Sometimes, when you click on an internet shortcut or double click on a local HTML file, Windows gives error — Windows cannot find [URL or path to file]. This error is caused by Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) feature of Windows. You can disable DDE for HTTP/HTTPS protocols and the HTML files to fix this error. Here is how :
- Press the keyboard combination Windows logo key + R to bring up the Run dialog.
- Type regedit in the Run dialog and press Enter.
- In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key,
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTHTTPshellopen
- Select the ddeexec subkey and press the Delete key on your keyboard to delete it.
- Similarly, delete the ddeexec subkeys under the following Registry branches too :
- HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTHTTPSshellopenddeexec
- HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTFirefoxURLshellopenddeexec
- HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTFirefoxHTMLshellopenddeexec
- You will find that Firefox is now able to open the internet shortcuts and the local HTML files.