Internet Explorer Error Returned: Cannot Find File 'C\Program'

• Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 3.0, 3.01 for Windows NT 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When you install Internet Explorer 3.0 and select Windows Messaging as the mail service to use, you may receive the following error message while browsing the Internet, clicking the Mail button, or selecting the Read Mail option:

   Cannot find the file 'C:\Program'

CAUSE

Internet Explorer cannot read past the space in C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Windows Messaging\Exchng32.exe located in the registry under:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   Key Name:          SOFTWARE\Clients\mail\Exchange\shell\open\command
     Name:            <NO NAME>
     Type:            REG_SZ
     Data:            C:\PROGRA~1\WINDOW~1\WINDOW~1\exchng32.exe

RESOLUTION

You may use either of the following resolutions:

• Install the mail client into a location with an MS-DOS name.

  This kind of name follows the convention of using a root name that consists of eight characters or less. An MS-DOS name does not contain spaces.

• Change the Data value so there are quotation marks around the path, as in the following example:

        "C:\Program Files\Windows Nt\Windows Messaging\exchng32.exe"
  

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Internet Explorer version 3.0 (4.70.1155). We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

To see the MS-DOS name for a folder, right-click the file in Microsoft Windows Explorer, click Properties, and then click the General tab.