Share Links Issue in MS Office Files

 

Error message when selecting a hyperlink in Office:
"Cannot locate the Internet server or proxy server" OR "Windows cannot access \\EgnyteDrive\egnyte\Shared\Documents"

Symptoms

When you create a hyperlink in an Office document and then select the link, you may receive one of these error messages: 

Unable to open <URL>. Cannot locate the Internet server or proxy server.

Unable to open <URL>. Cannot open the specified file.

Windows cannot access "\\EgnyteDrive........"

Cause

This problem occurs due to:

• The ForceShellExecute registry key is not present in the following location or is not set to 1:

  • For 32-bit versions of Office installed on 64-bit operating systems:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet

  • For 32-bit versions of Office installed on 32-bit operating systems or 64-bit versions of Office installed on 64-bit operating systems:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet

 

Add the Internet Subkey to the Registry and Set the Value Data

To work around this issue, either add the ForceShellExecute subkey, if it is not present, and set the Value data, or if it is present, set the Value data of the ForceShellExecute subkey.

1. Quit any programs that are running.

2. Select Start, and then select Run. Type Regedit in the Open box, and then select OK.

3. In Registry Editor, browse to one of the following subkeys (create the keys if they do not exist):

   • For a 32-bit version of Office on a 32-bit version of Windows:

     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet

   • For a 64-bit version of Office on a 64-bit version of Windows:

     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet
     
     

4. Make sure the Internet subkey is selected. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then select DWORD Value. Add the following registry value:

   Value Name: ForceShellExecute
   
   

5. Double-click ForceShellExecute, and then set the Value data to 1. Select OK.

6. On the Registry menu, select Exit.

 

For Mass Deployments:

Below .reg file can be deployed using GPO or startup script for multiple users.

.REG to create DWORD value

 

Source: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/troubleshoot/office-suite-issues/cannot-locate-server-when-click-hyperlink 

 

Applies to: Word for Office 365, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, Outlook for Office 365, Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2013, PowerPoint for Office 365, PowerPoint 2019, PowerPoint 2016, PowerPoint 2013, Excel for Office 365, Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Microsoft Word 2010, Microsoft Outlook 2010, Excel 2010, PowerPoint 2010, Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007