# Links aren't working on my computer. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 24, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963 "2003-04-24T22:32:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/1 "2003-04-24T22:32:03Z")
I recently reinstalled Windows 98 (Yeah, I’m still usin’ it) and something weird’s happening: I noticed that I when I click on someone’s else’s posted http links, the new window will appear, but not the new web page information. Now, if I right click on the link and go to the Properties tab and find out the http: myself, and cut and paste it into the address bar of the new window, the new web page DOES appear. It seems I can navigate pages within any given website fine, but not when I try to go to links outside it. Um, what’s up with that? How do I fix this? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/2 "2003-04-24T22:44:37Z")
This is not a solution but an alternative/way to ‘debug’ the problem - Try holding the shift key when you click. [here is a working link to try it on](http://news.bbc.co.uk) Windows 98 is the Best ‘home user’ microsoft OS other than XP. (in other words it’s better than 95 and ME) ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/3 "2003-04-24T22:47:56Z")
It just occured to me - **The links could be to other pages on the SDMB. If that is the case then the empty browser window could be due to the slowness of the boards** Do the blank pages show any evidence that they are loading something? (is there a blue bar in the status bar. Does the status bar say something like ‘opening [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb)’) ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/4 "2003-04-24T23:07:44Z")
Lobsang: OK, I tried the shift key + mouse click. Sorry. Didn’t work. Interestingly, no – the blue bar in the empty new window always says “Microsoft Internet Explorer.” When I try and right-click in the empty window, nothing happens, so I can’t “refresh” or go to “properties.” This problem has been going on ever since I reinstalled Win98 and on EVERY website I’ve gone on the last two days, so it’s not exclusive the SDMB by any means. Also, I have a cable modem so the slowness of the boards is a relatively minor problem to me. Again: I can click on the link, and nothing will happen. I can click + press ‘shift’ and nothing will happen. I can right click and choose ‘open in new window’ and nothing will happen. But if I get the Http: from the Properties tab and cut and paste it into the address bar, I can get to the link THAT way. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/5 "2003-04-24T23:15:22Z")
There is an option somewhere called (start new browser windows in a new process) What you are doing when you open a new browser is starting up a seperate ‘process’ for it. But when you click a link you are using the same process, even if a new window appears. Try to find the option ‘start new browser windows in a new process’ and set it to on. It is probably in internet explorer options (in the control panel) ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/6 "2003-04-24T23:19:24Z")
I cannot find it in internet explorer options but it is in ‘folder options’ it is in the ‘view’ tab and it is called ‘Launch folder windows in a seperate process’ Try checking that box and see if that helps. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/7 "2003-04-24T23:36:23Z")
I went to Start\Settings\Folder Options\View\Advanced Settings… and did not see a ‘Launch folder windows’ option there or in the other two tabs. Are you sure Win98 has it? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/8 "2003-04-24T23:40:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Askia \* > \*\*I went to Start\Settings\Folder Options\View\Advanced Settings… and did not see a ‘Launch folder windows’ option there or in the other two tabs. Are you sure Win98 has it? \*\* It’s in Internet Properties, (right-click the blue e on your desktop) Advanced tab. It’s called Reuse windows for launching shortcuts ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/9 "2003-04-24T23:41:50Z")
It might be called something different. Look for the word ‘process’. Also, try the internet explorer options as well. Where is **Q.E.D.** when you need him? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/10 "2003-04-24T23:45:32Z")
No that’s not it **gotpasswords** that does something else (something undesireable) don’t do that **Askia** (it uses windows that you might have been viewing something else in, for the link you click. if it is turned on you are prone to losing pages that you are viewing) ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/11 "2003-04-24T23:45:32Z")
gotpasswords: Found it. But it was already checked. Lobsang: ‘Process.’ I’ll go look… ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/12 "2003-04-24T23:55:22Z")
It might help to uncheck ‘reuse browser windows’ ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/13 "2003-04-24T23:57:25Z")
I’m not seeing anything under the browers section of Internet Options using the word ‘process…’ or the whole tab for that matter… There are 15 options in the ‘browers’ section and all but 5 are X’d: Disable script debugging, display a notification about every script error, Enable folder for FTP sites, Notify when downloads complete and Show friendly URLs are NOT X’d. Should I go back and UN-click ‘Reuse windows for launching shortcuts’? ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/14 "2003-04-24T23:58:51Z")
Heh. Okay. It’s unchecked. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/15 "2003-04-25T00:02:39Z")
Did unchecking it solve the problem? If it turns out not to be the new process thing then it might be a problem with the setup of your cable modem (although that is unlikely as your method of getting the pages works) Try re-installing internet explorer. What version are you running? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/16 "2003-04-25T00:06:50Z")
Someone called? Ok, let’s start with a fresh slate, so to speak. Go to Tools \> Internet Options \> Advanced Tab and click Restore Defaults. That will put everything back the way it came out of the box, and hopefully fix the problem. If not, we’ll take it from there. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/17 "2003-04-25T00:09:36Z")
No, it didn’t solve it and I’m using IE 5.5 and this is SOOOO ANNOYING!!! Plus, “Friends” is on. Ladies and Gentlemen (particularly **Lobsang** ) I am Taking A Break From This Crap, yet I plan to Return Refreshed And Ready To Retry… Later. Later. But if you have any suggestions… ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/18 "2003-04-25T00:10:42Z")
Wait! **QED** is here??? Okay. Here we go… ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/19 "2003-04-25T00:12:27Z")
Defaults didn’t work. Next? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963/20 "2003-04-25T00:14:43Z")
Are you running any popup blockers by any chance? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/links-arent-working-on-my-computer/170963.md?page=2)