388950 - Opening sites with Firefox causes Windows to say "Windows cannot find [URL]. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again."

Status: RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

(Firefox :: Shell Integration, defect)

Description

[Sue Hedtke]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.5) Gecko/20070713 Firefox/2.0.0.5
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.5) Gecko/20070713 Firefox/2.0.0.5

When I open any website (google, intellicast, ebay, etc) from my desktop, or by typing in the URL with Firefox, I will immediately get a Windows error message telling me that the site cannot be found, that I should check the spelling of the URL, etc.  However, the site opens almost as soon as the error message appears.  This is very annoying even though I do get to where I want to go.  When I use IE, the error message does not appear.  Firefox is my default browser and this happens consistently with every site I try to access, except for my homepage when I open Firefox.  It is annoying enough that I am thinking about going back to IE.  I am certain there has to be an easy fix to this somewhere.  Thanks, Help?

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Click on any link on desktop or type in any URL to access internet
2.
3.
Actual Results:  
Windows error message which states that the site cannot be found and that I should check spelling and try again, etc.....LOUD THUMP NOISE!  GOD I HATE THAT!

Comment 1

[Carsten Book [:Tomcat]]

Do you have a Firewall installed ? Please take a look at http://kb.mozillazine.org/Error_loading_websites

Comment 2

[Ria Klaassen (not reading all bugmail)]

Clicking the shortcut on the desktop is possibly bug 372016. But I don't recognize the problem that you see each time when you type a URL in the locationbar. Or do you mean the Run box?

Comment 3

[Jesse Ruderman]

Please add the exact text of the error message (at least some of it) to the summary, so if other people have the same problem, they'll be able to find this bug report.

Comment 4

[Sue Hedtke]

(In reply to comment #3)
> Please add the exact text of the error message (at least some of it) to the
> summary, so if other people have the same problem, they'll be able to find this
> bug report.
> 
The exact error message I get is: "Windows cannot find 'http://whatever.com'.  Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.  To search for a file click the Start button and then click Search"
Almost as soon as this error message appears, along with that horrible and obnoxious "thump" sound, the site that I have clicked on will open anyway.  (In reply to comment #1)
> Do you have a Firewall installed ? Please take a look at
> http://kb.mozillazine.org/Error_loading_websites
> 

(In reply to comment #1)
> Do you have a Firewall installed ? Please take a look at
> http://kb.mozillazine.org/Error_loading_websites
> 

Comment 5

[Sue Hedtke]

I think I have fixed the problem....After reading about other bugs that were similar, 372016 and 137363....I found reference to this site to download a fix.  I downloaded and so far, the problem has not repeated itself....I did note in my reading though, that when an update for Firefox is downloaded the problem may return and you may have to download the fix again....also, if you change back to IE as your default browser this will restore the registry entries and the problem will return and have to be fixed again....I have not tested this out, just infomation from other people with similar problem.  The site for the fix is http://johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/firefox_bug_246078.asp

Comment 7

[Sue Hedtke]

Okay, Firefox has updated and now the bug is back so I have had to download the fix again.  It's not a big pain, but it is a pain of sorts.  Why can't this be fixed?  

Comment 8

[Jesse Ruderman]

This can't be fixed because most of us don't see the bug and we don't have enough information to figure out what the bug is.  Steps to reproduce (starting with a clean system) would help a lot.

(I haven't looked closely at all the dependencies of bug 389502; maybe one of them holds the answer.)

Comment 9

[Lesia Valentine]

I have the same problem, but only when I click on the news ticker. A window pops up that says: "Windows cannot find 'http://enews.earthlink.net/article address' Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. To search for a file, click the start button, and then click Search." The window has a red X and an OK button.  

As Sue said, the requested address does appear, but it makes that error noise, which is unnerving, and the popup window has to be closed. It's a real pain in the _ _ _. I have no intention of reinstalling a patch every time Firefox updates. I'll uninstall Firefox before I do that.

Comment 10

[Sue Hedtke]

This is Sue again.....since I originally reported this problem, I have installed 3 Firefox updates, and every time I update...the problem appears again.  I apply the patch and no problemo!!!!  I just really don't understand why the solution to this is not included in one of the updates....it seems to be a pretty prevalent problem....yet actually pretty easy to fix.  However you do have to go to some trouble anytime you get an updated Firefox.  I love Firefox so am going to keep doing it for now.....Come on you guys.....fix this silly thing!  I have recommended Firefox to a couple of people, but then have to tell them that it might do yadayadayada, etc., and I get this look like I'm crazy.  Most people freak out when you say anything about altering the Registry and are afraid they will really mess something up.  

Comment 11

[Brian]

This bug is a dupe of so many of the same bugs it is getting crazy. It has happened for me ever since 2.0.0.0 (maybe before). 

It is most definitely NOT fixed.... Stop closing the bugs as "verified fixed"

Every other dupe (this one included) of this bug suggests deleting the ddeexec keys from the registry entries below, but this is only a temporary fix. After your Firefox installation "auto upgrades" it breaks the registry keys again!

The problem is recreated when the upgrade adds the ddeexec keys with the (default) string value of "%1",,0,0,,,,

To fix (temporary, will break again on update or reinstall), remove the ddeexec entries from the following keys:

HKCR\HTTP\shell\open
HKCR\htmlfile\shell\open
HKCR\htmlfile\shell\opennew
HKCR\ftp\shell\open
HKCR\gopher\shell\open
HKCR\https\shell\open
HKCR\FirefoxHTML\shell\open
HKCR\FirefoxURL\shell\open

(May be more keys, but this is all I could find so far)

This is a verified issue with both Windows XP and Windows Vista (all versions)

Comment 12

[Rich Shadrin]

Attachment: Another ticked off user posted this

Works every time though it is absurd that it is still needed.
Also, is it me or did FF stop recognizing long URL strings?

Comment 13

[Ken Snyder]

I agree...

I have Vista and I get this error message everytime you click on a hyperlink.

The fix reported by http://johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/firefox_bug_246078.asp

does NOT list Vista dn I don't want to modify my registry everytime I add an add-on or update.

Ken 

Comment 14

[Bert]

This bug has been filed, fixed, filed again, fixed again and then has been filed at least 8 times since. Once by me. Strangly enough, nobody from Mozilla seems to pick up these bugs, nor do they mark them as duplicates. Perhaps they are too busy with version 3 at the moment, I don't know, but I think this bug is so old it deserves a little attention at least. Especially as it seems the solution is rather obvious. A temporary but satisfying solution would be to just change the install-script so the DDE keys in the registry will not be set to the culprit values.

Comment 15

[???]

I also have the same problem and i have also tried the File Type Edit bleow,

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Windows_error_opening_Internet_shortcut_or_local_HTML_file_-_Firefox

It fixes the error once, but i keep on getting the same annoying error again and again !!!

Comment 16

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

This bug was reported on Firefox 2.x or older, which is no longer supported and will not be receiving any more updates. I strongly suggest that you update to Firefox 3.6.3 or later, update your plugins (flash, adobe, etc.), and retest in a new profile. If you still see the issue with the updated Firefox, please post here. Otherwise, please close as RESOLVED > WORKSFORME
http://www.mozilla.com
http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+profiles
http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Safe+mode

Comment 17

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

No reply, INCOMPLETE. Please retest with Firefox 3.6.x or later and a new profile (http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+profiles). If you continue to see this issue with the newest firefox and a new profile, then please comment on this bug.