Win7 Desktop URL shortcuts open blank page in IE10

The title says it all. When I open a URL shortcut from the desktop, IE opens it to a blank page. All links opened from within IE and other programs, however, open fine.

I have spent two days searching for a solution everywhere I can locate and tried all of the solutions I found (short of a reinstall of WIN7) and nothing has worked. I have uninstalled IE 10 back to IE8 and reinstalled it twice, but each reinstall of IE8, 9, and 10 have not gotten rid of the problem. I must stay with WIN7 and IE10 for now for various reasons so I need to find a solution.

I would appreciate any suggestions.

Can you compress (ZIP) one of the failing URL shortcut files from your desktop and attaching it to your next post?

Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums

Sure. Thank you.

Thanks for that. It looks normal.

Attached to this post is a simplified version.

Please copy it from the compressed folder and place it on your desktop.

Double click on it and let me know what happens.

Also, open IE and make it a small enough window and that you can drag/drop the attached URL shortcut file into the body of IE (into the client area - the part that shows the web page content).

Here is the text inside of your shortcut file:

Code:

[{000214A0-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
Prop3=19,11
[InternetShortcut]
URL=https://www.google.com/
IDList=
HotKey=0
IconFile=https://www.google.com/favicon.ico
IconIndex=1

Here is what I changed it to:

Code:

[{000214A0-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
Prop3=19,11
[InternetShortcut]
URL=https://www.google.com/

I doubt that you will see any change in the way that IE works, but it is worth a try.

Yes. I've tried it three times. Problems were found, but most were repaired successfully. I've attached a heavily edited shortened version of the CBS.LOG file of the remaining non-repaired problems, but they appear to only be language pack issues (I don't really need Mandarin chinese anyway).

I've also tried recovery as far back as I could go, but the problem must have been there, too.

FOUND IT!

But I still can't explain why and the other problem with the file association dialog crash remains to be fixed.

This registry key exists in the problem system, but not in another system that works okay:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.url\UserChoice]
"Progid"="IE.AssocFile.URL"

When I removed it, the Desktop URL shortcuts work okay.

Thanks for your help on that one. It was the discussion that kept me going instead of giving up. I am greatful.

----------------------------------------
Here are a couple of ideas for others who may be looking for information like I was.

1. The link problem occured sometime after I had installed Chrome and FireFox. I uninstalled the two programs for this troubleshooting exercise and then mounted a search and destroy expedition and galloped through the registry to exterminate any last remenants of those programs. Maybe the uninstall routines weren't thorough enough.

2. One of the solutions I tried was running a file called "File Association Fixer" from "The Windows Club" website. That file trashed all of the icons associated with the file types and I had to do a system restore.

The only problem left besides the file association dialog (which, now that I think about it, kinda relates to the File Association Fixer) is that IE won't stop asking me if I want to make IE my default browser even if it already is.

I'm getting another headache.

Thanks again.

The reg key that you mentioned is created when you tell the operating system to make IE the default browser. It is not on the other computer because that computer probably never had a different default browser. When you tell IE to be the default browser, this is what that key should look like:


The fact that IE keeps asking to be made the default browser - seems to point to something (permissions? antivirus?) preventing changes to that area in the registry. It would seem that IE is not allowed to put the key back that you removed. When you try to manually associate the .URL file extension with IE, other keys are created under that key. Explorer might crash if it cannot write to that key.

If you want to live with you system that way that it is, you can uncheck the option shown in the screenshot above and IE should stop checking/asking.

Your system spec section lists MSE as your antivirus app. MSE won't prevent IE from writing to that key. Do you have other security apps? Perhaps ones designed to prevent browser hijacking?


Using regedit, please export HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\IE.AssocFile.URL to a reg file and attach it to your next post.

Good. We seem to be in sync now.

I did un-check the "make it your default box". That stopped the notice without adding the offending IE.Assoc...ect. key.

The reg key export I've uploaded matches one from the other machine that works okay so I'd be surprised if it were the problem.

I found an MS community post for a problem like I have:

"Internet Shortcuts aren't working - file associations are correct."

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/i...b-47afd2a75d00

It had a hot fix "Fix 319299" for it, but I thought it was might be too soon to use it.