Error Message Typing Address in Address Box or in Open Box (221085)

RESOLUTION

To confirm that the AutoComplete feature is causing the problem, disable AutoComplete:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Internet.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Click to clear the Use inline AutoComplete for Web address check box and the Use inline AutoComplete in Windows Explorer check box.
4. Click OK.

If you can now type a Web address (URL) in the Internet Explorer Address box or you can now type a command in the Open box after clicking Run on the Start menu, the problem is most likely a damaged History folder. To eliminate a damaged History folder:

Windows 95/Windows 98

1. Click Start, click Shut Down, click Restart in MS-DOS mode, and then click OK.
2. At the command prompt, type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each command, and pressing Y if you are prompted to confirm folder deletion:

   cd\windows
   deltree history
   exit

After you complete the above steps, re-enable the AutoComplete feature:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Internet.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. In the Browsing section, click to select the Use inline AutoComplete for Web address check box and the Use inline AutoComplete in Windows Explorer check box.
4. Click OK.

Windows NT 4.0

1. Log on to the default Administrator account on the local computer.
2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, and then click Task Manager.
4. On the Processes tab, click Explorer.exe, and then click End Task.
5. On the Applications tab, switch to Cmd.exe.
6. At the command prompt, type cd\winnt\profiles\username\history, and then press ENTER.
7. Type attrib -r -a -s -h *.*, and then press ENTER.
8. Type del *.*, and then press ENTER.
9. Type explorer, and then press ENTER to restart the shell.
10. Start Windows NT Explorer and locate the Winnt\Profiles\Username\History folder. You should see a file named MSHistxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, where xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx is numeric characters.
11. Send this file to the Recycle Bin.
12. On the Processes tab in Task Manager, click Explorer.exe, and then click End Task.
13. On the Applications tab, switch to Cmd.exe.
14. Type cd\winnt\profiles\username, and then press ENTER.
15. Type rd history, and then press ENTER.
16. The History folder is deleted; type explorer to restart the shell.

After you complete the above steps, re-enable the AutoComplete feature:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Internet.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. In the Browsing section, click to select the Use inline AutoComplete for Web address check box and the Use inline AutoComplete in Windows Explorer check box.
4. Click OK.

Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0

To delete your own History folder if you have administrative rights:

1. Log on as a user with administrative rights. If the built in Administrator account has a problem with the History folder, create a new user account and make this user a member of the Administrators group.
2. In Windows Explorer, locate the profile of the account with the problem. In Windows NT 4.0, locate the %SystemRoot\Profiles\Username\History folder. In Windows 2000, locate the Documents and Settings\Username\Local Settings\History folder.
3. Right-click the History folder, and then click Delete.
4. When you receive a prompt to confirm that you want to delete the History folder, click Yes.