Windows

"This Operation Has Been Canceled Due To Restrictions…"

Posted by on Mar 23, 2005 | 35 Comments

From Microsoft Knowledge Base article 894179:

In Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, you may receive an error message that is similar to the following when you try to open the Internet Options dialog box:

This operation has been canceled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator.
This issue may occur after you click Open, Save, or Cancel in a File Download – Security Warning dialog box.


CAUSE
This issue occurs because you try to download a MIME-type file that has a Content-Disposition content header.

RESOLUTION
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Microsoft Windows XP service pack that contains this hotfix.”

[Microsoft Knowledge Base article 894179 - FIX: You may receive a "This operation has been canceled due to restrictions in effect on this computer" error message when you try to open the Internet Options dialog box in Internet Explorer 6]

  • Brent McKay

    I recently upgraded to Vista Home Premium and, for the first time, am experiencing this error message when trying to open a hyperlink in Outlook 2003. I am running IE7 as my default browser (although I prefer Firefox 2.0) and Outlook as my default e-mail program – although this is hard to verify with the options Vista provides. Is there a fix?

    Thanks!

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/about/staff.phtml#marc Marc Erickson

    I would report it to MS as a bug.
    http://support.microsoft.com/gp/contactbug/

  • Pankaj

    go to your browser -> tools -> internet options -> programs -> Click on “Reset Web Settings”

    this will reset all the default broser settings including registry entries.

    After this it should work fine.

  • John Chappell

    The above fix does not work because there is no reset web settings pick in explorer 7.

    Please advise

  • oscar

    i have the same problem but i can open ie 7 and outlook its just when i try to go to control panell or to system properties it says that. i dont know what to do

  • Marc Erickson

    Try setting up a new user account with administrator rights and see if it works then.

  • Greg Bond

    Same issue here.

    Reset all zones to default level (on Security tab) does not resolve the problem.

    I am running as admin.

    Copy/Paste the URL works fine.

  • Kazem

    It is to hard to refined the programs to work agin, i hade try all on line helps but nothing was use full, i don’t believe any of these program can fix the windows run as the first time you were using it, but i could do in very simple way , i just copy the old config folder from system32 in the safe place and install a new windows in the same directory, then befor opening the new installed windows copy and replace config folder in new windows and now new windows work the same old one with all my programs, some program can’t run, there is a error message with the .dll file need for program to run don’t worry, you can search and copy to system32 of new windows every thing all right.

  • http://www.ccomputers.co.za Chris

    Its probaby as a result of a viral or spyware/adware infection, which may have been cleaned resulting in limited access. Try running at the command prompt SFC /Scannow, make sure you have your original Windows CD handy as it might be needed during the process.

  • Neville Cox

    This operation has been canceled due to restrictions on this computer.
    I’m Having the same problem with Windows Vista Home Prem and Microsoft outlook 7
    This dosen’t seem to be mentioned any were

    Thanks

    Nev

  • http://www.vistax64.com/vista-general/98327-links-outlook-2007-a.html Pandy

    Yes, it is mentioned somewhere. Have a look at http://www.vistax64.com/vista-general/98327-links-outlook-2007-a.html

    So in brief do the following:

    - In Windows Vista, Click Start, select “Default Programs”
    - Click “Set program access and computer defaults”
    - Click “Custom” and select “Internet Explorer”
    - Click OK

    I used it on Windows Vista Business with Outlook 2003. Solved the problem.

    /Pandy

  • Tim

    For XP and Outlook 2003, esp. if you prefer Firefox:

    Go to “Set Program Access and Defaults”
    Select “Custom” and click the double-down-arrow to the right
    Select “Internet Explorer” as the default web browser

    Links will now open in IE…if you wish to use Firefox, launch it, go to “Tools”–>Options and make sure the ‘Firefox default’ button is selected, then click “Check Now”. Firefox will recognize it’s not the default and ask you if you want it to be. Click Yes and everything works fine now.

    It’s just some little glitch, but thanks to Pandy’s suggestion, I was able to go one step further and reset Firefox as the default and my Outlook email links now work fine and open in firefox like before.

    Tim

  • Dick Symonds

    Thanks to Tim, 17-02-08, this method – the simplest- worked fine (with XP SP2). I had been bugged for months with it, and Microsoft was no help at all.
    RLS

  • Speedy

    I got the same trouble but with Hyperlinks at Office files… can you help me with this???

  • Kayslover

    I was having problems with Outlook 2003 and Firefox only on 1 users on my XP Home PC running SP” and I was pointed to:-

    http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

    (Restore the default associations for htm/html files).

    Ran this Registry fix and BINGO, up and running.

    As ever, back up your registry prior to run this, just in case you have problems.

    Hope your problems get fixed.

  • pratik

    @Kayslover – The html fix worked. Thanks!

  • HMJ

    Kayslover, thank you so much for the link, it fixed the problem !!

  • JB

    Tim’s (17-02-08) method worked for me as well (XP SP3, Outllok 2003). One clarification:
    Start > All Programs > Set Program Access and Defaults then Custom…
    I set to IE and then went back to Firefox and made that default to switch it.
    Thanks, Tim.

  • http://sethholler.wordpress.com/ sch

    Thanks, JB, for directions to the program default settings.

  • SAMM

    GREAT JOB!! THANKS PANDY !! THIS WORKS ON VISTA

    http://www.vistax64.com/vista-general/98327-links-outlook-2007-a.html

    So in brief do the following:

    - In Windows Vista, Click Start, select “Default Programs”
    - Click “Set program access and computer defaults”
    - Click “Custom” and select “Internet Explorer”
    - Click OK

    I used it on Windows Vista Business with Outlook 2003. Solved the problem.

    /Pandy

  • Zahi

    Hi,
    i am having this error message in a word file when I Ctrl+Click on a table of contents line… It used to work…
    Any suggestions ?

  • http://na chris

    i am using 0utlook 2007 and ie 7.
    same problem but nothing worked so far

    i was running firefox 3 and then uninstalled it to use firefox 2 again, thats when the problems started

    even uninstalled outlook and reinstalled. no joy

    someone please help

  • http://na chris

    i ignore last. had to restart outlook

  • John Gardiner

    Thank you Tim for your recommended solution with respect to Outlook 2003 and Firefox. It worked a treat! That is after hours of my faffing around trying to go it alone.

  • Joey Evangelista

    Tim and JB

    Thank you very much! It worked for me and just to reference this I am not certain what caused this after downloading IE Version 8.

    Thank you again!

    Joey

  • Mike Mincey

    WOW!!!! Thanks goes out to Kayslover. This worked like a charm once I imported the html fix. Even on Vista Ultimate, the file worked.

  • Wilko

    Pandy, thank you that works and it was easy.
    I’m running vista, explorer 8 and outlook 2007.
    Thank you.

  • Philipp

    SOLVED!!!!! for vista and office 2003:

    go to control panel> default programs>
    associate a file type or protocol with a program

    then associate the htm and html extensions with notepad by clicking on the change program button.

    save this, then go back and associate the extensions with internet explorer (you may have to browse for the program under program files/internet explorer/iexplorer.exe).

    now save and then close all the programs.

    and reopen the office program and it should be working.

  • http://twitter.com/pawprint_net PawPrint.net

    Give it time – it’s too new – “Like” took some time to catch on too.

  • http://techtt.hassantt.com Hassan Voyeau

    I agree with you that it’s missing the social network.

  • http://detested.wordpress.com/ Archaeme

    Patience, since everything big & successful now always started small.

  • http://technologyquestions.com/blog LPH

    +1 is a failure for a few reasons: (1) degrades website performance, (2) Only select people can push the button (app users cannot, user names not meeting community standards), (3) only select sites are going to get pushed (unless someone asks friends, family, neighbors, buys it, etc)….

  • http://technologyquestions.com/blog LPH

    I agree that people rushed to put the button on their site out of fear that they would lose position on SERPs.

  • http://www.blackwaterops.com Brandon Wirtz

    The Google +1 to Facebook Like Ratio isn’t fair you put the article link on your FB page and people “like” it so the ratios aren’t going to be the same.

    Also it is easy to see who +1′ed articles, but only if those people are your friends. I like this better, since there is some privacy to what I like.

    Lastly the advantage of +1 is that when I Google something, things my friends +1′ed show at the top of results. Which is a useful feature.

  • http://www.biggerpockets.com Joshua Dorkin

    We’ve had it installed since launch and have had less than a handful of +1s vs hundreds of Tweets and Likes in the same time span. I’m guessing it’ll disappear in the months to come . . .