Cannot Access UNC Path Saved as a Favorite

• Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 3.0, 3.01, 3.02a for Windows 3.1

SYMPTOMS

After adding what appears to be a universal naming convention (UNC) path to an .htm file in the list of favorites, you may not be able to access that file using the Favorites menu after restarting Internet Explorer.

CAUSE

Microsoft Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups are not UNC-aware. The UNC path name in the Favorites.htm file causes Internet Explorer to attempt to resolve the UNC path name as a file name on the local computer.

RESOLUTION

Map a drive letter to a network resource prior to adding a file located on that resource to the Favorites menu.

For information about mapping a drive, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type "mapping network" (without quotation marks), and then double-click the "mapping network drives" topic.

STATUS

Microsoft is aware of this situation and will post more information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base when it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Internet Explorer locates a file initially (despite the fact that Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups are not UNC-aware) by using the following syntax:

   file:\\<server_name>\<file_name.htm>

   'file:c:\<installation_directory>\\\<server_name>\<file_name.htm>'
   could not be found.
   The attempt to load
   'file:c:\<installation_directory>\\\<server_name>\<file_name.htm>'
   failed.

When the file is not found, Internet Explorer modifies the entry to include its installation folder followed by a backslash. It then adds what it believes to be the file name, beginning with the two backslashes. Because this is not an actual path, the error message is generated.