IE8 always asks me to make it the default browser

[Michael Daniels]

Hi everyone

I have this strange issue with IE8. Everytime I open IE, a diaglog box appears and tells me that "Internet Explorer is not currently your default browser. Would you like to make it your default browser?". I have the option "Always perform this check when starting Internet Explorer" checked and press OK. Then everything seems to be normal. But when I close IE and start it again, this diaglog box appears again :shock:! Still having the option "Always perform this check when starting Internet Explorer" checked and press OK .

I have restarted my computer several times, but this still happen. I suspected that this diaglog box doesn't work when I press OK, and I had a little check. After clicking "OK" on that diaglog box ("Internet Explorer is not currently your default browser. Would you like to make it your default browser?" with the option "Always perform this check when starting Internet Explorer" checked), I open the Internet Options diaglog box and select tab Programs. And as I suspected, in the "Default web browser" section, the status was "Internet Explorer is not currently the default web browser" :shock::huh:!

I have Firefox 3.6.8 on my computer. I always set Firefox not to be the default browser. When IE8 told me that it's not the default browser, I have also checked Firefox but Firefox was still not the default browser. This is really bizarre, if IE is not the default browser and Firefox is not the default browser too, so what's the default browser on my computer :shock:?

Well, in summary, my issue is that I cannot make IE8 my default web browser . I hope that you can help me on this . Thank you very much! And have a nice day .

 

[Harvey Meale]

Hi Michael Daniels,

Well, it sounds to me like you're trying to make them both your default browser? I'm a little confused by what you've written.

Anyhow, there's an easy fix (just make sure you follow these instructions accurately). First, click on the 'Start Menu' and type in 'Default Programs'. Hit 'Enter'. Click on 'Set Your Default Programs'. Click on 'Internet Explorer'. Click on 'Set This Program As Default'. Then, select the appropriate extensions and protocols. Hit 'Save'.

Let me know how this goes!

Thanks,
Harvey Meale

 

[Michael Daniels]

Hi Harvey,

Thank you so much for your quick reply . Exactly I want IE is the default browser (sorry for my bad English if it make you confused ). I followed your instructions and it worked. IE now is the default browser (I tested this by click on any link in other applications).

But I have a problem here. This diaglog box appears everytime I start IE:

And when I check in the Internet Options, it's like this:

I don't understand this. Although IE is the default browser, it always tells me it's not . I have to uncheck "Tell me if Internet Explorer is not the default web browser" to stop that diaglog annoying me . Could you help me on this please?

By the way, thanks again for your instruction .

 

[Harvey Meale]

Hi Michael Daniels,

The next time that dialog box appears, uncheck the box that says 'Always perform this check when starting Internet Explorer'.

Thanks,
Harvey Meale

 

[Michael Daniels]

Problem solved . Thank you so much, Harvey. You're very kind

 

[Harvey Meale]

You're very welcome.

 

[Trumpster]

Band-Aid, not fix

Simply de-selecting the option "Always perform this check when starting Internet Explorer" is a band aid to the problem, it doesn't actually fix the root cause. Does anyone know what registry key might be related to this setting?

 

[Victek]

Problem solved . Thank you so much, Harvey. You're very kind

If you go here:

Start Menu/Default Programs/Set Your Default Programs/Internet Explorer

Does it say "this program has its defaults"?

 

[Trumpster]

Oddly enough Internet Explorer is not in the list of programs when you go to Start --> Default Programs --> Set your default programs; however, after I read your post I did go to "Set Program Access and Computer Defaults" --> down arrow to expand the "Custom" category --> Then selected the radio button for "Internet Explorer" (and clicked OK of course) which seems to have fixed the problem.

Now I just hope I can get that setting to stick through the sysprep process so I don't have to remake 6 different images....

Thanks for the response; not sure why I didn't run down that road earlier....

 

[knittertech]

what's the registry key for this? I want to incorporate it to MDT. thank you