After Windows Updates, Outlook Express won't open from IE

I applied the most recent Windows XP updates this morning, after which I
cannot open Outlook Express from IE 7.0. I get the message "Windows cannot
open the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate
permissions ..." I also cannot open a mailto link from Microsoft Office,
with the message that the des\fault mail client is not properly installed.
Outlook Express will open as a stand-alone application.

How can I fix this, preferably without losing any existing emails or
address book data?

1. http://www.oehelp.com/oedef.aspx; then...

2a. http://www.oehelp.com/oelnk.aspx

2b. (WinXP) [Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs >] Set Program Access and
Defaults > Email > ...

If still no joy, see:

SendTo and E-mail Links Do Not Work Using Outlook Express as Default
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=306098

Microsoft Outlook updates change the default mail handler to Microsoft
Outlook
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#13

DefaultMail v2.1
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/defaultmail.htm
--
OE-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsof...xpress.general

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)



Whamo_SC wrote:
> I applied the most recent Windows XP updates this morning, after which I
> cannot open Outlook Express from IE 7.0. I get the message "Windows
> cannot
> open the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate
> permissions ..." I also cannot open a mailto link from Microsoft Office,
> with the message that the des\fault mail client is not properly installed.
> Outlook Express will open as a stand-alone application.
>
> How can I fix this, preferably without losing any existing emails or
> address book data?

"Whamo_SC" <> schrieb:

>I applied the most recent Windows XP updates this morning, after which I
> cannot open Outlook Express from IE 7.0. I get the message "Windows cannot
> open the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate
> permissions ..."

Hm, which "security applications" are running in the background on your
machine even while installing updates?

You haven't "moved" the Program Files folder onto another partition than
the system's one, did you?

Bye,
Freudi

I was running Zone Alarm Pro and AVG antivirus when the updates took place.
The problem is associated with Zone Alarm, because when I end Zone Alarm the
problem goes away. However, I cannot find out what module Zone Alarm is
blocking, in order to change its permissions. I'm still looking for a
solution.

Thanks. Your question led me to turn off Zone Alarm to see if the problem
went away, so now I have a clue to work with.

"Ottmar Freudenberger" wrote:

> "Whamo_SC" <> schrieb:
>
> >I applied the most recent Windows XP updates this morning, after which I
> > cannot open Outlook Express from IE 7.0. I get the message "Windows cannot
> > open the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate
> > permissions ..."
>
> Hm, which "security applications" are running in the background on your
> machine even while installing updates?
>
> You haven't "moved" the Program Files folder onto another partition than
> the system's one, did you?
>
> Bye,
> Freudi
>

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried them all, without success, before
discovering that Zone Alarm appears to be blocking an updated module. My
problem now is to determine which module is being blocked.

"PA Bear" wrote:

> 1. http://www.oehelp.com/oedef.aspx; then...
>
> 2a. http://www.oehelp.com/oelnk.aspx
>
> 2b. (WinXP) [Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs >] Set Program Access and
> Defaults > Email > ...
>
> If still no joy, see:
>
> SendTo and E-mail Links Do Not Work Using Outlook Express as Default
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=306098
>
> Microsoft Outlook updates change the default mail handler to Microsoft
> Outlook
> http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#13
>
> DefaultMail v2.1
> http://windowsxp.mvps.org/defaultmail.htm
> --
> OE-specific newsgroup:
> news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsof...xpress.general
>
> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
>
>
>
> Whamo_SC wrote:
> > I applied the most recent Windows XP updates this morning, after which I
> > cannot open Outlook Express from IE 7.0. I get the message "Windows
> > cannot
> > open the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate
> > permissions ..." I also cannot open a mailto link from Microsoft Office,
> > with the message that the des\fault mail client is not properly installed.
> > Outlook Express will open as a stand-alone application.
> >
> > How can I fix this, preferably without losing any existing emails or
> > address book data?
>
>

SOLUTION -- As a result of the Windows Update, Zone Alarm had reset the trust
level for Windows Explorer to the lowest level, preventing it from opening
external applications. Increasing the ZA trust level resolved the problem.

"Whamo_SC" wrote:

> I applied the most recent Windows XP updates this morning, after which I
> cannot open Outlook Express from IE 7.0. I get the message "Windows cannot
> open the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate
> permissions ..." I also cannot open a mailto link from Microsoft Office,
> with the message that the des\fault mail client is not properly installed.
> Outlook Express will open as a stand-alone application.
>
> How can I fix this, preferably without losing any existing emails or
> address book data?

ZA Free or Pro, please?

Whamo_SC wrote:
> SOLUTION -- As a result of the Windows Update, Zone Alarm had reset the
> trust level for Windows Explorer to the lowest level, preventing it from
> opening external applications. Increasing the ZA trust level resolved the
> problem.
>
> "Whamo_SC" wrote:
>
>> I applied the most recent Windows XP updates this morning, after which I
>> cannot open Outlook Express from IE 7.0. I get the message "Windows
>> cannot
>> open the specified device, path or file. You may not have the
>> appropriate
>> permissions ..." I also cannot open a mailto link from Microsoft Office,
>> with the message that the des\fault mail client is not properly
>> installed.
>> Outlook Express will open as a stand-alone application.
>>
>> How can I fix this, preferably without losing any existing emails or
>> address book data?

ZA Pro

"PA Bear" wrote:

> ZA Free or Pro, please?
>
> Whamo_SC wrote:
> > SOLUTION -- As a result of the Windows Update, Zone Alarm had reset the
> > trust level for Windows Explorer to the lowest level, preventing it from
> > opening external applications. Increasing the ZA trust level resolved the
> > problem.
> >
> > "Whamo_SC" wrote:
> >
> >> I applied the most recent Windows XP updates this morning, after which I
> >> cannot open Outlook Express from IE 7.0. I get the message "Windows
> >> cannot
> >> open the specified device, path or file. You may not have the
> >> appropriate
> >> permissions ..." I also cannot open a mailto link from Microsoft Office,
> >> with the message that the des\fault mail client is not properly
> >> installed.
> >> Outlook Express will open as a stand-alone application.
> >>
> >> How can I fix this, preferably without losing any existing emails or
> >> address book data?
>
>

Others have found that disabling ZA Pro *prior* to installing the update
avoids this problem.
--
~PA Bear

Whamo_SC wrote:
> ZA Pro
>
> "PA Bear" wrote:
>
>> ZA Free or Pro, please?
>>
>> Whamo_SC wrote:
>>> SOLUTION -- As a result of the Windows Update, Zone Alarm had reset the
>>> trust level for Windows Explorer to the lowest level, preventing it from
>>> opening external applications. Increasing the ZA trust level resolved
>>> the
>>> problem.
>>>
>>> "Whamo_SC" wrote:
>>>
>>>> I applied the most recent Windows XP updates this morning, after which
>>>> I
>>>> cannot open Outlook Express from IE 7.0. I get the message "Windows
>>>> cannot
>>>> open the specified device, path or file. You may not have the
>>>> appropriate
>>>> permissions ..." I also cannot open a mailto link from Microsoft
>>>> Office,
>>>> with the message that the des\fault mail client is not properly
>>>> installed.
>>>> Outlook Express will open as a stand-alone application.
>>>>
>>>> How can I fix this, preferably without losing any existing emails or
>>>> address book data?