• About Shastalink
|
• Products and Services
|
• Technical Assistance Center

• Technical Assistance Center
• Network Operations Center
  • Network Status
  • Scheduled Maintenance
  • Customer Advisories
• Webmail Support
• Spam Support
• Dial-up Support
• Knowledge Base
• Case Management
• Policies

Workaround for Opening URL Links Within Webmail Messages

Technical Assistance Center Knowledge Base Article - 030809

The following problem has been reported by many users of the new Outlook Web Mail client clicking on a URL within a mail message brings up the login authentication screen and gives an error message that the page cannot be found. We have confirmed that this is a known issue with Exchange 2003 and there is a workaround until the problem is fixed.

Please use this procedure to view web links within a mail message:

• Click on the link, this will cause the login screen to appear. Click the Cancel button.
• A blank browser screen will be displayed with the error message that says Access Denied
• Do not close this screen, instead use your cursor to go to the address bar which will look like the example here:
  
  

• Notice that the address line contains two HTTP sections, this is not correct. The Outlook client is adding the first section with the Shastalink URL to the actual address that you are trying to reach. You must delete everything in front of the second http (place your cursor between the = and http and backspace over everything to the left of the second http).
• Now click the Go button or just hit the enter key and your site will come up correctly.

Hopefully Microsoft will soon have a fix for this issue, we apologize for the temporary inconvenience. Overall though, we are very pleased with the new look and functionality of the web mail client. If you would like to view a quick summary of the changes in 2003 please check out this page: http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/techinfo/outlook/Owa_Features.asp. You can practice the above procedure to get there.

Last Reviewed: 10/01/2003

Keywords: outlook, webmail, e-mail