Windows 7 - Google Chrome took over as default browser and I couldn't change

I tried what I found doing a search on setting a default browser (I wanted I.E. 9) and had it set in default programs. But that didn't make any difference, Chrome still was set as the default. I found a post about changing "Chromehtml" in the registry to htmlfile and that would do it. I changed every hit that it found for that and then restarted the PC but Chrome still was entrenched as the default browser.

I finally uninstalled Chrome and obviously that took care of it.

I would like to have Chrome installed, is there a "sure" way I can installed it but not as the default browser?

For one, when you reinstall chrome make sure you dont accept when it offers to become the default browser. Another somewhat brute force way would be to change all file types associated with chrome to IE association (in Control panel-Default programs-Associate a file type)

I had all the file types associated and I opted to NOT have Chrome as default but it "took over" anyway. Doing google searches I'm not the only one complaining about this.

im guessing you have it set in IE9 as default browser fireberd.

Yes, I.E. is set as default. Everywhere there is an option it is set as default. It's Chrome and it's "take over" approach. Sort of like Quicktime and RealPlayer used to be and some other older programs back in the Win98/ME days that would set themselves as defaults and the user couldn't override them.

I'd recommend one of the Chromium snapshots. I tried Chrome, Iron, etc.. but when I tried Chromium, all the extensions for Chrome I tried installed and worked fine. Also I recommend downloading the win32 zip file, not the installer. Just unzip to an empty folder and make a shortcut. I've been doing Chromium portable snapshots for about 6 months now. I've never had any issues with insisting on default browser. About the only issue that pops up now and then is losing favicons on bookmarks. But that hasn't happened in awhile. Also there's BookMark Sentry extension you only need to run manually to fix favicons and clear dupes. That avoids another chrome.exe running.

Index of /f/chromium/snapshots/Win

When I "update" I make a copy of my Chromium settings folder. Sometimes if you go to a newer version it puts stuff in settings not compatible with the old. By having a copy you can back it off easily if necessary. Lately though they've been pretty solid. Check the Changelog.xml before deciding which build to try. If you look through the list you should be able to get one in the last few builds that's pretty clean. The fewer "issues" in the change log the better.

In IE > Internet Options > Programs button you can set the IE as default.

WHS, that was set a long time ago. It didn't make any difference to Chrome, it still was the Default browser.

As I previously stated "Everywhere there is an option or setup for Default - I.E. was set as the default".

When you installed Chrome you must have forgotten to untick set Chrome as the default browser.
Google Chrome for Windows - Terms and Conditions Agreement

Just install Chrome again & make sure that the option to set as default is unchecked this time.