Member Avatar for Zeki

Hi everyone,
Running: Windows 7 Professional (64 bit), MS Office 2010, IE 9.08.... since I bought the laptop in September and have made no software modifications at all.

Having a really annoying problem. Have searched web and here. Whilst sismilar issues are out there, I can't find one the same as mine.

When I try to follow hyperlinks in MS Word (including links in TOCs) or PDF documents I get the follwing error message:
"This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Pls contact your system administrator.

I don't have any problems following hyperlinks from IE itself and can surf without any problems and IE is already set as the default (I don't have other brwsers).

Solutions on the web seem to realte to MS Outlook or to having set a browser other than IE as the default and relate to changing the registry.

Because I use this machine for work I did not want to risk changing the registry without getting some confirmation as to what to exactly do. Plus I don't understand how following a link in a TOC in the same document relates to an IE setting.

One solution presented on the web call for the data value of the following key,
HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Classes\htmlfile\shell\open\command, to be set to "htmlfile"

The value for this key on my machine is:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" -nohome

Another solution says that the data value of HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\ Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StartMenu\StartMenu\Cascade\ControlPanel\Policy\ NoControlPanel, should be set to "0"

The value for this key on my machine is: "(value not set)"

Obviously I am happy to make a registry change to fix the problem but need to know exactly what to do. If the first solution is correct then do I just delete the entire value and replace it with "htmlfile".

Your assistance will be greately appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Zeki

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Generated

's follow-up confirms that returning the system's program-access defaults to the Windows default resolved the hyperlink failures in both Word and PDF files. That outcome points strongly to a corrupted or misregistered URL/file-association or a third-party component that had altered the system handlers rather than a problem inside IE itself.

How this typically happens: Office apps and PDF viewers hand hyperlink requests off to the Windows shell so whatever is registered for HTTP/HTML protocols or file types is used. When that registration is missing, points at an invalid command, or is blocked by Group Policy/security software, Windows reports "This operation has been cancelled...". Internal jumps (TOC/bookmark links) can also be affected when a document's hyperlink base or link resolution ends up routed through the same handler chain, which explains why TOC links behaved the same as external links.

A practical checklist for anyone seeing the same symptom:

  • Confirm system-wide vs per-user by testing a different Windows account or the built-in Administrator.
  • Repair Office and the PDF reader from their installers so they re-register hyperlink handling.
  • Run sfc /scannow to fix corrupted system components.
  • Perform a clean boot to reveal third-party utilities that may reset defaults at startup.
  • Check for domain Group Policy or security-suite settings that lock or override default apps.
  • If comfortable with advanced fixes, back up the registry first, then verify that protocol/file-type handlers point to an existing browser executable; avoid registry edits if unsure.

A note on the UI: seeing the Default Programs UI revert to "custom" while links remain fixed can mean the surface setting display differs from the actual handler registration. Persistent recurrence usually indicates a startup program, security product, or domain policy is reapplying changes. Back up before making registry edits and consult the network admin on managed machines.

Member Avatar for Zeki

Hi everyone,

I found a fix for my problem and thought I'd put it here in case anyone else had the same issue. Please note I am running Windows 7 Pro (64 bit).

  1. Go to: Control Panel\Default Programs\Set Program Access and Computer defaults
  2. Click on: Microsoft Windows (mine was originally set to "custom").
  3. Click on: OK

This worked for me.

For some reason though after restart the setting goes back to "custom" but the issue does not come back.

Cheers
Zeki

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