A link that has a specified target always opens in a new window if Internet Explorer is the startup program in a Terminal Services session or the shell for the operating system (837247)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer (Programming) 6 (SP1), when used with:
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows XP
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer (Programming) version 6.0

Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you click a link that has a specified target in Microsoft Internet Explorer, a new window always opens even if the target window is already open. This only occurs if Internet Explorer is the shell for the operating system or if Internet Explorer is the startup program in a Terminal Services session.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you create a new window in Internet Explorer, but you do not set the WindowName variable.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, download and install the fix that is provided in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 840530. Then make the registry modification described in this section.

For additional information about how to do this, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

840530 You cannot gain access to linked Web pages from a Web site that you access through a desktop shortcut in Internet Explorer Service Pack 1



After you install hotfix 840530, make the following modification to the registry to apply this fix.

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
  2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\

  3. If the FEATURE_SHELLWINDOWSWITHOUTEXPLORER subkey does not exist under FeatureControl, right-click FeatureControl, point to New, click Key, type FEATURE_SHELLWINDOWSWITHOUTEXPLORER, and then press ENTER.
  4. Right-click FEATURE_SHELLWINDOWSWITHOUTEXPLORER, point to New, click DWORD Value, type iexplore.exe, and then press ENTER.
  5. Right-click iexplore.exe, click Modify, in the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
Note Because the hotfix that is described in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) article 837247 contains a more recent version of Shdocvw.dll and Browseui.dll, you may experience the problem that is described in 811630 after you install this hotfix on a computer that has not had an Internet Explorer cumulative security update installed since the February 2003 Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (810847).

For additional information about how to resolve this problem, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

811630 HTML help update to limit functionality when it is invoked with the window.showHelp method

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to reproduce the problem

  1. Create the following HTML page:

    <html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<a target="newWindow" href="http://www.microsoft.com/">Microsoft</a>
<a target="newWindow"  href="http://www.msn.com">MSN</a>
</body>
</html>
  2. Set up your Windows 2000-based Terminal Server to use Internet Explorer as the startup program, and then set the HTML page that you created in step 1 as the home page.
  3. Log on to the Terminal Server. Internet Explorer is the only window that opens.
  4. Click both links on your home page.


Typically, you have only two windows. One window for the home page and another window that contains the link that you clicked in the first window.

If you set Internet Explorer as the startup program on the Terminal Server, a new window opens every time instead of refreshing the same target window. This behavior also occurs when Internet Explorer is set as the shell for the operating system.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:11/1/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbQFE kbIE600sp2fix kbIE600preSP2fix kbfix kbbug KB837247 kbAudDeveloper
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