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The "Help and Support" feature in Windows Vista stops working when Dreamweaver is configured as the default XML editor


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Problem description

Windows Vista "Help and Support" stops working after you install Adobe Dreamweaver on a Windows Vista-based computer, and you accept the option to make Dreamweaver the default editor for XML files. When you try to run Windows Vista "Help and Support," you receive the following error message:

Internet Explorer cannot download / from windows. Internet Explorer was not able to open this Internet site. The requested site is either unavailable or cannot be found. Please try again later.

When you try to open XML files in the Windows Vista file browser, you may also receive an error message that states that Windows Vista cannot find the file.


To have us fix this problem for you, go to the "Fix it for me" section. If you’d rather fix this problem yourself, go to the "Let me fix it myself" section.

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Fix it for me

To fix this problem automatically, click the
Fix this problemlink. Then follow the steps in this wizard.




NoteThis wizard is temporarily in English only. However, the automatic fix also works for other language versions of Windows.


NoteIf you are not on the computer that has the problem, you can save the automatic fix to a flash drive or to a CD so that you can run it on the computer that has the problem.


Now go to the "Did this fix the problem?" section.

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Let me fix it myself

When you configure Dreamweaver as the default XML editor, and then you try to open an XML file, this creates a conflict with Windows Vista. Adobe has created a registry change that resolves this issue.

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322756 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows
To download the file from Adobe and change the registry, follow these steps.

  1. To download the registry change as a compressed (.zip) file, visit the following Adobe Web site:
  2. When you are prompted to open the file or to save the file, click Save. Select a location on the computer at which to download the file.
  3. Right-click DW8_Fix_Help_and_Support.zip, and then click Extract All. Follow the instructions to expand the contents of the file.
  4. Locate the DW8_Fix_Help_and Support.reg file, and then double-click it.

    User Account Control permission If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
  5. Click Yes, and then click OK.
The DW8_Fix_Help_and Support.reg file will add the following subkey to the registry:

Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.xml
Registry value: xmlfile

Content type: text/xml

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Did this fix the problem?

  • Check whether the problem is fixed. If the problem is fixed, you are finished with this article. If the problem is not fixed, you can contact support.
  • We would appreciate your feedback. To provide feedback or to report any issues with this solution, please leave a comment on the "Fix it for me" blog or send us an
    e-mailmessage.

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More information

Dreamweaver 8 was released more than a year before Windows Vista became publicly available. Therefore, Dreamweaver 8 does not officially support Windows Vista. The next version of Dreamweaver will be certified to run on Windows Vista.

For more information about Adobe product support for Windows Vista, see the "How Adobe Products Support Windows Vista" article. To do this, visit the following Adobe Web site:

The information and the solution in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on these issues as of the date of publication. This solution is available through Microsoft or through a third-party provider. Microsoft does not specifically recommend any third-party provider or third-party solution that this article might describe. There might also be other third-party providers or third-party solutions that this article does not describe. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, this information should not be interpreted to be a commitment by Microsoft. Microsoft cannot guarantee or endorse the accuracy of any information or of any solution that is presented by Microsoft or by any mentioned third-party provider.

Microsoft makes no warranties and excludes all representations, warranties, and conditions whether express, implied, or statutory. These include but are not limited to representations, warranties, or conditions of title, non-infringement, satisfactory condition, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose, with regard to any service, solution, product, or any other materials or information. In no event will Microsoft be liable for any third-party solution that this article mentions.


The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.

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Keywords: kbprb, kbentirenet, kbtshoot, kberrmsg, kbmsifixme, kbopenfile, kbhelp, kbfixme, kb, kbexpertisebeginner

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Article Info
Article ID : 937491
Revision : 1
Created on : 1/7/2017
Published on : 6/3/2013
Exists online : False
Views : 232