Can't set Firefox as default browser.

Factual Questions
1

I can’t set Firefox as my default browser under Windows XP. I don’t know exactly when this occurred but it must have been recently. I only noticed when I tried to open a local .html file and it had notepad.exe as it’s default application. I tried first to set it through Windows Explorer Tools->Folder Options->File Types but Firefox was not listed as one of the available applications and, when I selected it via the browse button, it was ignored. Next I tried from Firefox’s own Tools->Options->Advanced pressing the Check Now button to see if it was set as default - nothing happened. I already had the “Always check if Firefox is the default…” option checked. I can happily set Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Opera or Safari as default, just not Firefox which is the one I use :frowning:

Does anybody else have the same problem? I am using the latest Firefox 3.5.1 and Windows XP SP3.

2

Right click on the .html file and choose (open with) and then (choose program). The open with dialog box is now open. Click the (Always use the selected program to open this kind of file). Click on Firefox and then the (OK) box. The .html extension will now open with Firefox automatically.

3

If all else fails you can always ‘go nuclear’ and start a new profile, which fixes a variery of Firefox maladies;

Start - Run -
“C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe” -P

(or wherever you’ve installed Firefox too).

4

Yeah did that - essentially the same as Tools->Folder Options->File Types. Firefox is not listed and using the Browse button to select it has no effect.

5

Try forcing it to accept it’s status as default browser (make sure Firefox is exited completely);

Start - Run-

firefox.exe -silent -setDefaultBrowser

There’s a fair few suggestions to fix the problem here;
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Setting_Your_Default_Browser

6

Make sure that IE doesn’t have it’s options set to make it the default browser. I don’t think that’s the problem because you said notepad starts up.

I don’t know where it is but Firefox has a way to set it so a chosen application handles an extension. that may be where the problem lies.

In any case if you haven’t shut down and restarted the computer do it now and see if things are alright before doing anything else.

7

That did the trick:):):):slight_smile:

When I started with the new profile it immediately performed the “Am I the default” check and everything back to normal. I was able to then delete the new profile and just use my original with no ill effect. Many Thanks.

8

No problem. Every now and again Firefox problems can present themselves again even if a new profile is created, if this happens give the suggestions above a whirl.