How to restore .url file extensions to original behavior
Adam
files, then finding that it completely wrecked Internet Explorer's
favorites menu. Simply removing .url files from Opera's file types did
not restore the original behavior: IE7's favorites menu lost all
FavIcons, the shortcuts all showed their .url extension, and you could
no longer simply type a shortcut name in IE's address bar to go to it.
The quoted message below got me on the right track, but needed an
extra step to complete the solution. My additions follow the quoted
message:
On Jan 3 2007, 4:26 pm, "Jonathan A." <inva...@example.net> wrote:
> [ Followup set to opera.general ]
>
> On Wed, 03 Jan 2007 17:43:12 +0100, Rijk van Geijtenbeek
> <r...@opera-dot-com.invalid> appears to have said:
>
> >> When will this stupid and faulty entry in Opera preferences be drpped?
> >> It is so annoying!
>
> > What is stupid and annoying and faulty about it? I don't want URL
> > shortcuts on my desktop and in my startmenu to open in MSIE.
>
> I have to chime in and agree with Gunnar, here. The "Internet Shortcut"
> filetype (in Windows98/XP) is a generic thing. Sort of a "pointer."
> "Internet Shortcuts" are simply text files with a ".url" extension
> (which is hidden, even when "show file name extensions for registered
> types" is set). They may contain URI's pointing to http, mailto, gopher,
> news, etc. resources. They should *always* open with:
>
> "rundll32.exe shdocvw.dll,OpenURL %l"
>
> which will launch whatever application is associated with the protocol
> contained within the shortcut. Associating any other program with the
> "Internet Shortcut" file type will break this system.
>
> Suppose I'm using Opera on Windows-XP. I have Opera registered as my
> default browser, Eudora as default mailer, and Xnews as default news
> reader. Again, Opera is registered as my default browser, so a double
> click of an HTTP shortcut opens Opera... but Opera is NOT associated
> with Internet Shortcuts... yet. At the moment, it is only associated
> with the HTTP and HTTPS protocols. (As well as HTML docs.)
>
> Now, I go to Opera prefs, and select "URL Shortcuts" under:
>
> Preferences -> Advanced -> Programs -> Details
>
> Now, opera will be registered (in the Windows registry) to open the
> "Internet Shortcut" file type. And now, my mail and news shortcuts no
> longer launch Eudora and Xnews, because Opera has (inappropriately)
> taken over the "Internet Shortcut" file type.
>
> Oops! I didn't want that! So, I return to Opera's preferences, and unset
> the "URL Shortcuts" file type.
>
> Total breakage ensues. Now, ALL of my Internet shortcuts are broken.
> HTTP, mailto, news, what have you... the "Internet Shortcut" file type
> has been erased from the registry! Double click on one... nothing will
> happen!
>
> At this point, I'll have to restore the Internet Shortcut" file type to
> get things working properly again.
>
> To the original poster... there's a very simple way to do this. Simply
> open a command shell, (Start -> Run -> cmd.exe) and paste this at the
> command line, and hit enter:
>
> regsvr32 /i shdocvw.dll
>
> That should restore the "Internet Shortcut" file type, and properly
> associate it with shdowcvw.dll. (Resetting Default apps under Control
> Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> Set Program Access and Defaults should
> do it, too. I'd rather trust regsvr32 to fix it without mucking about
> with my other settings.)
>
> To sum up... Opera should *never* register itself to open "Internet
> Shortcuts." The proper thing to do is to associate Opera with the
> relevant *protocols* only. The "URL Shortcut" entry in Opera's prefs
> really needs to disappear. It just does the Wrong Thing.
>
> FWIW,
> Jonathan
>
> --
> Don't just hit reply. Email address is broken. Thank
> your friendly neighborhood spammer. Email replies to:
> user: daboid domain: suddenlink<dot>net
To anyone else who finds this thread looking for a way to restore
Internet Explorer's favorites:
Johnathan's post is correct, but in my case it was missing a step. In
the steps below, the "double quotes" are used to delimit the beginning
and end of strings. Do not include the quotes in any command or name.
- After running "regsvr32 /i shdocvw.dll", the InternetShortcut entry
is restored in the registry, but it is not associated with the .url
file extension.
- To do so, run "regedit". In the left pane, there is a tree of
registry keys, shown as folders.
- The first child under the top key "My Computer" should be
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. Under it, locate a key named ".url".
- If it doesn't exist already, create it by right-clicking on
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and choosing New | Key, and name the new key ".url".
- With the ".url" key selected in the left pane, look at the right
pane. You should see only a single value named "(Default)". If there
are any other values or keys under the ".url" key, delete them.
- Finally, to associate the ".url" extension with InternetShortcut,
double-click on "(Default)" and type "InternetShortcut", then press
Enter or click OK.
- Close Registry Editor and restart Internet Explorer. Favorites
should now have their FavIcons back and the .url extension should
again be hidden.