General Failure Error with Firefox
I've created a simple registry import that fixes the "General Failure" error when clicking links from other applications (like Outlook) or loading url's from a run line. Get the script here:
firefoxFix.reg(right-click, save, and rename the file to firefoxFix.reg after downloading it then double click it to import it into your registry).
Now hopefully you are a savvy internet user and don't just go randomly importing registry settings from any tom dick or harry on the web, so feel free to take a look at the file and see that it's contents are pretty innocuous. Basically, this registry import does what is recommended by mozillazine knowledge base, instead of deleting the offending registry keys, it just blanks them out. You can find the mozillazine article here:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Windows_error_opening_Internet_shortcut_or_local_HTML_file_-_Firefox
I'm a little disappointed with Firefox on this one. This problem has been around for awhile, and 2.0.0.7 doesn't fix it. Also, they recommend you go through a hairy 9 step process in windows explorer to fix it! - unless you have Vista, in which case you need to edit the registry. Never mind that the same registry fix works for XP, and is MUCH easier than the aforementioned 9 step process they enumerate for XP. Never mind they could have just had you download a registry import script like the one I've created. Never mind they could have just fixed it in 2.0.0.7. Oh well, at least I have a simple script to fix this problem. I wonder - how many people go back to setting IE as their default browser because of this annoying problem?
firefoxFix.reg(right-click, save, and rename the file to firefoxFix.reg after downloading it then double click it to import it into your registry).
Now hopefully you are a savvy internet user and don't just go randomly importing registry settings from any tom dick or harry on the web, so feel free to take a look at the file and see that it's contents are pretty innocuous. Basically, this registry import does what is recommended by mozillazine knowledge base, instead of deleting the offending registry keys, it just blanks them out. You can find the mozillazine article here:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Windows_error_opening_Internet_shortcut_or_local_HTML_file_-_Firefox
I'm a little disappointed with Firefox on this one. This problem has been around for awhile, and 2.0.0.7 doesn't fix it. Also, they recommend you go through a hairy 9 step process in windows explorer to fix it! - unless you have Vista, in which case you need to edit the registry. Never mind that the same registry fix works for XP, and is MUCH easier than the aforementioned 9 step process they enumerate for XP. Never mind they could have just had you download a registry import script like the one I've created. Never mind they could have just fixed it in 2.0.0.7. Oh well, at least I have a simple script to fix this problem. I wonder - how many people go back to setting IE as their default browser because of this annoying problem?

