[wteague]

Can't create URL shortcuts on Desktop or Folders. (Vista Ultimate)

When I try by dragging and droping from a browser or using New Shorcut and pasting the url, or Create in IE7, all I get is a shortcut that brings up a file on my computer - but no URL link.

Symptoms: Most importantly, the Properties does not show a Web Documents tab. The shortcut on the desktop looks generic, with my broswer icon small and in the center of a plain white square.

So apparently Vista is not creating a web link.

This is on my desktop with Vista Ultimate. I beleive it was OK some months ago, but don't know when it stopped working.
My Laptop with Vista Professional works fine. The dragged and dropped icons there show properly and do have the Web Document tab.

I have installed a hotfix from Microsoft and edited the Registry as they recommended. No change.

I've searched the web with Google using various terms, but no good results.

Can anyone help?

[Elvandil]

Do you have any other browsers?

[wteague]

No, I only have IE7 and Firefox at the moment. Do you think the failure to create Web Shortcuts (no Web Document tab, etc.) is caused by one of my browsers? What do you suggest?

[Elvandil]

Which browser is set to be the default? Are all the browser porotocols associated with a single browser? What icon do internet shortcuts have?

[wteague]

Elvandil

Which browser is set to be the default? Are all the browser porotocols associated with a single browser? What icon do internet shortcuts have?

My default Browser is Firefox.
I believe all protocals are set to Firefox except for .mht and .mhtml which are associated with IE7.

When I drag and drop from any browser, use Create shortcut in IE7 or Right-Click and New, Shortcut and past the URL from the Desktop, all of these produce the same icon:

The icon is a square white sheet with a small fold at the top right. Seems flatter and smaller than the URL icon in my laptop running Vista Pro which works and has the Web Document tab. Also, the icon has a small logo for Firefox centered and about 1 third from the bottom. This is also different than the one on my laptop which has a larger logo which is at the left bottom of the icon that works.

Walter

[Jacee]

So, if you right click somewhere on the web page and choose to create a shortcut, it won't save to the desktop?

[wteague]

When I do that, it will create shortcut, but not one that works. Instead the shortcut only takes you to the file saved in the Temp directory. This seems to be because there is no web link or field in the shortcut. The evidence of something wrong in the construction of the shortcut, is that the tab labeled "Web Document" is missing. I compared it with my other computers and the links there, no matter how created, all had this tab "Web Document" if the address was to a url. Does that make it clearer.

[wteague]

I found a Solution to inability to create Web shortcuts and the missing "Web Document" tab in shortcut Properties:

After extensive search of the Interned and questioning various technicians, finally one Microsoft tech solved the problem.

The problem (in Vista Ultimate) was that shortcuts to internet links could not be created. No matter how a shortcut to a web link was created, it would not work. Shortcuts created by any of the many possible ways to create a web link on the desktop, etc., all did not work. And they all were missing the "Web Document" tab in Properties.

A Microsoft tech name Richi said to open MS Internet Explorer, go to Tools (bring up the Menu Bar by right clicking on the area above the web page if necessary), Internet Options, click on the Advanced tab, and then at the bottom right, click on Reset... and then Reset. This will reset Internet Explorer settings to:
Disable browser add-ons.
Delete browser history.
Reset user customizations.
Apply Manufacturers settings.
Then click on Close and OK

Close and reopen MSIE and if this has worked, now the web linked shortcuts should all now have an icon with a larger logo of E (for IE) and their Properties should show a "Web Documents" tab.

So now, dragging and dropping web links, creating new shortcuts, etc. all should work.

Walter

[wteague]

I found a Solution to inability to create Web shortcuts and the missing "Web Document" tab in shortcut Properties:

After extensive search of the Interned and questioning various technicians, finally one Microsoft tech solved the problem.

The problem (in Vista Ultimate) was that shortcuts to internet links could not be created. No matter how a shortcut to a web link was created, it would not work. Shortcuts created by any of the many possible ways to create a web link on the desktop, etc., all did not work. And they all were missing the "Web Document" tab in Properties.

A Microsoft tech name Richi said to open MS Internet Explorer, go to Tools (bring up the Menu Bar by right clicking on the area above the web page if necessary), Internet Options, click on the Advanced tab, and then at the bottom right, click on Reset... and then Reset. This will reset Internet Explorer settings to:
Disable browser add-ons.
Delete browser history.
Reset user customizations.
Apply Manufacturers settings.
Then click on Close and OK

Close and reopen MSIE and if this has worked, now the web linked shortcuts should all now have an icon with a larger logo of E (for IE) and their Properties should show a "Web Documents" tab.

So now, dragging and dropping web links, creating new shortcuts, etc. all should work.

Walter

[Jacee]

I have Vista Ultimate and I haven't experienced the problem you had...
I'm glad you found the solution, tho'

[rtrudeau]

I have Explorer, I use Windows XP Professional; I have the same problem. I have tried the reset as suggested by wteague, but it has not worked for me.

I'm still looking for a solution to this problem

[Rollin' Rog]

Internet Explorer must be your default browser to do that.

If IE is your default and you still have the problem, use the URL shortcut fix on this page to reset your file association >>

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

[wteague]

Rolling' Rog is correct. I had to switch my default browser from Firefox - which I much prefer as more user friendly - to MSIE, and then do the resetting.

Afterwards, I reset the default to Firefox!

wteague

[Rollin' Rog]

Why set Firefox as the default?

I use Opera and Firefox both, but still leave IE as the default.

For day to day use, it makes no difference in how the browser behaves exept when you open email and shortcut links.