hyperlinks point to .exe programs

[KDLA]

Hi -
Something has happened to my computer that I'm not sure how to fix. Whenever I click on a desktop icon (that's related to an internet address) or a link in a document, such as an email message, my computer's looking in the programs folder for .exe files to open the file. I get a message saying that the file can't be found, but then Firefox opens the link whether or not I click "OK" for the "can't be found" alert. Does anyone know what is causing this, or how to fix it?

What I've done to my computer in the last 24 hours:
- installed Google, Yahoo, and MSN toolbars (had to in order to obtain screenshots for a tutorial)
- uninstalled all of these toolbars (after noticing the problem -- did not change anything)
- tried changing the addresses of some of my desktop internet shortcuts - didn't work
- doesn't happen when Firefox is already open, only when it's a brand new browser session

update -- screenshot attached

Thanks,
KDLA

[alt]

Google toolbar causes this o.O

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Windows_error_opening_Internet_shortcut_or_local_HTML_file_-_Firefox

I ended up removing and reinstalling firefox when this happened to me a long time ago.

[KDLA]

Thanks - I tried searching for something on Google, but couldn't find anything coherent, much less helpful! :p

[bradenkeithcom]

if that doesn't help just do a system restore the point before that, if the google toolbar messed up any of the registries of firefox, that should clear it up.

[alt]

Well, thats basically what that does. Shows you the REG keys to edit without having to do a restore. I am always weary of restore.

[KDLA]

Just uninstalling the toolbar did it.
I was unaware that you could have multiple instances of the toolbar installed - such as one for Fx, and another for IE. The first one I uninstalled was the version for IE. Once I uninstalled the Fx version through the Add-Ons panel in Fx, the problem was solved.