Force Firefox?

[siouxdax]

Hello, Gods of DC:
Every so often, but more and more lately, I click on a link in an email or in the 'help' section of an application that opens up in Internet Explorer. This drives me mad! Is there a way to force any/all of these links to open in Firefox? In my default settings (in Windows XP) I have Firefox selected as the default web browser, but sometimes it just won't behave as such. So is there a way to really ensure these things open in Firefox? What I have been doing is copying the URL when it pops up in IE, immediately close IE, and paste the URL into Firefox.

So any thoughts/help/suggestions? As always, input from you all is very much appreciated.

[cthorpe]

As far as I recall, the help file viewer in Windows is using the IE engine, so Windows assumes that you are clicking a link in IE.  That means you're stuck there.

[siouxdax]

As far as I recall, the help file viewer in Windows is using the IE engine, so Windows assumes that you are clicking a link in IE.  That means you're stuck there.

-cthorpe (March 13, 2009, 12:12 AM)

I should clarify, this happens not only in help files, but in links in emails also, though not always in emails. It seems to be random. I do have a Firefox add-on that opens IE in a Firefox tab. I hope this helps. Please forgive me for 'correcting' you in this matter.

[f0dder]

Some software is badly written and hardcodes Internet Explorer assumptions - the correct thing to do is to file a bug report against the software vendor. The only solution that'd work (and would still fail to cover a few instances) would be overwriting iexplore.exe with a program that launches your default browser... but that'd be a hack at best.

[lanux128]

if it is a problem with the default browser setting, you can try BrowserTraySwitch and set Firefox as the default again.

[bgd77]

Does this work for you?

"1. Click the Start menu
2. Click Default Programs
3. Click “Set program access and computer defaults” (or go to Control Panel and select Add/Remove Programs, then click on "Set Program Access and Defaults")
4. Select Custom then click on the drop arrow
5. Look for “Choose a default web browser” and select Mozilla Firefox
6. Click OK "

It worked for me (problems with Yahoo Messenger). I took it from: http://support.mozil...102005&forumId=1

[siouxdax]

Does this work for you?

"1. Click the Start menu
2. Click Default Programs
3. Click “Set program access and computer defaults” (or go to Control Panel and select Add/Remove Programs, then click on "Set Program Access and Defaults")
4. Select Custom then click on the drop arrow
5. Look for “Choose a default web browser” and select Mozilla Firefox
6. Click OK "

It worked for me (problems with Yahoo Messenger). I took it from: http://support.mozil...102005&forumId=1

-bgd77 (March 13, 2009, 05:42 AM)

Yeah, that was one of the first things I double-checked, but still some programs wind up opening IE anyhow. I would use BrowserTraySwitch, but I already have more than enough apps running in the background. I must say that this only happens on occasion, not frequent enough to merit a background task. But boy, oh boy do I get ticked off when IE opens. But as f0dder suggested, finding an app that would open Firefox in place of iexplore.exe would be great. I wonder if I replaced iexplore.exe with a text file with the same name, might possibly work?

[lanux128]

BrowserTraySwitch doesn't have to be running in the background all the time. it can also be used a 'switch-n-quit' app.

btw, what version of IE is on your computer and are there other IE-based browser like Maxthon, etc?

[lanux128]

Here's the details from help file:

Non-resident Non-tray Use If you want to use the program as a non-resident non-tray based tool, invoke with -switch or -launch to show a menu and exit immediately.

[mouser]

browser tray switch is not going to help you if setting the default browser the normal way isnt helping you.

[joiwind]

Try this (no guarantee) :
Defaut Browser