Microsoft KB Archive/256953

= OLEXP: How to Configure Outlook Express to Open Links in E-mail Messages in a New Browser Window =

Article ID: 256953

Article Last Modified on 1/27/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5

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This article was previously published under Q256953



For information about the differences between Microsoft Outlook Express and Microsoft Outlook e-mail clients, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

257824 OL2000: Differences Between Outlook and Outlook Express



SYMPTOMS
When you receive an e-mail message in Outlook Express that contains shortcuts to Web pages or other Internet resources (using URLs such as http://www.microsoft.com), the URL is opened in a new Microsoft Internet Explorer window the first time, but any other URLs in the e-mail message are opened in the same Internet Explorer window when you click them.

This behavior occurs whether or not you have enabled the "Reuse windows for launching shortcuts" option in Internet Explorer properties.

Third-party software, such as applications, which prevent Internet Explorer pop-up windows from opening, may also cause this behavior by modifying the URL file type association settings on your computer. Double-click Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Programs to verify the programs you currently have installed, and then verify if you have software installed that may affect the behavior of opening URL shortcuts from within Outlook Express e-mail messages. Consult the manufacture of the software to find out how to resolve the behavior that their applications may cause. You may also follow the steps in the "More Information" section later in this article to manually set the URL file type association settings on you computer back to their default settings.



WORKAROUND
To configure Outlook Express to always open additional URLs in a new Internet Explorer window, you need to change the file associations for Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) under the folder settings in Windows Explorer. To do so, use the following steps for the appropriate operating system.

Microsoft Windows 2000

 * 1) Double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop to start Windows Explorer.
 * 2) On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
 * 3) On the File Types tab, scroll down the list until you locate the N/A section in the Extensions column.
 * 4) Click the N/A URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol entry, and then click Advanced.
 * 5) In the Edit File Type dialog box that appears, click the OPEN entry in the Actions box, and then click Edit.
 * 6) In the Editing action for type: URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol window, click to clear the Use DDE check box, and then click OK.
 * 7) Click OK, click Close, and then quit Windows Explorer.
 * 8) Quit all versions of Internet Explorer.

Now when you run Outlook Express, additional links are opened in a new Internet Explorer window.

Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows 98
 Double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop to start Windows Explorer. On the View menu, click Folder Options. On the File Types tab, click URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol in the list, and then click Edit. In the Edit File Type dialog box that appears, click the OPEN entry in the Actions box, and then click Edit. In the Editing action for type: URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol window, click to clear the Use DDE check box. In the Application used to perform action box, type %1 at the end of the string so it looks like the following example (the drive and location of Iexplore.exe may be different):

"D:\Progra~1\Intern~1\iexplore.exe" -nohome %1

</li> Click OK, click Close, and then click Close.</li> Quit Windows Explorer.</li> Quit all versions of Internet Explorer.</li></ol>

Now when you run Outlook Express, additional links are opened in a new Internet Explorer window.

<div class="moreinformation_section">

MORE INFORMATION
To reverse the changes described in the previously described workaround, use the following steps for the appropriate operating system.

Windows 2000
<ol> Double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop to start Windows Explorer.</li> On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.</li> On the File Types tab, locate the N/A section in the Extensions column.</li> Click the N/A URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol entry, and then click Advanced.</li> In the Edit File Type window that appears, click the OPEN entry in the Actions box, and then click Edit.</li> In the Editing action for type: URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol window, click to select the Use DDE check box.</li> In the Application used to perform action box, delete the %1 that appears after the -nohome entry, as shown in the following example (the drive and location of Iexplore.exe may be different):

"D:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" -nohome

</li> In the DDE Message box, type the following:

"%1",,-1,0,,,,

</li> In the Application box, type IExplore .</li> Leave the DDE Application Not Running box empty.</li> In the Topic box, type WWW_OpenURL .</li> Click OK, and then click Close.</li> Quit Windows Explorer.</li> <li>Quit all versions of Internet Explorer.</li></ol>

Now when you run Outlook Express, additional links are opened in the same Internet Explorer window.

Windows 95 or Windows 98
<ol> <li>Double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop to start Windows Explorer.</li> <li>On the View menu, click Folder Options.</li> <li>On the File Types tab, click the URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol entry, and then click Edit.</li> <li>In the Edit File Type dialog box that appears, click the OPEN entry in the Actions box, and then click Edit.</li> <li>In the Editing action for type: URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol window, click to select the Use DDE check box.</li> <li>In the Application used to perform action box, delete the %1 that appears after the -nohome entry, as shown in the following example (the drive and location of Iexplore.exe may be different):

"D:\Progra~1\Intern~1\iexplore.exe" -nohome

</li> <li>In the DDE Message box, type the following:

"%1",,-1,0,,,,

</li> <li>In the Application box, type IExplore .</li> <li>Leave the DDE Application Not Running box empty.</li> <li>In the Topic box, type WWW_OpenURL .</li> <li>Click OK, click Close, and then click Close.</li> <li>Quit Windows Explorer.</li> <li>Quit all versions of Internet Explorer.</li></ol>

Now when you run Outlook Express, additional links are opened in the same Internet Explorer window.

Keywords: kbenv kbprb kbpending KB256953

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