HTM files do not open

  • Thread starter Thread starter Philip K
  • Start date Start date
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Philip K

Hi Everybody,
1. I have Vista Home Premium and Internet Explorer v 8. I never set
anything about users or administrators since I am the only one using this
computer.
2. I have many old graphics tutorials in HTM format which I downloaded some
years ago when I was using Windows 98. They opened in Windows 98.
3. I can't open them with Vista. If I use FILE > OPEN in Internet
Explorer, I get the HTML code. If I double click on the file in Windows
Explorer, I get a message saying that Windows Internet Explorer is not
responding.
4. I have a similar problem with HTM files which I have recently
downloaded from the internet news groups.
Are there some settings or updates to correct this problem.
Thanking you.
Phil
 
Hi,
Thanks for the comments.
I'll give them a try. I believe that Windows Live Mail is virtually
the same as OE.
Phil
 
I'm bemused at the mention of OE and WLM. Yes WLM is a later version of OE.
But we were talking about IE.

I had another thought - reinstall IE 8.
 
Hi Everybody,
1. I have Vista Home Premium and Internet Explorer v 8. I never set
anything about users or administrators since I am the only one using this
computer.
2. I have many old graphics tutorials in HTM format which I downloaded some
years ago when I was using Windows 98. They opened in Windows 98.
3. I can't open them with Vista. If I use FILE > OPEN in Internet Explorer,
I get the HTML code. If I double click on the file in Windows Explorer, I
get a message saying that Windows Internet Explorer is not responding.
4. I have a similar problem with HTM files which I have recently downloaded
from the internet news groups.
Are there some settings or updates to correct this problem.
Thanking you.
Phil
Click to expand...

It should have nothing to do with the extension: .htm works fine here,
either by double clicking on a file or by opening from within IE. That
is what I expected, but just to be sure I ran the experiment just now,
and it worked.

Here are my opinions:

There are possibly settings relating to the htm file extension that are
messed up. Look in the registry at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htm and make sure
it looks like its sibling HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.html.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.html\OpenWithList is probably not important,
however.

Also make sure HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\IE.text/html is OK (I have no idea how
to do that!)

I can't found anything relevant in IE's settings, but perhaps there are
setting problems there too.

You might also play with the Open With dialog. In Windows Explorer,
right click on an htm file and select Open With, then Choose Default
Program.

The above is all based on the assumption that .html works OK.
 
Hi Everybody,
1.  I have Vista Home Premium and Internet Explorer v 8.  I never set
anything about users or administrators since I am the only one using this
computer.
2.  I have many old graphics tutorials in HTM format which I downloadedsome
years ago when I was using Windows 98.  They opened in Windows 98.
3.  I can't open them with Vista.  If I use FILE > OPEN in Internet
Explorer, I get the HTML code.  If I double click on the file in Windows
Explorer, I get a message saying that Windows Internet Explorer is not
responding.
4.  I have a similar  problem with HTM files which I have recently
downloaded from the internet news groups.
        Are there some settings or updates to correct this problem.
           Thanking you.
Phil
Click to expand...

If you saved Internet web pages as HTM files, it is more likely that
references within the HTM files are no longer available. Just because
they used to open doesn't mean they always will because HTM files have
references to pictures or scripts or other site-specific information
that is NOT stored within an HTM.

Saving pages from the Internet as HTM is not the recommended method to
save what you want to keep.

Internet Explorer (I believe since version 6) has had the option to
save as a Web Archive file which creates an MHT file containing a
snapshot of whatever web page you are viewing. This is not much help
at this point, however.

jimbo
 
Hi Gene,
Thanks.
I'll look around in the Registry. Well, I'll look if I can work up the
nerve.
Phil
 
Hi Gene,
Thanks.
I'll look around in the Registry. Well, I'll look if I can work up the
nerve.
Phil
Click to expand...

The open-with idea is quite safe...

Note that anything you change in the registry is saved instantly, so
don't change anything, if you are not comfortable. The safest thing is
to look but don't change :-)

You could go to the registry items I mentioned, export them as .txt
files, and copy & paste the *contents* of those files into a post for
people here to look at. Preferably in this thread, for continuity.

I say copy and paste because attachments don't work in the newsgroups,
but instead of copying the text into a post, you could place the files
on a web site and post a link to the files, if that's convenient for
you.

In detail:
Open regedit.exe

Select HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htm

Click on File -> Save as, choose the Text Files (*.txt) type, browse to
a convenient place to save it, and give it a nice name.

Repeat for the .html type.
 
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