Can not get IE as default

[Jerry38018]

I used Firefox for a while, and had it set as the default browser. I decided to go back and use IE6, in WinXP Home. I have set the tab for IE to check to see if it is the default browser, and have unchecked the same tab in Firefox. I have rebooted, yet Firefox still remains as the default browser. I know to go to My Computer, Tools, folder Options to set file associations. I set .url expentions to use IE, and there are a bunch of extensions I do not wish to deal with. I did the url extension as it was easy to do, then locate and try. I did a search for .url files, and each had the IE icon, but when I clicked on the file, Firefox opened it. What do I need to do here? I do not remember seeing any file extensions still marked as Firefox. Thanks for your help. Obviously I could uninstall Firefox, but would rathe not go that far.

[frebo]

try going to control panel add and remove programs over on the left there is a tab to make microsoft produts your default programs

[HAN]

Have you actually ran IE and went to the web with it after the change? It needs to run the default check to make the changes necessary. Just ticking the box is not enough...

[Jerry38018]

Thanks for the replies. I will check out the control panel for making MS the default, but I am not certain I want to make all MS items the default. But, I did not know about this. Han, I have run IE 6 or 7 times since I ckecked that default item.

[Welshjim]

Jerry38018--Not sure from your first post whether you looked here. IE Tool|Internet Options|Programs tab. Near bottom is a box "IE should check whether it is the default browser". Check it|Apply|OK|Reboot. Next time you use IE, you should be asked if you want IE to be the default. Click "Yes".
The URL extensions you are looking for are at the top of the list under "NONE", but you should not have to mess with them if IE is your default browser.
Concerning frebo's suggestion, if you use the "Set Program Access and Defaults"|Custom arrow, you can pick and chose which MS products to make default. IE is one of the choices. You do not have make all MS products the default.

[HAN]

**EDIT**

Before trying the next 2 listings, try un-ticking the box in IE and then go online with IE. Close IE, then tick the IE box and go online with IE again and see if it asks then. If this fails, then see below...

2 resources I found. I've never used them so proceed with care. (Personally, I would trust the registry entry method more than running the repair app. Especially since I would know what's being modified.)

Registry Method http://windowsxp.mvps.org/ie/nopromptdefault.htm

Automated Method http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFIX.htm

Good Luck and let us know how it goes...

[Jerry38018]

I have clicked on IE to check as default, exited, rebooted, entered IE and it never asked. Seveal times. I did do the "Custom" tab in Control Panel. I marked for IE to be my browser, and to leave my present -- Eudora -- mail program as it was. When it changed things, it showed it was changing me to Outlook Express. When I opened a web link, IE is the browser, so that is fixed. I went to options and changed from OE to Eudora, clicked on apply or OK or whatever. Closed IE, reopened and went to mail, and it opened Eudora. Ass for the file extensions, I have played with them at times -- years ago under Win98, but for this I just wanted the system to do what it is supposed to do. It still did not work exactly right in the Custom tab, but has at this time put IE back as the default browser. On another computer, which at the time was running WinME, I installed Mozilla and had a similar time when I did not want to use it anymore. My Mailwasher program never could pick up IE after that. But now, thanks for all the suggestions. I really appreciate the assistance given by all the folks here. From time to time, I am able to give back to someone else.

[Jerry38018]

Han, thanks for the two links you gave. I forgot to mention that. I think these would have solved a problem I had in WinME once. I used a different browser, set as default, and when I went back to IE -- no problems with the steps at that time -- as the default, in Mailwasher I kept getting the message given in one of the links you supplied. I think Firefox may put another line in the run file or some place as mentioned. I will bookmark those two sites.