internet browser defaults per user

  • Thread starter Thread starter morficss
  • Start date Start date
M

morficss

how can i get windows XP to save internet browser defaults per user
instead of per machine as it is right now, it is windows XP pro im
inquiring about

thank you in advance for your attention

Daniel

i hope the cross posting is ok, i really dont know which newsgroup this
question would best belong in
 
I don't know to which defaults you are referring but there are some Internet
Explorer boards on this server from which you might get a better answer.
 
Michael said:
I don't know to which defaults you are referring but there are some Internet
Explorer boards on this server from which you might get a better answer.
Click to expand...
im referring to setting Internet Explorer as default Internet Broswer
for my wife and Firefox for myself (per user), i can only choose either
per machine
im talking about the Set program acess and defaults and/or answering the
browsers question to make it default with 'yes' just when i tell firefox
to be default, my wife gets that as default, when she sets IE as
default, i too get IE as default, i tried limiting her account to 'User'
and still her change affects me or vice versa, i do think it's more a XP
issue thana internet explorer issue, as internet explorer is not the
only browser involved

any ideas or what other info would be needed to be able to answer my
question?
 
It might have helped if you had said so in the first place.

Not sure if this will work but it's worth a shot. You'll have to do this
separately in each user account in which you wish to have a browser other
than IE as the default. Note, you should create a restore point before
doing the following.

Go into your file types through My Computer\View\Options\File Types,
and edit the "HTML document" entry to open with the browser of your choice.

Next, edit the "URL:File Transfer Protocol" entry, and at the next screen
highlight "open" then edit that. In the "Application used to perform
action"
dialogue box, enter the complete path to the browser of choice, and DO NOT
check the Use DDE
box. Keep clicking OK to get out.

Hope that helps.
 
Hi Michael,

File Types, is still machine wide. :o)

Doug has something in the works. Basics are covered but the testing hasn't
been finished as of yet.
 
Thanks, Kelly. I had tried to duplicate the issue on another machine using
Opera and found the situation to be as the OP described. I wasn't sure
about the file types though. Ok, thanks again.

--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/
 
No problem, Michael. :o)




Michael Solomon (MS-MVP Windows Shell/User) said:
Thanks, Kelly. I had tried to duplicate the issue on another machine using
Opera and found the situation to be as the OP described. I wasn't sure
about the file types though. Ok, thanks again.

--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/
Click to expand...
 
File Types, is still machine wide. :o)
Click to expand...

Actually, that's not strictly true in XP - though how one manages this
in practice is a hard question.

Formally, HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT was just an alias pointer to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE...Classes. XP adds in a per-user layer to this, so
that what you see in HKCR is a merge of the two (with AFAIK the
per-user stuff overriding the system-wide settings).

As I say, catching and taming this functionality may be tricky -
especially for something like "default browser", which is likely to
get really messy at the CLSID level.

So I'm hesitant to even mention this - but if there's light at the end
of the tunnel, it may be this rather than workarounds to force
system-wide changes on startup (which would likely fail if both users
logged on at teh same time, as can happen in XP).



---------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
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Consumer Asks: "What are you?"
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Actually, that's not strictly true in XP - though how one manages this
in practice is a hard question.
Click to expand...

But.....Chris:

Changeing the File Types via Windows Explorer is "machine wide".
Hacking the registry is a different story. :o)
 
cquirke said:
Actually, that's not strictly true in XP - though how one manages this
in practice is a hard question.

Formally, HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT was just an alias pointer to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE...Classes. XP adds in a per-user layer to this, so
that what you see in HKCR is a merge of the two (with AFAIK the
per-user stuff overriding the system-wide settings).

As I say, catching and taming this functionality may be tricky -
especially for something like "default browser", which is likely to
get really messy at the CLSID level.

So I'm hesitant to even mention this - but if there's light at the end
of the tunnel, it may be this rather than workarounds to force
system-wide changes on startup (which would likely fail if both users
logged on at teh same time, as can happen in XP).
Click to expand...


one idea was to change the system default on each login, the question
that was left open was how does this work with user switching, would a
possible logon script be run on the initial login only or on each
subsequent switch between two users, since this is on a laptop all we do
is, close the lid to standby it, we hardly even boot it and login at
most once between reboots (new drivers for example) so a logon script
not being run on user switching would thwart the idea to run a small app
that would change the settings for each our preference, am i in luck?
can i run a app after each switch to an already logged in user?
 
Chris,

Kelly's statement, in the context of the thread is correct. With the exception of Regedit (and the requisite knowledge to use it for this purpose), there is no GUI method of changing File Type Associations, other than the file types tab in properties. Even the ASSOC command operates in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. In the context of this thread, and for the typical user file type changes are machine wide.
 
Doug said:
Chris,

Kelly's statement, in the context of the thread is correct. With the exception of Regedit (and the requisite knowledge to use it for this purpose), there is no GUI method of changing File Type Associations, other than the file types tab in properties. Even the ASSOC command operates in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. In the context of this thread, and for the typical user file type changes are machine wide.
Click to expand...
i would be fine changing it with regedit if i knew the keys in question
i do not require a GUI solution, i will make sure to state this next
time i have a problem i can't fix myself, if anyone has the keys in
question i could write a small app modifying the keys in question on
each run of OE/IE or Firefox/Thunderbird, one catch still remains,
neither my wife nor i close the apps once running so whoever logs in
last would "win" and have their settings systemwide
if anyone knew if an app modifying the keys in question can be run on
each "login" after a user switch, i might be on my way

thanks all for your attention thus far
 
In a Fast User Switching environment, this wouldn't work as logon scripts are only processed at logon. A routine could be written to check to see when a user switch has occurred, and write the changes to the Registry.

The preferred method, would be the one Chris outlines, and as Kelly stated, I'm working on this. The problem is that there are too many different browsers, and versions of the same browsers for this to be reliable. Preliminary testing shows that the majority of URL's and direct HTM/HTML file access will work with IE, Netscape and Opera, but other types of pages such as ASP, ASPX, PHP and others have not received as extensive testing. The biggest issue is trying to ensure
 
Doug said:
In a Fast User Switching environment, this wouldn't work as logon scripts are only processed at logon. A routine could be written to check to see when a user switch has occurred, and write the changes to the Registry.

The preferred method, would be the one Chris outlines, and as Kelly stated, I'm working on this. The problem is that there are too many different browsers, and versions of the same browsers for this to be reliable. Preliminary testing shows that the majority of URL's and direct HTM/HTML file access will work with IE, Netscape and Opera, but other types of pages such as ASP, ASPX, PHP and others have not received as extensive testing. The biggest issue is trying to ensure
Click to expand...

count me as a willing tester, i guess there is no point in trying to
program something myself if someone else already works on something
let me take the time to say how impressed i was by your site Doug, i
just wish i had had enough time to look around thoroughly

im looking forward to seeing what you can come up with there

again, thank you
 
im looking forward to seeing what you can come up with there

ditto here!

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k
-------------------------------------------------
Prevent Spyware from being installed:
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
-------------------------------------------------


In a Fast User Switching environment, this wouldn't work as logon scripts are only processed at logon. A routine could be written to check to see when a user switch has occurred, and write the changes to the Registry.

The preferred method, would be the one Chris outlines, and as Kelly stated, I'm working on this. The problem is that there are too many different browsers, and versions of the same browsers for this to be reliable. Preliminary testing shows that the majority of URL's and direct HTM/HTML file access will work with IE, Netscape and Opera, but other types of pages such as ASP, ASPX, PHP and others have not received as extensive testing. The biggest issue is trying to ensure
Click to expand...

count me as a willing tester, i guess there is no point in trying to
program something myself if someone else already works on something
let me take the time to say how impressed i was by your site Doug, i
just wish i had had enough time to look around thoroughly

im looking forward to seeing what you can come up with there

again, thank you
 
You are good, Douglas. <w>




In a Fast User Switching environment, this wouldn't work as logon scripts
are only processed at logon. A routine could be written to check to see
when a user switch has occurred, and write the changes to the Registry.

The preferred method, would be the one Chris outlines, and as Kelly stated,
I'm working on this. The problem is that there are too many different
browsers, and versions of the same browsers for this to be reliable.
Preliminary testing shows that the majority of URL's and direct HTM/HTML
file access will work with IE, Netscape and Opera, but other types of pages
such as ASP, ASPX, PHP and others have not received as extensive testing.
The biggest issue is trying to ensure

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
 
<blush> Thanks, even if I do get distracted on occassion and forget to actually finish the darned post <G>

The post should have finished with:

The biggest issue is trying to ensure that the various types of pages, open correctly with the various browsers that are available. And, of course, I happen to like IE, so I don't use Netscape and all the others, and have no real desire to install them either :-)

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

Kelly said:
You are good, Douglas. <w>

--
All the Best,
Kelly

MS-MVP Win98/XP
[AE-Windows® XP]

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

Utilities for Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_u.htm#xp_util


In a Fast User Switching environment, this wouldn't work as logon scripts
are only processed at logon. A routine could be written to check to see
when a user switch has occurred, and write the changes to the Registry.

The preferred method, would be the one Chris outlines, and as Kelly stated,
I'm working on this. The problem is that there are too many different
browsers, and versions of the same browsers for this to be reliable.
Preliminary testing shows that the majority of URL's and direct HTM/HTML
file access will work with IE, Netscape and Opera, but other types of pages
such as ASP, ASPX, PHP and others have not received as extensive testing.
The biggest issue is trying to ensure

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

morficss said:
one idea was to change the system default on each login, the question
that was left open was how does this work with user switching, would a
possible logon script be run on the initial login only or on each
subsequent switch between two users, since this is on a laptop all we do
is, close the lid to standby it, we hardly even boot it and login at
most once between reboots (new drivers for example) so a logon script
not being run on user switching would thwart the idea to run a small app
that would change the settings for each our preference, am i in luck?
can i run a app after each switch to an already logged in user?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Changeing the File Types via Windows Explorer is "machine wide".
Hacking the registry is a different story. :o)
Click to expand...

Yep. That's what I mean :-(

Still, this is the only way I can see this working if multiple users
are to be logged on at the same time, and switched between.

Else could apply some sort of system-wide "force this browser" .reg
via each account's startup axis.


---------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
Click to expand...
Consumer Asks: "What are you?"
Market Research: ' What would you like us to be? '
 
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