I used to create HTML pages, using Namo 5.0 web design suite, that could launch executable files and .bat file. Recently I tried running one of my past jobs, an interactive CD I made some years ago and the links to launch the .exe and.bat files would not work on my version of internet explorer (version 6.0) but it still works well on version 5.0.
Does any one know a good way of going about this with either javascript or vbscript so that it will operate across all browser types and version?

I realize what you are trying todo. I ran into this problem earlier too some time back. The solution i came to was to design my own browser, a lighter version of internet explorer using visual basic and later visual c++, i was able to come up with some tricks of using javascript within the browser to execute some specific commands such as launching an application from the html page now running in my browser.
I am familiar with batch files as well:

**********************************
** [dhtmlonline.bat] **
** @echo off **
** explorer www.dhtmlonline.com **
**********************************

That batch file should lauch my site. There is a shell command you can use within jscript/vbscript to launch an external application, but in higher versions of internet explorer, that function has been removed for security sake.
Otherwise, web pages with simple html can just be launching viruses and programs, though it is still possible but with some advanced coding, the kind that takes some years/several years to develop.