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How do I set MS Internet Explorer as my default Web browser?

I downloaded Firefox and then found that it just wasn't for me. Hence, I deleted it. However, my shortcuts on my desktop now keep asking for Firefox when I try to open them. Did I not get it all off my machine and if not how do I go about getting rid of every trace of this browser?

Dave's Answer:

This is a surprisingly common question for Windows users, and suggests that the Internet configuration is still a bit more complex than it should be. Fortunately, it's not terribly difficult to fix this problem.

Start up Internet Explorer, then go to Tools --> Internet Options, then click on the Programs tab. You'll see:

MS Internet Explorer: Internet Options: Programs

Notice the option at the bottom?

"Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default browser"

That's what you want. Check that, click "Apply", then quit out of Internet Explorer completely.

If you're lucky, when you restart the browser it'll ask you if you want to switch and have MSIE as the default browser for your computer, but I found that I had to actually reboot the compute entirely for the following option to pop up:

MS Internet Explorer: Make MSIE the Default Browser on your Windows XP computer

That'll give you the ability to fix what ails your computer and set thing so that the default browser for your shortcuts is Internet Explorer.

Hope that gets you going!

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Categorized: Windows Help (Article 5978)
Tagged: internet explorer, windows xp
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Comments

Alternatively of course, you could get a better browser than either of the above from www.opera.com - especially now the full featured version is free of charge and free of adverts.

Posted by: Stuart Holmes at March 5, 2006 7:45 AM

A folder in Outlook Express disappeared from the folder list. The .dbx file is in the Outlook Express .dbx files in D & S. It will not show in OE's folder list. How do you restore so it will be back in OE

Posted by: Della Sauvageot at July 11, 2006 7:38 PM

When I try to send a web page It does not go to Thunderbird. I click File and send to mail recipient but nothing happens. I checked that TB was the default mail. The only error message I received was the uninstall Log was not found. and it gave me the location in the Registry hive This popped up once. Also I cannot attach anything from a folder. I can only attach from the compose window. This is something that just happened, I could do it before.

Posted by: Della Sauvageot at July 19, 2006 10:20 PM

System Restore will not work. I cannot set a restore point I have checkd to make sure it was not turned off in System Properties. Is there a way to repair this without reinstalling windows.

Posted by: Della Sauvageot at September 14, 2006 3:20 PM

hello Dave,
thanks for the good website. I found the answer I was looking for.

Cheers,

Tomas

Posted by: tomas nilsson at October 15, 2006 11:28 AM

Dave
When I go to Control Panel then to Add/Remove Programs and try to delete a program, the programs don't populate for me to select the program I want to delete.
Can you help me or point me in the right direction to fix this?

Thanks

Keith

Posted by: Keith Adler at December 13, 2006 1:12 AM

I have something to say, now that you mention it, but ...

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!