[Rainer511]

Then how come my Microsoft applications only open links in Internet Explorer?

I'm hating Microsoft more and more as I explore the... wonders... of Vista.

[Rainer511]

Sorry, I forgot to include a question in my complaint.

Is there any way to make Microsoft applications treat Firefox as the default browser?

Thanks

[Tha*Lunat!k]

Certain applications have been this way for some time. I remember Valve Software's Steam platform would launch all links in IE cuz it was coded that way; it ignored the user's default browser selection. They have since fixed it, but I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft has links from their programs launch in IE.

[downtime]

On my machine, Firefox just isn't listed in default programs. Go figure. So, open Firefox, go to a web page, and click file, save page as, save it to your desktop, then close Firefox. Right click on the saved file and choose open with, browse to Firefox in program files, choose Firefox.exe, and make sure the box below, "always open with" is checked. Even though this still won't add firefox to the default program list, it will use firefox to open any url that isn't specifically coded to use IE. I see more and more sites on the internet that Firefox just won't work on, you gotta complain or it just won't change. Andy Warhol said "They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself". I guess Bill is a Warhol fan.

[Bob Cerelli]

Pretty sure it is in Vista. Not in the application or in the web site.

On the same computer, with the same version of Office, both with Firefox set as the default for html files, links from Outlook with Vista only open in IE. They open to Firefox as configured with XP. Still haven't found a way around this with Vista.

[Bob Cerelli]

Figured it out. It is in Vista and a slightly different way of setting the program defaults.

Go to the Control Panel \ Programs \ Default Programs
Set your default programs
Select Firefox
Choose defaults for this program
Under Protocols, check HTTP
Click on Save

Since Firefox was already set to the default, that was the only change needed. But you can also check .htm and .html as well

Let me know if this solves it for you as well.

[Rainer511]

Firefox isn't listed there.

It is installed.

But its just not listed as a program in "Set your default programs".

That could do the trick...

...can you think of any reason why it wouldn't show up?

[Bob Cerelli]

Didn't do any trick on my computer. That's how I tested it.

Try installing Firefox as an admin (right click on the install executable. Then select Run as administrator.

[Rainer511]

So let me get this straight... if I don't select "Run as administrator" when logged into an Administrator account.... the program wont have full access to me computer?

[Bob Cerelli]

Don't recall saying that. Just responding to the question you asked - "can you think of any reason why it wouldn't show up?"

[uhaligani]

Open START. At the top you will see, in the separate window, "Default programs" Enter there and you will find the options to make Firefox, or any other, your default.

[Bob Cerelli]

This can bring you to exactly the same place mentioned earlier where Firefox is not showing up.

Do you see it in the list from Control Panel \ Programs and Features?

[uhaligani]

Woops, I didn't read page 2. Rainier has got to have an install fault. I would suggest a reinstall and try the default program procedure again. Make sure you have the latest version of Firefox - yours has not registered in the Windows registry.

[Bob Cerelli]

Yep. That's why I suggested "Try installing Firefox as an admin (right click on the install executable. Then select Run as administrator."

[DaveBurnett]

You have to be running Firefox as administrator to make it the default. Once that is done it should be OK to run it normally.