WD98: System Beep Is Heard or Menu Bar Flashes When You Click Hyperlink (256162)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 for Macintosh
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Macintosh
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 for Macintosh
  • Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition
This article was previously published under Q256162

SYMPTOMS

In a Word 98 document, when you click a hyperlink, the default browser may not open to the site of the hyperlink. Instead, you may hear an alert sound, or the menu bar may flash.

CAUSE

Word 98, Internet Explorer 4.5, and Outlook Express 5.01 all access some of the same OLE registration files. These three programs use the First Run Install (FRI) process when they are started the first time in order to install necessary files and register with files that are currently installed. If Word 98 is running when Internet Explorer 4.5 or Outlook Express 5.01 is started for the first time, Word 98 tries to write information to files that are currently in use. This may damage the files.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

  1. Quit all programs.Open the Extensions folder, which is in the System folder, located in the hard disk drive.Locate and drag to the trash the Microsoft Structured Storage file, and then close the Extensions folder.Open the Preferences folder. Locate and drag to the trash the Office 98 Registration Cache, and then close the Preferences folder.Close all folders and start Word.

    NOTE: The First Run Install process is invoked when the Extensions and Preferences files that were just removed are detected as missing. This inserts a fresh copy of the Microsoft files.
  2. Open the Extensions folder, which is in the System folder, located in the hard disk drive.Locate and drag to the trash the Microsoft Structured Storage file, and then close the Extensions folder.Open the Preferences folder. Locate and drag to the trash the Office 98 Registration Cache, and then close the Preferences folder.Close all folders and start Word.

    NOTE: The First Run Install process is invoked when the Extensions and Preferences files that were just removed are detected as missing. This inserts a fresh copy of the Microsoft files.
  3. Locate and drag to the trash the Microsoft Structured Storage file, and then close the Extensions folder.Open the Preferences folder. Locate and drag to the trash the Office 98 Registration Cache, and then close the Preferences folder.Close all folders and start Word.

    NOTE: The First Run Install process is invoked when the Extensions and Preferences files that were just removed are detected as missing. This inserts a fresh copy of the Microsoft files.
  4. Open the Preferences folder. Locate and drag to the trash the Office 98 Registration Cache, and then close the Preferences folder.Close all folders and start Word.

    NOTE: The First Run Install process is invoked when the Extensions and Preferences files that were just removed are detected as missing. This inserts a fresh copy of the Microsoft files.
  5. Close all folders and start Word.

    NOTE: The First Run Install process is invoked when the Extensions and Preferences files that were just removed are detected as missing. This inserts a fresh copy of the Microsoft files.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem also can occur if the default browser is Netscape Navigator and either Outlook Express 5 or Internet Explorer 4.5 is started when Word is open.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/13/2003
Keywords:kbbug KB256162
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