how to enable the "mailto" link

Symptoms

When you click on a mailto: URL in Internet Explorer, multiple instances of Internet Explorer opens (more than 60 windows) with the error Action Cancelled and the mail client is not invoked. You may also see the following error:Could not perform this operation because the default mail client is not properly installed

Cause

The problem happens due to one of these reasons:

1. Mailto handler is not correctly set.
2. Missing URL Protocol registry value.
3. Incorrect registry permissions for the mailto key

Resolution

Set the default E-mail client

Instructions for Windows XP:

• Click Start, Run and type control inetcpl.cpl
• Select the Programs tab
• From the E-mail dropdown list, choose another mail client and click Apply
• Redo the procedure and set your preferred email client again

Instructions for Windows Vista:

• Click Start, select Default Programs
• Click Set program access and computer defaults
• Click Custom, and select your mail client (for example, Windows Mail)
• Click OK

Then, follow these steps:

• Click Set your default programs
• Select your mail client from the list
• Click Set this program as default
• Click OK

If the above does not help, follow these steps:

Re-create the missing string value

• Click Start, Run and type Regedit.exe
• Navigate to the following branch:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\mailto

• From the Edit menu, select New, and then click String Value.
• Type URL Protocol as the name of the new String Value
• Exit the Registry Editor