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Fix General Failure when Open Link or URL from Outlook and Windows Mail

Posted By Raymond In Category: Computer

Mar
25
2008

All this while I’ve been using The Bat! as my email client to download and check all my emails. I noticed that whenever I click on any hyperlink or URL in the email message, I will get an error message that says it couldn’t find the file specified. But weirdly in a few seconds, my default browser (Firefox) opens and loads the website. It works, except that I must click see the annoying error message and click the OK button. I finally got fed up of this error and researched on what is causing this problem and how to fix it.

For people who are using Windows Mail in Windows Vista, you’ll get an error that says “Windows cannot find ‘http://www.website.com/’. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.”

Windows cannot find 'http://www.website.com/'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.

If you’re using Microsoft Outlook, you’ll get a slightly different error that says “General failure. The URL was: “http://www.website.com/”. The system cannot find the file specified.” Even one of the most powerful email client The Bat! is not spared from this error. It will only say “http://www.website.com/” – The system cannot find the file specified”

I’ve manage to find the cause of this problem and also how to fix general failure when opening a link or URL from Outlook, Windows Mail and The Bat!


If you’re only using Internet Explorer, very likely you won’t encounter this problem but if you do, simple setting the Internet Explorer as default browser will fix the problem.

This problem will exist when all 4 criterias are met:
1. Firefox is installed
2. Firefox is set as default browser
3. Google Toolbar extension for Firefox is installed
4. Firefox is not running

To fix this problem in Windows XP and Vista, you need to edit the registry. Go to Start > Run > type regedit and click OK. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FirefoxURL\shell\open\ddeexec. At the right pane, double click the (Default) name to bring up the Edit String window. You should see the data value “%1″,,0,0,,,,. Just clear off and leave the value data blank. Click OK to close the Edit String window.

Delete DDE from regedit

You will no longer see the annoying general failure error window anymore whenever open a link from Outlook. This is only a temporary fix because whenever you’ve updated a newer version of Firefox, you might need to do this all over again. Let’s hope the upcoming Firefox 3 will fix this problem. So far I’ve tested Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird, The Bat!, Windows Mail and Microsoft Outlook. Only Outlook Express and Thunderbird are not affected by this.


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    • http://www.lockurblog.com Matthew

      I had this problem once, when updating my XP to Vista. I solved it by making IE7 my default browser. Thanks Raymond

    • Johns Mathew

      hai Raymond,

      I am planning to make a website. Can you suggest me some excellent softwares for web page creation. I should be able to make impressive websites using javascripts, flash etc. Doesn\’t matter even if it NOT a free software.
      Please do help me

    • Tommy Madison

      Thanks, that has been a problem for toooooo long.

    • Felicia B.

      Thanks for the great post. I don\’t use Outlook, but your post helped me figure out a problem I was having with links in Thunderbird suddenly not opening in my default browser.

    • Tommy Madison

      It worked once. After I reopened a link in OUTLOOK the same error reappeared.

    • Dan Austin

      Raymond,
      This problem has plagued me and my family for more than a year. Your solution did the trick. You are a genius, Raymond. I wonder how this gets set incorrectly in the register, but if I never find out the root cause, I’m still a happy camper!
      Thanks, Dan

    • SoCalGuy

      Raymond,

      This work-around worked perfectly for me!

      MANY THANKS!!!

    • xenia

      dude, that was getting on my last nerve! I don’t really like IE as much as I like FireFox so thanks sooooo much for the info and quick fix! keep rockin!

    • http://centreinfoproduit.com Bruno

      Bonjour,

      Sous xp j’avais une autre solution mais sous Vista je n’ai pas peu retrouver ou je devais le faire.

      Parcontre tu dis donne une solution dans la base de donnée mais par exemple moi sous vista je n’ai pas le dernier dossier du nom /ddeexec, je n’ai que celui-ci /command avec seulement la valeur “%1″ et non “% 1″, 0,0,,,,. J’ai supprimé la valeur “%1″ et tout roule.

      Merci

    • Audrey Mottishaw

      Thanks. It worked perfectly. It has annoyed me for long enough.

      Easy when you know how?:)

    • holly

      Final-freaking-ly!

    • Paul

      Thanks for the fix, I was having this problem opening links from Pidgin.

      One thing I’d like to point out is that your third criterion, having the Google toolbar installed, is not necessary for this problem to occur (although maybe I’ve done something else that would have the same effect).

    • timbuckley

      super

    • http://www.blogtext.org/andy andy

      I still get the error after removing the information in default. I dot not have the google bar for firefox installed. Firefox is running and still gives the error.

      The only solution I dislike greatly is setting ie as the default. It defeats the purpose of using firefox.

    • http://www.raylanddelosreyes.com rayland

      i used to have that error too! but i was able to fix it by using the “Set program access and computer defaults” option of windows.

      - Click the Start menu
      - Click All Programs
      - Click

    • http://etorbi Tore

      Danke Gut.

      Geholfen hat diese Festhaltung sehr.
      Das Problem startete auf meinen Nerven zu laufen.

      F

    • Laura

      Thanks for solving this annoying problem!

    • GGI

      Firefox solved:

      Make IE default.
      Close all browsers.
      Make Firefox default again.

      Solved.

    • Max

      Merci !
      Par contre cela ne marche qu’une fois…
      Après l’erreur revient.
      Dommage…

    • http://Foxyproxyissuemorelikely!! firefan

      I ONLY and i cant stress that out enough .. I only got the mentioned problems when i installed foxy proxy addon in firefox browser.

      For some strange reason i never had those kind of EXACTLY the Same issues described above untilll i installed the \”foxy proxy addon\” for FF2 and above!!!!

      I noticed that issue arrised right after i start to used foxy proxy!!
      and not because i made firefox my default browser or a nything

      STrange strange…!

    • Yepper2

      Thank you

    • PJ

      Boa dica, mas e quando o valor já esta zerado… e continua dando o mesmo erro.

      Não precisei alterar, já estava zerado.

    • http://komarik.ru Komarik

      I use The Bat! and Firefox on Windows XP SP3 an had this problem. Before this day, when find this solution :)
      Thanx!

    • ranfot

      great, the issue with “general failure the url was” FIXED!

    • Barry

      Ever since I went back to Firefox 2.0 from 3.0 (a subject for another day!) I have not been able to open links in emails when using Outlook 2002. Used your suggestion to edit the registry and Yes! – don’t get the annoying message with the accompanying inability to open links. Works great not, thanks Ray!

    • silvio

      eu estou sem entende.
      como criar um url?
      alguem pode me informa
      fico muito agradecido ,obrigado

    • alexxht

      it is very nice

    • Suvidya

      Thanks i was able to resolve the error after making ie as default browser, thanks again

    • Imran Farooqi

      hi Raymond,

      Thank you for your valuable advice. I fixed the problem by making IE my default browser.

    • pankaj

      plez give me kaspersky internet security 2009with 1 year key file

    • http://solvedtheerrorabovebutnewproblemoccured Elizabeth

      I solved the above problem by setting my default browser as Firefox as per instructions above. However, now, when I click a link from an email instead of getting the error I get absolutely nothing…..nothing comes up at all. What would you recommend now?

      used to have that error too! but i was able to fix it by using the “Set program access and computer defaults” option of windows.

      - Click the Start menu
      - Click All Programs
      - Click �Set program access and computer defaults�
      - Select Custom then click on the drop arrow
      Look for �Choose a default web browser� and select Mozilla Firefox

    • http://issue Darrell Ke

      I am having the problem with Google Chrome as the default,,, any help?

    • Neva

      Elizabeth’s instructions fixed it for me. I did not have to play with the registry or set IE (blech) as the default browser. Closed both Firefox and Outlook, restarted them and am good to go. Thanks, Elizabeth!

    • DaveS

      I’ve now run into this running WinXP SP3, IE8, Firefox 3.0.0.6 and Outlook 2007. IE8 is the default browser and the Firefox DDE entry is nonexistent in the registry. Any other suggestions?

    • Brad Joss

      I had the problem with IE8, no firefox installed. To fix, I backup these 2 registry keys and deleted the default values. Seems happy now.

      [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\http\shell\open\ddeexec]
      [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https\shell\open\ddeexec]

      If that doesn’t work, also try these two keys:

      [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\htmlfile\shell\opennew\ddeexec]
      [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\htmlfile\shell\open\ddeexec]

    • http://www.cscartskins.com CSCart Templates

      Very good! I switched back to Thunderbird because of this but found out that I really didn’t like Thunderbird and just decided to put up with the error.

      It really didn’t start happening until the latest version of FF was installed.

      Anyway, this did the trick and I THANK YOU!

    • Cecile_lala

      thank you. so straight forward.

    • Fed

      I still haver this problem and I only have IE8 installed on XP SP3 Outlook 2007. The Firefox fix does not apply to me any ideas?

      Thanks

    • Randall

      Thanks Brad.
      Finally something worked for those of us using IE.

    • Nick

      Followed your steps and still the problem persists!!
      it didn’t work for me :o(

    • Larry

      Elizabeth says:
      February 19, 2009 at 4:12 pm
      I solved the above problem by setting my default browser as Firefox as per instructions above. However, now, when I click a link from an email instead of getting the error I get absolutely nothing…..nothing comes up at all. What would you recommend now?

      used to have that error too! but i was able to fix it by using the “Set program access and computer defaults” option of windows.

      - Click the Start menu
      - Click All Programs
      - Click �Set program access and computer defaults�
      - Select Custom then click on the drop arrow
      Look for �Choose a default web browser� and select Mozilla Firefox

      Above inputs are very valuable/simple solution to fix this issue, and I got the issue sloved by using this method. btw, my web browser is maxthon.

    • Maneesh Upreti

      Thanks it worked by making IE as the default browser.

      The issue started after I uninstalled Firefox from my laptop.

    • pcoats

      If any of the previous does not fixt this the key at HKCR\HTTP\shell\open\command with a Default value of “”C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE” -nohome” was the fix that corrected the issue.

    • http://verygood! denis

      It works for mee too.
      (Got this problem just after installing FireFox 4)

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