You receive an error message when you click a hyperlink in Outlook

– April 28, 2009

Symptoms

This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator.

Cause

After you upgrade to Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or to Internet Explorer 7, the following registry key is either missing or corrupted:

HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Classes\htmlfile\shell\open\command

Resolution

To resolve this issue, import the registry key from another computer.

Note You may be able to resolve the issue by resetting Web settings in Internet Explorer 6 or Internet Explorer 7. To do this, follow these steps, as appropriate for your situation.

Internet Explorer 6

  1. Start Internet Explorer 6.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
  3. Click the Programs tab, and then click the Reset Web Settings button.
  4. Under Internet programs, verify that the correct e-mail program is selected.
  5. Click to select the Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default browser check box.
  6. Click Apply, and then click OK.
    Note You may receive the following message when Internet Explorer starts:
Internet Explorer is not currently your default browser. Would you like to make it your default browser?

If you receive the message, click Yes.

Internet Explorer 7

  1. Start Internet Explorer 7.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
  3. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Reset.
  4. Click the Programs tab, and then click Set programs.
  5. Click Set Default Programs.
  6. Click to select Microsoft Outlook, and then click Set this program as default.
  7. Click OK, and then close the Default Programs dialog box.
  8. In the Internet Options dialog box, click the Programs tab, and then click Make default under Default web browser.
  9. Click OK.

Export and import the registry key from another computer

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, check below:

Manual steps to back up the registry in Windows Vista or in Windows XP

Windows Vista

  1. Click Start
    type systempropertiesprotection in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
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    If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.

  2. Wait for Windows to search for available disks and most recent restore points. In the System Properties dialog box, on the System Protection tab, click Create,
  3. Type a name for the restore point and then click Create.
  4. After the restore point has been created successfully, click OK two times.

Note If System Restore is turned off, click to select the local disk, click Apply and then click Create.

Windows XP

  1. Click Start, click Run, type %SystemRoot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe, and then click OK.
  2. On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Create a restore point, and then click Next .
  3. On the Create a Restore Point page, type a name for the restore point and then click Create
  4. After the restore point has been created, click Close.

Note If System Restore is turned off, you receive a message that asks whether you want to turn on System Restore now. Click Yes. Then, in the System Properties dialog box, click to clear the Turn off System Restore check box, click OK, and then repeat this step. Note Use this method only if the earlier instructions for each browser do not work to resolve this problem.

Manual steps to restore the registry in Windows Vista or Windows XP

Use System Restore to undo registry changes in Windows Vista or in Windows XP

Windows Vista
  1. Click Start
    type systempropertiesprotection in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
    Collapse this imageExpand this image

    If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.

  2. In the System Properties dialog box, on the System Protection tab, click System Restore,
  3. In the System Restore dialog box select Choose a different restore point, and then click Next
  4. Select the restore point that you want to use, and then click Next.
  5. Confirm your restore point, and then click Finish System restore restores the selected Windows Vista configuration and then restarts the computer.
  6. Log on to the computer. When the System Restore confirmation page appears, click OK..
Windows XP
  1. Click Start, click Run, type %SystemRoot%\System32\Restore\Rstrui.exe, and then click OK.
  2. On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Restore my computer to an earlier time (if it is not already selected), and then click Next .
  3. On the Select a Restore Point page, click the system checkpoint. In the On this list select the restore point area, click an entry that is named “Guided Help (Registry Backup),” and then click Next. If a System Restore message appears that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make, click OK.
  4. On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, click Next. System Restore restores the previous Windows XP configuration and then restarts the computer.
  5. Log on to the computer. When the System Restore confirmation page appears, click OK.

Export the registry key from another computer

  1. Click Start, and then click Run.
  2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
  3. Locate the following registry key: HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Classes\htmlfile\shell\open\command
  4. Click the command folder.
  5. On the File or Registry menu (depending on your operating system), click Export.
  6. Note the location of where the file will be saved. The registry file can be saved directly to the hard drive or floppy disk.
  7. Type a unique file name, and then click Save.
  8. Quit the Registry Editor.

Import the registry key

  1. Copy the Exported registry key to the desktop on the problem computer.
  2. Double-click the .reg file.You receive the following message:
    Are you sure you want to add the information in drive: location file was copied to\file name.reg to the registry?
  3. Click Yes, and then click OK.