"this operation has been canceled due to restrictions on this computer"

[Phil]

Vista Ultimate x64, Outlook 2003 and IE7: Whenever I click on a link in my
Outlook inbox, I receive an error message "this operation has been canceled
due to restrictions on this computer". How can I change this? It's
frustrating to have to copy and paste links into IE7. I running as the
Admin.

Thanks.

[Jesper]

Now, if you hadn't installed Firefox you wouldn't have that problem. :-)

Seriously, that's actually it. There is a conflict in which program should
handle it. To fix it you need to make IE your default browser. To do so, open
the Default Programs control panel, select "Set your default programs", and
make sure IE has all its defaults.

[Phil]

Thank you Jasper. You are correct...I did try, but without success, as it
seems you already know. Your advise worked and the PROBLEM IS FIXED! I
have searched and searched but no one has been able to help until you. You
have been very helpful. Thanks again!

[coalface]

Vista SP1, IE7, Office 2007
Same problem with both outlook and word
fix below didn't work
nor did
nor did editing the registry entry
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\htmlfile\shell\open\command]

any other ideas out there

[Jesper]

Do you have any other web browsers installed? Safari maybe? Could you dump
out the contents of the htmlfile reg key (and subkeys) and put it in the post
so we can see what it says?

[coalface]

No other browsers installed.
recovering to an old restore point didn't work (may not have had one old
enough)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\htmlfile\shell\open]
@="Open in S&ame Window"
"MUIVerb"="@ieframe.dll,-5732"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\htmlfile\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\iexplore.exe\" -nohome"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\htmlfile\shell\open\ddeexec]
@="\"file://%1\",,-1,,,,,"
"NoActivateHandler"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\htmlfile\shell\open\ddeexec\Application]
@="IExplore"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\htmlfile\shell\open\ddeexec\Topic]
@="WWW_OpenURL"

[Jesper]

That looks correct to me. Could you have a software restriction policy
installed?

Please humor me and go into the Default Programs Control Panel and set it to
use Internet Explorer as your web browser.

[coalface]

As far as I can tell IE7 is the default web browser. In "set your default
programs" it is listed at the top and says "this program has all its
defaults". There is nothing on that screen to indicate that it is not the
default (so the "Set this program as default" button seems a bit silly AND
gives no indication of a change when you press it anyway but that may all be
because I don't have any other browser installed/available - but that is not
my concern right now.)

In "set program access and computer defaults" the "microsoft" details says
web browser is "internet explorer" and email program is current program (with
outlook and mail enabled). Same for non microsoft. Custom says use current
web browser and email with access enabled.

I have also "reset internet explorer settings" and disabled "third party
browser extentions"

OK this is interesting. Something I just discovered. I wanted to try to
isolate the problem to OFFICE, as I have only seen the problem so far in
outlook and word, so I was looking around for a non office program that might
be able to launch a web browser but the first thing I bumped into was
PowerPoint (another office program) ... and I CAN launch the web browser from
PP (I entered a web address, pressed F5, then clicked the link and it
worked).

SO. IE7 is fine. Vista is fine. Powerpoint 2007 is fine. Outlook, Word and
Excel however!!!

I can also launch a web browser from Norton and Adobe Reader. Do you know of
any other standard programs I can test that might help define the scope of
the problem or is the above info enough?

I am not aware of installing any software restriction policy. Is there a way
I can check if there is one?

I have the latest Norton Internet Security and Protection Centre and up to
date definitions and Windows Defender is also up to date.

UAC is off.

Does any of that shed any light?

[Jesper]

I don't know what to say here. The error message you give indicates that you
have an error with how IE is registered. Here is a KB article discussing it:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310049/en-us.

If you have another computer I would try what the article says about
exporting the entire htmlfile key, with all sub-keys from a computer that
works and import it into this one. Beyond that, I don't know what might work.
This is not a security problem as far as I am aware, but rather a problem
with how IE is set up.

[coalface]

OK thanks for your help J
I will try exporting the reg key from another vista machine when I can lay
my hands on one but I don't hold much hope for that being the answer since it
seems to work from all applications except outlook, word and excel.
I'll also try asking on the office discussion group.
regards

[Wondering How]

I just did some desparate stuff and I made it! I've got Vista Starter -
an unheard of version I've got loaded with and the message was beginning
to drive me up the wall! Sure - IE was my default browser, but
Ctrl+Click in Word 2007 would just not work. So I sent through the
Tools section of IE7 > Internet Options > Programs > Set programs and
set IE and Outlook there. Voila! It worked! I guess you could access
the same option by going through Default Programs > Set computer access
and default programs. Apart from that I reset the advanced settings in
the Tools>Internet Options>Advanced tab, deleted all old files and
browsing history, and (the Good Lord heard me!) I was about to slam
through the entire system with a hacksaw! Best of Luck!