How to Determine if Active Desktop Is Installed (216840)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 98 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 95 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 95 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows 95
  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 98
This article was previously published under Q216840
Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

This article describes how to determine if Active Desktop is installed and if it is being displayed as a Web page. This information can be used if you are trying to programmatically determine if Active Desktop is installed on a computer. This information can be especially useful in some software rollout situations.

MORE INFORMATION

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Determining If Active Desktop Is Installed

To determine if Active Desktop is installed on your Windows 95-based computer, view the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\ {AEB6717E-7E19-11d0-97EE-00C04FD91972}\InProcserver32

If the default value is Shell32.dll, Active Desktop is installed. If the default value is Url.dll, Active Desktop is not installed.

Determining If Active Desktop Is Being Displayed as a Web Page

Windows 95 and Windows 98

To determine if Active Desktop is being displayed as a Web page, view the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

Active Desktop is being displayed as a Web page if the ShellState value contains the following data value (in hexadecimal): 
   1c,00,00,00,63,08,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,
      00,00,0a,00,00,00
Active Desktop is not being displayed as a Web page if the ShellState value contains the following data value (in hexadecimal): 
   1c,00,00,00,23,08,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,
      00,0a,00,00,00

Windows NT 4.0

To determine if Active Desktop is being displayed as a Web page, view the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

Active Desktop is being displayed as a Web page if the ShellState value contains the following data value (in hexadecimal): 
   1c,00,00,00,13,08,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,
      00,0a,00,00,00
Active Desktop is not being displayed as a Web page if the ShellState value contains the following data value (in hexadecimal): 
   1c,00,00,00,53,08,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,
      00,0a,00,00,00

Alternate Method for Determining If Active Desktop Is Installed

Using Regedit, view the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{89820200-ECBD-11cf-8B85-00AA005B4340}

If the IsInstalled value is set to 1, Active Desktop is installed.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/14/2004
Keywords:kbhowto KB216840
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.