IE8 Local HTML File - "System cannot find the specified file."

Question

We're writing a Windows client application in VB.NET. On the first launch of the application it loads a local HTML file "User Guide" for the user to get acquainted with the new software. There is also a menu option to access the content which also produces the same error. Whenever the page is launched, a dialog box appears stating that "The system could not find the specified file.", and then the browser windows loads the content. This is IE8 specific, as we previously tested with IE6 and 7 as well as Firefox with no problems.

Apparently this behavior is also happening within Outlook 2007 for some of our users whenever they click a link in an email, but only on the first link they click.

Also, one condition for the error to appear is that no IE8 window is currently running, otherwise another tab opens and loads the content just fine. We get this error on XP and Vista.

So far this is all I have found about the issue:

http://www.eggheadcafe.com/conversation.aspx?messageid=34394054&threadid=34361999

http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?query=general+failure.+the+url+was+&dg=microsoft.public.outlook.general&cat=en_US_db03bd1f-73aa-41e1-abfd-27a6e3c352e5&lang=en&cr=US&pt=&catlist=&dglist=&ptlist=&exp=&sloc=en-us&mid=cb1e6b6d-71fd-4351-ae98-c10fccf5809c

Anything would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Answer 1

The issue is caused by the McAfee Host Intrusion Prevention service. Stopping the service mitigates the issue. So the answer is to contact the team who runs the HIPs application.

Answer 2

Esactly the same issue; problem was resolved by disabling a specific add-on:

"Sophos Web Content Scanner"

So, looks like anti-virus add-ons are the culprit here - or IE8 itself. Problem can also be reproduced (when add-on is running) by simply entering a url into the Start box on Vista.