WinSetView - "Can't Open This Link"

WIN11User · 2025-04-03T10:55:19-0400

I tried installing WinSetView on a second Windows 11 Pro system and am having trouble getting it to run.
After selecting the executable a popup appears with the following text:

Can't Open This Link
Your device needs a new app to open this link

System Requirements | What I have...
o Windows 7 SP1 or higher | Windows 11 Pro 24H2
o PowerShell 2 or higher | Powershell 7.5
o MSHTML 8 or higher | ?
.Net 4.8 | Installed
o JScript | ?

Not exactly sure what JScript is and where to get it. I do know that Windows Media Player is NOT installed on my system, but nor was it on my previous system when WinSetView did work.

Thanks
Brian

LesFerch · 2025-04-03T11:16:20-0400

The system requirements should not be an issue. Windows 11 has everything needed.

What version of WinSetView are you using? The versions prior to 3.1 do a version check on startup which can fail depending on network security settings. If you are using an older version, download the current version and try again. If you are using the current version (currently 3.1.3), this is an issue I have not seen before and we'll need to do some troubleshooting.

WIN11User · 2025-04-03T11:23:23-0400

LesFerch said:
The system requirements should not be an issue. Windows 11 has everything needed.

What version of WinSetView are you using? The versions prior to 3.1 do a version check on startup which can fail depending on network security settings. If you are using an older version, download the current version and try again. If you are using the current version (currently 3.1.3), this is an issue I have not seen before and we'll need to do some troubleshooting.

It is V3.1.3

no insight on JScript?

LesFerch · 2025-04-03T11:30:49-0400

WIN11User said:
It is V3.1.3

no insight on JScript?

JScript is built into Windows and there is no option to uninstall it. Windows Script Host can be disabled, which will prevent running JScript scripts (.JS files), but that will not prevent embedded JScript code, as used in WinSetView, from running.

I'm leaning toward an issue with MSHTML. MSHTML is the old browser engine used by Internet Explorer. It's used by WinSetView to provide its GUI. Again, it's built into Windows with no option to uninstall it. However, it could have been removed by a "de-bloater" or could be blocked by third-party AV software.

I know you posted the text of the error, but can you also post a screenshot of the error? That may provide more clues for me. Thanks!

LesFerch · 2025-04-03T12:42:31-0400

As a test, I renamed the copy of mshtml.dll in the SysWOW64 folder (since WinSetView is a 32 bit app) and that caused a similar error message:

I'm puzzling over how I can get the exact error you reported. Still waiting on that screenshot, BTW.

WIN11User · 2025-04-03T13:13:09-0400

LesFerch said:
JScript is built into Windows and there is no option to uninstall it. Windows Script Host can be disabled, which will prevent running JScript scripts (.JS files), but that will not prevent embedded JScript code, as used in WinSetView, from running.

I'm leaning toward an issue with MSHTML. MSHTML is the old browser engine used by Internet Explorer. It's used by WinSetView to provide its GUI. Again, it's built into Windows with no option to uninstall it. However, it could have been removed by a "de-bloater" or could be blocked by third-party AV software.

I know you posted the text of the error, but can you also post a screenshot of the error? That may provide more clues for me. Thanks!

Can NTLite get rid of JScript? I did also opt to remove Internet Explorer and a host of components via NTLite.

Don't hold your breath for a screen shot. There isn't a screen capture app available on this partitular system. It looks just like LesFerch's capture except the second line says Your device needs a new app to open this link. the first line is the same, Can't open this 'res' link. And there is no option to browse the microsoft store.

ALSO: It seems that mshtml.dll is still present in both systems on drive C: and drive H:. Drive H: is where I am having trouble.

LesFerch · 2025-04-03T13:22:35-0400

WIN11User said:
Can NTLite get rid of JScript? I did also opt to remove Internet Explorer and a host of components via NTLite.

Don't hold your breath for a screen shot. There isn't a screen capture app available on this partitular system. It looks just like LesFerch's capture except the second line says Your device needs a new app to open this link. the first line is the same, Can't open this 'res' link. And there is no option to browse the microsoft store.

It sounds like we have our answer. NTLite didn't just remove Internet Explorer. It also removed or broke the MSHTML browser engine. Without that engine, WinSetView.exe will not work. NTLite may have also removed JScript, but that would be a secondary problem. MSHTML is definitely not functioning.

One option is to use the command line. Copy your win10.ini file from your other computer and apply it via the PowerShell script. For example:

.\winsetview.ps1 C:\somepath\win10.ini

More details about using the command line can be found in the manual.

Edit: I just noticed your note showing that the mshtml.dll file is present, but NTLite may have removed registry entries that are required for that dll to work. The error is consistent with mshtml being missing or non-functional.

WIN11User · 2025-04-03T13:59:21-0400

LesFerch said:
It sounds like we have our answer. NTLite didn't just remove Internet Explorer. It also removed or broke the MSHTML browser engine. Without that engine, WinSetView.exe will not work. NTLite may have also removed JScript, but that would be a secondary problem. MSHTML is definitely not functioning.

One option is to use the command line. Copy your win10.ini file from your other computer and apply it via the PowerShell script. For example:

.\winsetview.ps1 C:\somepath\win10.ini

More details about using the command line can be found in the manual.

Edit: I just noticed your note showing that the mshtml.dll file is present, but NTLite may have removed registry entries that are required for that dll to work. The error is consistent with mshtml being missing or non-functional.

If it is just a registry entry, I'd like to know where to find the entry. I can search the good OS for it and apply it to the bad system.
Not sure I understand the .\winsetview.ps1 C:\somepath\win10.ini. The system is Win11, but what or where is the ".ini" file...or is that the ".ini" that would be created...and where would be "somepath"

Hey, and SUPER THANKS for the help!

LesFerch · 2025-04-03T14:36:43-0400

WIN11User said:
If it is just a registry entry, I'd like to know where to find the entry. I can search the good OS for it and apply it to the bad system.
Not sure I understand the .\winsetview.ps1 C:\somepath\win10.ini. The system is Win11, but what or where is the ".ini" file...or is that the ".ini" that would be created...and where would be "somepath"

Hey, and SUPER THANKS for the help!

There are a LOT of registry entries for MSHTML 11 and Internet Explorer 11. Figuring out the minimum entries to get MSHTML working is a big job.

In theory, the easiest solution is to reinstall Internet Explorer. However, I'm not sure if there is any link on the IE download page that will reinstall IE on Windows 11. Maybe @garlin knows how you can restore the MSHTML functionality. If I'm not mistaken, he's an NTLite expert.

As for the command line, the details are at the link I provided, but I get the sense that you're pretty new to using the command line and that may not be the best solution for you.

garlin · 2025-04-03T15:19:31-0400

For users with a licensed copy of NTLite, the Host refresh feature can restore any removed components.

It's basically a managed version of a repair install using a clean ISO to copy back removed files. If you're using the free edition, create another ISO from scratch but don't remove the same components. Now do a manual upgrade re-install from the new ISO.

The problem is NTLite allows you to remove many components, and not all users understand why "legacy" features are important today. NTLite does have a Compatibility mode, which warns you not to remove specific components, but users can override the setting.

Many "Internet Explorer" components are legacy features which directly support File Explorer (even though it's not IE) or rendering screen dialogs.

What's considered the browser today is called Edge, but many parts of IE's original framework survive today in W10/11. One of MS's new projects is to slowly move Explorer and the Desktop away from the old components, but that's only just started.

WIN11User · 2025-04-03T15:58:19-0400

garlin said:
For users with a licensed copy of NTLite, the Host refresh feature can restore any removed components.

It's basically a managed version of a repair install using a clean ISO to copy back removed files. If you're using the free edition, create another ISO from scratch but don't remove the same components. Now do a manual upgrade re-install from the new ISO.

The problem is NTLite allows you to remove many components, and not all users understand why "legacy" features are important today. NTLite does have a Compatibility mode, which warns you not to remove specific components, but users can override the setting.

View attachment 130257

Many "Internet Explorer" components are legacy features which directly support File Explorer (even though it's not IE) or rendering screen dialogs.

What's considered the browser today is called Edge, but many parts of IE's original framework survive today in W10/11. One of MS's new projects is to slowly move Explorer and the Desktop away from the old components, but that's only just started.

Ahh, nice! I do not uncheck the red components ass they are generally not "uncheckable," but the yellow items are a different story. It doesn't look like I unchecked any of the components in the list!

WIN11User · 2025-04-03T18:01:42-0400

LesFerch said:
There are a LOT of registry entries for MSHTML 11 and Internet Explorer 11. Figuring out the minimum entries to get MSHTML working is a big job.

In theory, the easiest solution is to reinstall Internet Explorer. However, I'm not sure if there is any link on the IE download page that will reinstall IE on Windows 11. Maybe @garlin knows how you can restore the MSHTML functionality. If I'm not mistaken, he's an NTLite expert.

As for the command line, the details are at the link I provided, but I get the sense that you're pretty new to using the command line and that may not be the best solution for you.

I understand what you were getting at here. The file you were referring to, "Win10.ini" was for the WinSetView App. the ".ps1" script imports the win10.ini information from my other system into the new system which can not run the app....yet! I ran it and, presto!, I am in business. So as long as I have WinSetView.ps1 and a pre-configured win10.ini, I do not need the program.

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