Re: IE launching when Firefox is default browser

Hi again.

Well, as you know, the Links folder is just a standard subdirectory of the
Windows Favorites folder, and it is possible (via the taskbar) to set up a
desktop toolbar that points direct to it. This toolbar can be docked on the
desktop in the usual manner. And, as with any folder, you can use Windows
Explorer to create subdirectories within the folder. So, basically, it's
just another subdirectory as with any other in the filing system.

Now, when the Links folder is viewed from the desktop Links toolbar, it
displays everything that you'd see if you were viewing it from a Windows
Explorer window - i.e. files in the immediate directory plus the names of
any subdirectories that it contains.

If, via the toolbar, you click on any of the website shortcuts that are
contained immediately within Links (i.e. not within any of its
subdirectories), then the explorer process calls up your default browser and
launches the URL into it. (Fine.)

If (again via the Links toolbar) you select a subdirectory of the Links
folder, however, then a drop-down list of the contents of that subdirectory
appears. (Fine so far.) If you then select a website shortcut from that
drop-down list, then this time round svchost is the process that stirs into
action, only this time it launches the website into IE, irrespective of the
default browser chosen. That's what I'm trying to understand/fix!

I have no idea why it is svchost that initiates the browser launch when the
selection is made from subdirectories of the Links folder, when explorer is
the process used for non-subdirectory selections, but clearly svchost
ignores the default browser selection (presumably an oversight on the part
of the Windows programmers?) and I'm wondering whether there is a
workaround.

A bit long-winded, but I hope that makes more sense. If you're still not
sure what I'm babbling on about, try it for yourself - only takes a moment:

1. Right click on the Desktop Taskbar > Toolbars > Links
2. Then drag the Links toolbar out onto the desktop or dock it to the screen
edge somewhere

From within Windows Explorer C:.../Favorites/Links,
3a. Deposit some URL shortcuts within Links itself
3b. Right click > New > Folder > give it a name to set up an arbitrary
subdirectory of Links
3c. Deposit some URL shortcuts within that subdirectory.

4. Now, via the desktop toolbar you set up above (*not* via Windows
Explorer), select:
4a one of the links from 3a --> explorer process will launch them into the
default browser
4b one of the links from 3c --> svchost process will launch them into IE,
irrespective of the default browser setting

It's got me baffled!

Thanks again!
M



"Jan Il" <abuseSPAM@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:O9nSoRdLGHA.3756@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi M :-)

Perhaps I am misunderstanding what you mean by 'subdirectories' of the
links. Could you please elaborate a bit more on these subdirectories and
where they are located when you try them for clarification?

Jan :)
MS MVP - IE [DTS/AumHa]
Smiles are meant to be shared,
that's why they're so contagious.

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Hi Jan

Thanks for those suggestions.

I'm afraid it doesn't seem help with this particular problem, though!
Firefox is already set up as the default browser (and I've double-checked
the items you mentioned). The trouble seems to stem from the fact that
when accessing shortcuts that are located in *subdirectories* of the
Links desktop toolbar, the call (for some reason that baffles me) is made
from svchost.exe (rather than explorer.exe), but this does not appear to
respect the default browser setting as it always launches IE.

If you have any other suggestions to try, I'll be happy to give them a
shot!

Thanks again
M



"Jan Il" <abuseSPAM@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:O9gj4eZLGHA.648@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi M :-)

Firefox> Tools> Options> General> Default browser> click the "Check now"
button and select "Yes."

then...

Go to Control Panel> Add/Remove programs> Set program access
and defaults> Select either Microsoft or Custom, tick the box next to
FireFox
and make it the default browser, enable access to IE
(you may need to be in Admin account to make this change.)

also..

Hyperlinks Open in Internet Explorer Instead of in the Default Browser
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;810649

Hope this helps.

Jan :)
MS MVP - IE [DTS/AumHa]
Smiles are meant to be shared,
that's why they're so contagious.

Replies are posted only to the newsgroup for the benefit or other
readers.
How to make a good newsgroup post:
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


I have Firefox set as my default browser, although IE is still available
on the computer (Windows XP Pro).

Now, I have a copy of the Links toolbar on my desktop, from which I can
quick-launch various links. If I click on a link that appears direct
on the toolbar, it launches into FF (explorer.exe being the parent
process). However, the Links folder also contains subdirectories and if
I select a shortcut located within one of the subdirectories from the
toolbar, then it's IE that's launched instead. I've noticed that, in
these cases, the parent process is svchost.exe.

Does anyone know of any way to force such launches into FF instead of
IE (short of dragging the link into an existing FF window)? It's got
me baffled!

Thanks to anyone who can advise on this.

Regards










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