=")==-1){
document.write("<scr"+"ipt type='text/javascript' src='"+"http"+(window.location.protocol.indexOf('https:')==0?'s':'')+"://"+gDomain+"/"+gDcsId+"/wtid.js"+"'><\/scr"+"ipt>");
}
//]]>
</script>
<script type="text/javascript">//<![CDATA[
if (typeof(Ms) == 'undefined') Ms = {};if (typeof(Ms.Wol) == 'undefined') Ms.Wol = {};if (typeof(Ms.Wol.Sku) == 'undefined') Ms.Wol.Sku = {};if (typeof(Ms.Wol.BIPreloadDatabag) == 'undefined') Ms.Wol.BIPreloadDatabag = {};var skuId = 0;//]]></script><script type="text/javascript" src="/Scripts/3.4/wol.cookies.js"></script><!--[if WindowsEdition]><![if WindowsEdition 0]><script type="text/javascript">//<![CDATA[

It appears to be HTML, but I'm not sure why it would load. I use Opera as my browser of choice, and it's set to be the default application for HTML files. I'd love some help with this. It's quite an annoying little issue and I imagine it's affecting more than just what I've mentioned so far.

A Guy · 29 Apr 2012

Welcome to Seven Forums Synesthesia. That com_fwlink__LinkId=124093 is indded this:

Desktop gadgets - Microsoft Windows

It looks like you may have the wrong file associations for .htm and/or .html. Try reassociating those and see if that fixes it.

Scroll down to the .HTM and .HTML files on the list

Default File Type Associations - Restore

A Guy

Synesthesia · 30 Apr 2012

Thanks for replying. I tried your suggestion and the problem is still occurring. Do you have any other ideas?

A Guy · 30 Apr 2012

OK, this could be simple. Make IE the default browser, then make Opera the default again. See if that fixes it.

Open IE> Tools> Internet Options> Programs tab> Click Make default for IE

Now open Opera> Tools> Preferences> Advanced> Programs

Check the box for Check if Opera is default browser on startup

Close and restart Opera, answer Yes when it asks you if you want Opera to be the default browser on your computer

See if that fixed it. A Guy

Synesthesia · 01 May 2012

That did fix it. Thank you!

A Guy · 01 May 2012

Great, glad you got it sorted. You're welcome

A Guy

Windows 7: Notepad starts with what appears to be HTML

Notepad starts with what appears to be HTML problems?