What's up with my desktop shortcuts?

[NuGuy]

I have several internet shortcuts on my desktop, and they worked just fine yesterday. Today when I try to use any of them I get this small pop-up window and message: "Unable to open this Internet Shortcut. The protocol 'http' does not have a registgered program."

I use Windows Explorer, and the link on the bottom task bar works just fine. I don't know what's going on with the shortcuts. I checked the properties, but cannot discern anything unusual.

Does anyone know what's going on and how to fix this?

[Ian]

It means that you don't have a default web browser set. What browser do you normally use?

[NuGuy]

I neglected to mention that earlier tonight I updated Adobe Flash, and I did not see the "check" for also installing Google Chrome. All my shortcut icons changed to round, tri-colored icons after this installation. I went to the control panel and deleted the Google program and its toolbar/taskbar. The desktop shortcut icons returned to their normal appearance after I did this.......

OK, I just found the Tools window to set my default browser. The shortcuts work OK now. There was no default browser selected; I guess Google made itself the default, and when I deleted the program, that left me without any default.

Thanks. This is not the first time I accidentally installed a Google program, but its deletion did not result in any change to my existing programs or links, etc.

[Ian]

It could have been a lot worse. It could have installed some junky browser like Safari.