How do I make Firefox my default browser?

11 years ago

HP Media Center XP SP3

AARRGG!!

Not sure how it happened, but IE is now my default browser. All the shortcuts on my desktop are IE now. How can I get back to Firefox in order to make it my default browser? I always had Google as my Home page. The icon is there, but it brings me here to IE.

TIA

Sue

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Comments (15)

genes
11 years ago
Click on the firefox icon...it should ask you if you want to make FF default
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
11 years ago
once firefox is open go to tools > options> advanced tab> general tab> system defaults area> make firefox default browser
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if you did the update to IE8 it does a sneaky little trick when it installs and has caused many to have a problem like that where it wants to keep Ie as default. Try this Make sure IE is closed In firefox Click Tools, Options, then click the Advanced icon in the Options toolbar. Click the General tab if it's not already selected, then make sure Always check to see if Firefox is the default browser on startup is enabled. Click Check Now, then confirm that you want to make Firefox your default browser. Click OK. go into your IE settings and uncheck the box to check to see if IE is default browser that should stop it from continuing to ask you. you should go ahead and do this also Start button --> Set Program Access and Defaults "Custom" option selected. Click on the downward arrows to the right of Custom. Under "Choose a default Web browser" select Mozilla Firefox. Click on OK. you may want to check this link and the further instructions at the bottom on the link for if that did not work. How to make Firefox the default browser Setting Firefox as the default browser does not work let us know if you still have a problem after doing those steps.
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Sue_va
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes, but how do I get to a Firefox site? Any Firefox site in the IE Favorites list only comes up as IE.

There is a place in IE Tools, Options that says:
Default web browser is Internet Explorer, with a grayed out box.

Then there is a place to check that says Tell me if Internet Explorer is not the default web browser. I checked that and clicked Apply and OK.

There is no place to change to a different default web browser.

How is it going to tell me that?

What am I missing?

Sue
bob414
11 years ago
Do you have a firefox icon on your desktop? If so, double click it and then follow Raven's suggestion. If no firefox icon click Start > All Programs and click on firefox to open it.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
11 years ago
Okay close the IE browser by hitting the X in the top right corner. Then go to your pc desktop and double click on the firefox icon to open your firefox browser, now you are using firefox, you can follow my directions above to set it as default.

You can easily switch between the two browsers by just clicking on the icon for the one you want to use. You can use both at the same time if you need to.
Sue_va
Original Author
11 years ago
On my desk top I have short cuts to the sites I visit each day when I first turn the PC on. Each of those now has the IE icon and they open, but only in IE. None have the FF logo.

I have looked in All programs and Control Panel; any reference there still opens in IE.

In Start there is a link to Mozilla Firefox. I click on that and get this message:

Firefox exe - Application Error.
The instruction at "OXO17eOO8d" referenced memory at "OXO17eOO8d." The memory could no be "written."
Click on OK to terminate the program.
Click on CANCEL to debug the program.

Doesn't matter which I click, nothing changes.

I seem to be held hostage by IE.

Sue
bob414
11 years ago
May not work but worth trying. Right click on one of your icons. In the drop down menu click open with and try to navigate to firefox to open it with firefox. You may have to go to this page and download firefox and install it over the old copy.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
11 years ago
I think you need to download and reinstall firefox again it sounds like something got corrupted. As Bob suggested go there and get it and reinstall. During install it will ask if you want to set firefox as default.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
11 years ago
before you do that though you could always try doing a system restore to a date prior to this happening if it was recently and that could return everything as it was.

Start>all programs> accessories> system tools> system restore choose to restore your pc to an earlier date, select a date from the available dates on the calendar and restore it. These are reversible should you need to so no worries there.
Sue_va
Original Author
11 years ago
RC, I did a system restore early on;in fact did it twice with different dates. Message said there were no changes.

So I went to Bob's link, found a download box, clicked on it and nothing happened.

I also saw this there:

Visit the Firefox download page in any browser (e.g. Microsoft Internet Explorer). The page will automatically recommend the best version(s) of Firefox for you.

I went there, didn't see anything like a recommendation. I did see a download box, clicked on it, but nothing happened.

There were illustrations and instructions, but nothing live to click on.

So I am back where I started.

There has got to be a way to do this. But what, where?

Thanks.

Sue
Richard (Vero Beach, Florida)
11 years ago
This is the US English language Windows installer. Version 16.0.1, the newest as of now.

https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-16.0.1&os=win&lang=en-US

That comes from this Mozilla page.
Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
11 years ago
Ok...

Start...
Search... Firefox ...and hopefully you can find it and open it from there.
Sue_va
Original Author
11 years ago
It is cloudy here today, but there is sunshine on my desktop!!

All my shortcuts have the Firefox icon!!

Can you tell I'm happy?

Thank you, Chuggerguy!!

Sue, your suggestion would have been my next try.

Thanks to all of you.

Sue
Richard (Vero Beach, Florida)
11 years ago
I have no idea why bob414's link wouldn't work for you but... at least the direct link did so... all's well that ends well.

(Borrowed the smiley... thanks!)
Sue_va
Original Author
11 years ago
You're welcome.

Every thing working fine this morning.

Sue

How do I make Firefox my default browser?

Comments (15)

genes

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How do I make Firefox my default browser?

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