Error with windows xp pro sp 2 and outlook 2003 standard

when you click on a link with "mailto:" at first it would open like 64 blank pages of internet explorer. I have messed with the registary enough that now it just gives me the error
"Could not perform the operation because the default mail client is not installed properly"

I have tried reinstalling outlook (well doing a repair) I have tried messing w/ the registry but I haven't found anything that works. Ideas?

Sorry to hear about your problem. No brilliant ideas I'm afraid, other than to say that mailto: invokes your default email application. Since that's Outlook and it appears to be poorly, migt it be worth trying to install a different email app, perhaps one of the excellent public domain ones. Usually when they install they ask whether you want to make them your default email client so you should be able to get mailto: working again that way. After that, it sounds like Outlook might need to be reinstalled

does it happen with a single, specific mailto:: link only or did you try links on other sites?

As you've probably discovered, the registry locations linked with "mailto:" are:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\mailto\shell\open\command
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\

You may want to go through these and try to tidy things up. If you want to retain Outlook, you will probably need to do a complete uninstall before reinstalling it. If you feel it's time to change, you could take up the Bishop's advice and try something like Mozilla Thunderbird . I use it as my main email client and it's very good.

uninstalling and reinstalling is a very bad idea, there are abou 21 people that use that computer (only have have e-mail) because it is a fire station they have 1 computer they share between the guys. However the only profile that is having problems is the fire CHIEF and he expects it to be working a long time ago, heh.

This happens to all mailto: applications, and it is driving me nuts!

thanks for the help guys!

anyone else have any ideas? Driving me nuts.