How To Set Firefox As Default Browser Windows Xp

This posting volition describe how to change your default organisation browser on Windows XP to a portable version of Mozilla Firefox using a free programme called DefaultBrowser, doing and then reversibly and without installing the not portable version.

The same process described here could exist used to alter your default browser to any portable (or non portable) browser.

[Editor'south annotation: this posting was contributed by Freewaregenius reader Elioz Hefer; to whom I offering my extreme thanks and gratitude].

Later a menstruation of using MS Internet Explorer, my estimator'southward response time has become slower and I have encountered repeated problems of existence thrown out from IE8 (especially). I have come to the conclusion that a ataxia of addons has caused it, and resetting to default regrettably hasn't been much help.

I therefore turned to the portable version of Mozilla firefox, with the thought that I would adopt to preserve my PC hygiene as much equally possible. I have learned in time that my nigh valuable asset is the speed and quick response time of a computer, and therefore I endeavour to avoid fixed installations. I also found that virtualizations such equally Altiris SVS help but practice not completely block remains of programs, and the same goes for programs that monitor or tape program installations such as Magical Uninstall.

Firefox Portable Edition is the popular Mozilla Firefox web browser arranged with the PortableApps.com Launcher every bit a portable app, so you can accept your bookmarks, extensions and saved passwords with you. Mozilla Firefox Portable Edition can exist copied to a pollex drive so that you can employ information technology whereever you go.

One problem though is that Firefox Portable Edition does not annals itself with the system, and
thus cannot be set every bit the default browser using the GUI. Whenever turning to a new Url (within Portable Firefox or from library links I have previously saved, my PC would continuously opens IE8. Which is why I started looking for a way to set the portable version of Firefox to the default browser without installing the regular non portable version and the to the lowest degree degree of integration with my system.

The solution came in the form of very elegant program called DefaultBrowser written by Ramesh of "Ramesh's site", a resource dedicated to troubleshooting windows XP. This small utility tin can prepare the default browser co-ordinate to user preference. What's more, it is reversible and doesn't install itself on the system that I could discover. Download it here.

Hither is how to gear up Firefox Portable equally the default browser for your user contour in Windows XP.

Download DefaultBrowser and unzip to the binder of your choice
Run the executable and select Firefox Portable from the listing of browsers (meet screenshot to a higher place) then click Employ.
In the Browse dialog box, select the location where the executable FirefoxPortable.exe is located.
That'south information technology. Very chop-chop and like magic Firefox Portable is now gear up as the default browser for your user account.

Notes:

If your desired browser is not on the listing: in this case click scan push button in the "for other browsers" department and signal to the desired browser executable.
DefaultBrowser doesn't change the IE shortcut in the "Quick Launch" carte which volition still open up Internet Explorer. Therefore you must manually put a shortcut of the Portable Firefox executable in the quick launch folder. To do that click the quick launch surface area and then choose Open folder, you can so drag create shortcuts in at that place or remove the ones y'all don't want (I wouldn't delete the explorer Icon from that binder in example yous wish to reverse things).
Reversing this process: is done is done very easily by opening the small DefaultBrowser utility and choosing the reset push button.
Important: If you're using Mozilla Firefox Portable Edition from a USB disk: whenever the drive-letter for the USB disk changes, you'll need to re-annals FirefoxPortable.exe using the DefaultBrowser utility. For instance, the drive-letter for your USB deejay may change when adding additional hardware in your system.

That's it, bask!

Version Tested: one.eight

Compatibility: Windows XP.

Go to the DefaultBrowser folio to download the latest version (approx 31K).