Windows 7: Unable to change default program access settings

Hi,

I'm desperately trying to change the sidebar gadget to open websites by default with Mozilla Firefox (in particular, the "Ask LEO" gadget).

Firefox is my default browser. If I double-click on a .url file saved on my system, it correctly opens Firefox, and so does clicking a link in MS Outlook. Again, Firefox is default, but that's not my problem.

Somewhere I found the advice to change the "Set program access and computer defaults" settings. So I tried, but every time I change something there, it doesn't keep the setting. I click on Custom => Default Web Browser => Mozilla Firefox, click OK, get some flashing on desktop, but next time I get there it's set back to "Use current browser" again.

Anyone got the same problem? I'm using the 7100 (x86) build, but a friend of mine tried the same on the final build (x64) and he got the same problem. It's reverting all the time. Re-installed Firefox, restarted, changed/tried/reset everything I can imagine.
Please help!

Greetings,
Christian



Edit: It seems the problem is a Javascript-call "window.open" in the "Ask LEO" gadget. Someone knows why this call opens IE and every other call doesn't? And is there a workaround?
Edit2: With a dirty hack I solved the problem. Edited the gadget and replaced "window.open" by "System.Shell.execute". Still - I'd like to know why a) I can't change the default programs setting and b) why window.open ignores my default browser configuration.

Bagstone, you need to turn of UAC in the user accounts section...then you will be able to change the access settings...

Issue with Windows 7 32/64 bit and Windows 2008 R2 environments
Hi Friends,
I am facing issue when I am trying of open OSK.EXE (On-Screen Keyboard) through ShellExecute() in both Windows 7 32/64 bit and Windows 2008 R2 environments. OSK is not getting popped up after executing the command.
My source code’s statement follows:
Statement1: ShellExecute ( pWnd, "open", "C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\osk.exe", NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);
Note (FYI):
(1) If I execute following statement2 by putting OSK.EXE in C:\, then On – Screen Keyboard is getting popped up.

Statement2: ShellExecute ( pWnd, "open", "C:\\osk.exe", NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);
(2) Statement1 is successfully executed on XP, W2K Server and Vista with expected behavior.
(3) If I try to get the last error through GetLastError() after executing the Statement 1, “Operation has been performed successfully” is translated from the return value of the GetLastError().
(4) On my Windows 7 machine, UAC is disable.
(5) I am running ShellExecute() function by logging through the login ID having added to administrator group.
Please guide me for executing the Statement1.
Thanks in advance.
JP