Windows 7 is truncating url that contains #<id> tag.

I am using RH8 generated files.  In java code, I am calling Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command) where command = "rundll32 url.dll,FileProtocolHandler " + url.  The url is a file url (pointing to a local file on my computer) appended with #<id=2187>>newwnd=false.  I have tried using the Desktop command, but java rejects the URI with the # tag.

The specific help page for id 2187 is not displayed.  The main page toc is displayed, which is the url without the # and Id.

The url works when typed into the browser address line (Firefox 33 & IE11) , so I do not think the problem is with the browser or RoboHelp generated files.

This problem is similar to Peter Grainger Snippet 13/8, but the solutions from that snippet that I have tried seem to be geared to a particular browser version.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.