It seems that every time i click on a link in a email i get an error message saying: windows cannot find "URL" Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again; but firefox still opens to the page anyway. I read some posts on google that said it could be a virus...Does anyone know anything about this error? Thanks.

are you using outlook when this thing happens or what ? well if you suspect it's a virus..worth trying to scan your system..try downloading malware bytes...and scan your system :)

I am using windows mail, that vista comes with. I will try a scan, is malware bytes completely free?

May be effected by the virus..

You could also try AVG. There is a free version and if update is reasonably effective.

I am using windows mail, that vista comes with. I will try a scan, is malware bytes completely free?

yes it is .but also you can buy full version it comes as with real time protection .

Download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware (http://www.majorgeeks.com/Malwarebytes_Anti-Malware_d5756.html) to your desktop.

* Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
* At the end, be sure to checkmark the Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
* If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.

* Once the program has loaded, select Perform full scan, then click Scan.
* When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
* Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
* When completed, a log will open in Notepad.
* Post the log back here.

The log can also be found here:
C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs\log-date.txt
Or at C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs\log-date.txt

Make sure that you restart the computer.

CCleaner
Download Ccleaner, Install it, Open it...
Under the 'Cleaner' Section select all in the 'Windows' And 'Applications' Tab, Then click on 'Analyze' And then 'Run Cleaner'...
Do The Same In The 'Registry' Tab, i.e. 'Scan For Issues' and 'Fix Selected Issues', It will ask you to make a backup, DO IT...Then Click on 'Fix All'run the registry one until it finds no more!...Now Reboot The Pc..

Have you set Windows Mail as your default email?
Control Panel/Internet Options/Programs

Yes windows mail is set as my default mail client, i have ccleaner, which i hadnt run in a while. i had to install the latest version and when i did it found 1,144.8 MB to be removed. one of the items was System- Windows Error Reporting, 314,381KB, 344 files.

i am yet to do the registry clean.

You could also try Advanced Windows Care by IObit. It covers temp files, spyware, reg scan and privacy in one sweep. You could also check for any updates for Vista's mail at Microsoft

I got "Windows cannot find" errors on each windows mail link inside of emails until i stumbled upon the fact that my firewall was turned off. It still opened the link but that blasted box popped every time. When i turned the firewall on, the link opens without the Windows cannot find box. It was repeatable. Apparently, the firewall being turned off causes the external windows mail link error box to pop.
This is not caused by a virus.

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