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Q162156: Encarta 97: Problems Starting Web Browser From Encarta

Article: Q162156
Product(s): Microsoft Home Multimedia Titles
Version(s): 1997
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbtshoot kbhowto
Last Modified: 21-OCT-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Encarta 97 Encyclopedia for Windows 
- Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 97 Deluxe for Windows 
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SUMMARY
=======

If you have an Internet account and a web browser, Encarta 97 can automatically
open your browser when you click one of its Online features. The Online features
in Encarta include: Encarta Online, Connect, any of the Web Links such as
Connect to This Site, Connect to Online Library, or Download Monthly Updates.
Any time you select one of these options, Encarta attempts to open a Web
browser.

NOTE: If you have more than one Web browser installed, you may need to tell
Encarta which browser you want to use.

The following article discusses how Encarta finds your browser, how it decides
which browser to open when you have more than one installed, and outlines
solutions for various problems you may encounter.

NOTE: An Internet account is not included with Encarta 97. The Online features
require that you have a working Internet connection.

MORE INFORMATION
================

How Encarta Finds Your Web Browser
----------------------------------

Encarta 97 can use two methods to activate your Internet Web browser:

- With a Web browser designed for Windows 95/98 (32-bit), no special
  configuration is needed. Encarta uses the default Windows Web browser. If you
  have more than one Web browser installed, only the default browser starts.

- You can manually select which Web browser Encarta uses. This is required if
  you're using Windows 3.1. In Windows 95/98, use this method only if you are
  using a 16-bit Web browser.

  NOTE: Using this method overrides the default browser selection.

There are some Web browsers that are not separate programs, but rather components
of other software. Encarta can't open these "internal" browsers. An example of
an Internet provider that uses this type of browser is America Online's AOL for
Windows.

Manually Selecting a Web Browser
--------------------------------

To manually select your Web browser in Encarta, use the following steps:

1. Start Encarta.

2. Click Encyclopedia Articles.

3. On the Options menu, click Settings.

4. Click Choose Web Browser

5. Enter the path to your Web browser program (or double-click the folders to
  locate it). For example, Netscape Navigator is usually in
  C:\Netscape\Netscape.exe, so you would type the following, and then press
  ENTER:

     c:\netscape\netscape.exe

  For Internet Explorer, the path to the executable file might be one of the
  following:

   - c:\Iexplore\Iexplore.exe

   - c:\Program Files\Microsoft Internet\Iexplore.exe

   - c:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Iexplore.exe

  NOTE: If you do not know the location of your Web browser, contact the company
  that provided you with the browser.

Additional Information for Windows 95 Users Only
------------------------------------------------

For use with Encarta, we recommend using a Web browser that can function as a
Windows 95 "default" browser. These browsers, such as Microsoft Internet
Explorer and Netscape Navigator 3.0 (32-bit), register themselves with Windows
95. This allow the Internet functions in Encarta to work automatically with your
browser.

Internet Explorer (IE) 3.0 is included on the Encarta 97 CD-ROM. If you prefer to
use IE 3.0 rather than the browser provided by your Internet Service Provider
(ISP), you can install it by running Msie30.exe from the Aamsstp\Ie\Win95 folder
on the Encarta CD-ROM. After you have installed IE 3.0, when you use any of
Encarta's Internet features, Internet Explorer will start.

NOTE: If Internet Explorer fails to connect to the Web, you will need to
configure IE to dial your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Contact your ISP for
specific configuration instructions.

Windows 95/98: Encarta Starts the Wrong Browser
-----------------------------------------------

When you click any of the online options in Encarta, Encarta sends a request to
open your default web browser in Windows. If the wrong Web browser opens, you
have two options:

- Set the desired 32-bit browser to be your Windows default. See the How To
  Check The Default Windows Web Browser Settings section below.

-or-

- Manually select the desired Web browser in Encarta. See the Manually
  Selecting a Web Browser section, above.

How To Check The Default Windows Web Browser Settings
-----------------------------------------------------


To see which Web browser is set as the default browser in Windows 95/98, do the
following:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.

2. Type the following in the Open field, and then click OK:

  http://www.encarta.com

Your browser that starts in your default Web browser. It doesn't matter if it can
connect to the Internet. This test just shows the default Windows 95/98 Web
browser.

You may get an error message like following:

  Cannot find the file 'http://www.encarta.com'

This error message means that no default Windows 95/98 Web browser is set. If you
install (or reinstall) a 32-bit browser, it will automatically be set as your
default browser.

Remember that the newly installed browser may need specific configuring to dial
your Internet Service Provider (ISP). If the default browser fails to connect to
the Internet, contact your ISP for specific configuration instructions.

Encarta Does Not Open Default Windows 95/98 Web Browser
-------------------------------------------------------

If you want to use the default browser (as determined in the How To Check The
Default Windows Web Browser Settings section), but Encarta does not start your
browser when you try to use an Online feature, you need to disable Encarta's
Choose Browser option. Encarta will then allow Windows to choose the browser.

To reset the manual browser selection, do the following:

1. Start Encarta.

2. Click Encyclopedia Articles.

3. On the Options menu, click Settings

4. Click Reset.

NOTE: This also resets the Choose Word Processor options and other options in the
Settings area.

How to Set 32-bit Browser as Windows Default
--------------------------------------------

If you would like to use Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator (32-bit) and it
is not the default browser, just reinstall the browser. Reinstalling updates
your default browser settings.

The third-party products discussed here are manufactured by vendors independent
of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these
products' performance or reliability.

Additional query words: 97 multi media multimedia multi-media mmtitles kbmm yearbook updates

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Keywords          : kbtshoot kbhowto 
Technology        : kbHomeProdSearch kbHomeMMsearch kbEncartaSearch kbEncartaEncycSearch kbEncartaEnCyc1997 kbEncartaEnCyc1997Del
Version           : 1997

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