Firefox stole IE's associations!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Firefox, which had been sitting unobtrusively waiting for an occasional use,
suddenly decided to update itself and take over all the links that used to
be IE!

There does not seem to be - oddly enough (in XP Pro) - an obvious place
where one specifies which browser is the default for everything at one go,
so, now, even after I have gone through all the file association list and
changed everything mozilla like to IE, I still find most of my links are
calling for Firefox - despite me having uninstalled it.

Very irritating, and I have not wasted any time in telling them in no
uncertain terms, why Mozilla was deleted!

How can I get all my links back? If Mozilla can just grab them all in one
go, why can't I?

S
 
IE-Tools-Internet Options-Programs.
Check the box "Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the
default browser"
Close IE and reopen it.

....Alan
 
Already did that,
Links in e-mails still automatically open firefox.
V annoying...
Where is the setting to make IE the default,not just ask it to check if it
is: and to take back all the extensions - visible or otherwise - that
mozilla has changed: ?

Cheers,

S
 
spamlet said:
Already did that,
Links in e-mails still automatically open firefox.
V annoying...
Where is the setting to make IE the default,not just ask it to check if it
is: and to take back all the extensions - visible or otherwise - that
mozilla has changed: ?

Cheers,
Click to expand...


You should probably remove all references to Mozilla and Firefox from the registry.
 
spamlet said:
Already did that,
Links in e-mails still automatically open firefox.
V annoying...
Where is the setting to make IE the default,not just ask it to check if it
is: and to take back all the extensions - visible or otherwise - that
mozilla has changed: ?

Cheers,

S
Click to expand...
Try the info from this site: http://www.fjsmjs.com/OE/nolinks.htm
Open Windows Explorer.
Go to Tools | Folder Options | File Types.
Scroll down to URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol (NOT URL:Internet
Shortcut) and select it.
Click Edit or Advanced, depending on your Windows version.
Select 'open'.
Click Edit.

"Application used to perform this action" should read:

"C:\PROGRAM FILES\INTERNET EXPLORER\iexplore.exe" -nohome
(Check the path to iexplore.exe to make sure that is correct and use the
double quotes.)
 
There is no simple setting to make IE the default.
If IE didn't take the associations back when you told it to, then do
them manually in Explorer-Tools-Folder Options-File Types as Norm
suggests.

....Alan
 
You should probably remove all references to Mozilla and Firefox from the registry.
Click to expand...

If he wants to use Firefox, even just occasionally, that is not a good
solution.

--
Norman
~Shine, bright morning light,
~now in the air the spring is coming.
~Sweet, blowing wind,
~singing down the hills and valleys.
 
Firefox, which had been sitting unobtrusively waiting for an occasional use,
suddenly decided to update itself and take over all the links that used to
be IE!

There does not seem to be - oddly enough (in XP Pro) - an obvious place
where one specifies which browser is the default for everything at one go...
Click to expand...

Start > Set Program Access and Defualts doesn't work for you?
so, now, even after I have gone through all the file association list and
changed everything mozilla like to IE, I still find most of my links are
calling for Firefox - despite me having uninstalled it.

Very irritating, and I have not wasted any time in telling them in no
uncertain terms, why Mozilla was deleted!

How can I get all my links back? If Mozilla can just grab them all in one
go, why can't I?
Click to expand...

If Start > Set Program Access and Defaults works, just remember, next time
Firefox updates itself, when it wants to restart, read the pop ups
carefully. Fx actually pops up a question on restart from an update, asking
if you want to make it the default browser. Just say, "No".

--
Norman
~Shine, bright morning light,
~now in the air the spring is coming.
~Sweet, blowing wind,
~singing down the hills and valleys.
 
If he wants to use Firefox, even just occasionally, that is not a good
solution.
Click to expand...

Indeed. But with the OP having *uninstalled* Firefox, he'd even be
better off if and when he were to reinstall... because preexisting
settings, links and references would no longer be present.
 
norm said:
Following the info provided below will provide all that needs to be done
for removal of firefox:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Uninstall_firefox
Click to expand...


Indeed, thanks. And from the Firefox recommended instruction
set for uninstalling...

"The Firefox uninstall will leave behind some Windows registry
entries, which can be cleaned up using Windows 'regedit' or a
3rd party registry cleaner"
 
norm said:
Try the info from this site: http://www.fjsmjs.com/OE/nolinks.htm
Open Windows Explorer.
Go to Tools | Folder Options | File Types.
Scroll down to URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol (NOT URL:Internet Shortcut)
and select it.
Click Edit or Advanced, depending on your Windows version.
Select 'open'.
Click Edit.

"Application used to perform this action" should read:

"C:\PROGRAM FILES\INTERNET EXPLORER\iexplore.exe" -nohome
(Check the path to iexplore.exe to make sure that is correct and use the
double quotes.)
Click to expand...

Thanks Norm: have now checked this, and it is already correctly set. Today
the links in my mails do seem to be opening IE, but I was still told 'IE is
not the default' when I opened it. In the 'no extension' part of the
folders dialogue there is still an entry for Firefox I note...

Cheers,

S
 
N. Miller said:
Start > Set Program Access and Defualts doesn't work for you?


If Start > Set Program Access and Defaults works, just remember, next time
Firefox updates itself, when it wants to restart, read the pop ups
carefully. Fx actually pops up a question on restart from an update,
asking
if you want to make it the default browser. Just say, "No".

--
Norman
~Shine, bright morning light,
~now in the air the spring is coming.
~Sweet, blowing wind,
~singing down the hills and valleys.
Click to expand...

Aha: that's the one Norman!
I vaguely remembered seeing this facility somewhere but could not remember
where.
And in my case it is not on the start menu but at the bottom of the 'Add
Remove Programmes' dialogue (possibly because I opt for the 'classical'
rather than the XP view).
Now that I have relocated it, I see that the options were set to 'custom'
and this had 'use my current' browser, ticked rather than IE. I've now
changed it back.

As for updates, I'm generally very wary of these, as Google Toolbar once
made a right mess of things with its constant updates to add yet more
functionality I didn't ask for. (I notice that these are now getting
through even after I deleted the update programme! Same goes for 'Quicktime'
which comes back no matter how many times I delete of disable it, but those
are both side issues.)

I would normally tick the 'no' box as you suggest, and would also turn off
the updater if I could, but this latest one probably happened while another
user was in the driving seat. (Another irritating one is the Java updater,
which always leaves the massive previous version in place, without telling
you to go and remove it...)

Anyhow,

It looks like you've all helped me suss this one for now, so thanks very
much .

Cheers,

S
 
spamlet said:
Thanks Norm: have now checked this, and it is already correctly set. Today
the links in my mails do seem to be opening IE, but I was still told 'IE is
not the default' when I opened it. In the 'no extension' part of the
folders dialogue there is still an entry for Firefox I note...

Cheers,

S
Click to expand...
Refer to the url I cited for additional info that I didn't quote in my
original answer. There is more to look at than I mentioned. Then, make
sure that you also follow Alan's advice earlier in the thread. Doing so
should generate a prompt to make ie the default next time it opens:
IE-Tools-Internet Options-Programs.
Check the box "Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the
default browser". Close IE and reopen it.
 
spamlet said:
I was still told 'IE is
not the default' when I opened it. In the 'no extension' part of the
folders dialogue there is still an entry for Firefox I note...
Click to expand...


Remove all references to Mozilla and Firefox from the registry.


From the Start Menu........

Go to: "RUN"

Type in: ' regedit ' (no quotes)

Expand the registry editor to full screen.

From the drop down menu, select "EDIT"... then "FIND"

Type in: Firefox

Select, "Find Next"

Delete all references to Firefox. The editor will stop on all keys
and folder references to the term.... hit delete and then hit F3 to
continue the search. Repeat this process until regedit informs
you that you have "finished searching the registry."

Repeat this process, searching for Mozilla entries.

Close 'regedit'

Reboot.



Then follow Norm's instructions for setting IE to check that it is the 'default' browser.
 
Caveat re removing "Mozilla" from all registry entries - If searching for
"Mozilla" with the "Data" box checked, it would be easy to remove the User
Agent entry from -

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet
Settings

as the data for that key is (IE 6): Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0;
Win32)

That could cause issues with some sites that check that key - like Windows
Update, for instance.

So, I would not advise someone to go will-nilly through the registry
deleting things.
 
Jon Kennedy said:
Caveat re removing "Mozilla" from all registry entries - If searching for
"Mozilla" with the "Data" box checked, it would be easy to remove the User
Agent entry from -

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet
Settings

as the data for that key is (IE 6): Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0;
Win32)

That could cause issues with some sites that check that key - like Windows
Update, for instance.

So, I would not advise someone to go will-nilly through the registry
deleting things.
Click to expand...


SO UNCHECK THE DATA BOX !!!!~

Since I have done this NUMEROUS times, and never encountered
this issue, exactly what is it that Windows Update will FAIL to do if
Mozilla is not available ???

I'm just trying to end this gentleman's issue. As long as there are
registry keys and values referring to Mozilla or Firefox, things aren't
going to be exactly 'joy' for him.

DM
 
Back
Top