I have been using Vista Beta 2 for a while now and there is one thing that continues to frustrate me. Microsoft has designed the User Account Control (UAC) to work so perfectly that it will be difficult for the average person to switch the default browser. After installing Vista you can open up the Control Panel and the first thing that I do is switch to the classic view. Opening up the Default Programs module and looking at the setting for Internet Explorer reveals that it is set to the default browser:
Not surprising, right? Like Microsoft would ship Vista with Firefox or Opera…even though it would be funny if someone slipped it in before it was sent to RTM 
. That’s besides the point because I just want to download Firefox, install it, and set it to be my default browser so that I don’t have to worry about IE opening up my links. That’s what I did and once I ran Firefox for the first time it asked if I wanted to set it to be the default browser…of course I do!
I continued on with my browsing and when I get done I closed Firefox. Later on I returned to my computer, ran Firefox, and I was presented with the same window asking if I would like to set Firefox as the default browser. At this point I was thoroughly confused and I returned to the Default Programs in the Control Panel only to see that IE is still my default browser!
Then it clicks! I have to run Firefox as an administrator so that I am authorizing Vista to change my personal setting. I right-clicked on my Firefox icon and selected “Run As Administrator”:
Then I confirm that I authorized this action:
Finally I agree to set Firefox as my default browser, again! This time it works and if I take a look at the Default Programs in the Control Panel I can see the change I just made:
Is this really a great security feature or just a headache? At first I thought it was a security feature but then I decided to do a little experiment. I opened IE and when I was prompted to switch my default browser back to Internet Explorer I chose the “yes” option. Guess what, it did switch my browser back to Internet Explorer without ever having to run it as an administrator.
I am still quite perplexed at this and I am hoping that the issue is on Mozilla’s end for not making the program get the proper permission to change the setting. I really hope this isn’t Redmond’s way of mocking Mozilla’s “Take Back The Web” slogan by replacing it with their own “Take Back The Market Share”.
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Maybe it has something to do with IE being authorized automatically from a trusted/identified publisher i.e. (hehe) Microsoft. So, because Vista automatically recognizes IE as a program from a trusted published it allows IE to do more than a program from an unidentified publisher. If I were you, I’d find a way to set Mozilla Corp. as an identified publisher and try doing the default settings thing again. then again, this is all in theory…
That’s what I think it is too but I haven’t found a way to do this myself. I think Mozilla will have to make themselves a trusted publisher somehow.
-Ryan
If IE is bypassing normal security procedures yet again, it seems its security issues will continue to prevail.
Don’t really care for Vista. Headache.
You might not care, but I guarantee you’ll be using it. Just wait… you’ll see.
Firefox can’t deal with mhtm(l) files, anyway.
Two things: If you leave the “Always perform this check when starting Firefox” box checked, it will — big surprise here — always check to make sure you want FF to be your default browser every time you start it. Uncheck that box after you’ve set your preference. And pay more attention to dialog boxes in the future.
Second, .mht and .mhtml files are compiled only by IE, MS Word, and Opera, so it makes sense that IE would continue be the default program your system would use to open them. Install Word or Opera and you could probably change that particular default you find so alarming.
This is due to Registry virtualization.
Did you get an elevation prompt when you tried to change the default from inside IE?
Probably yes.
Most likely Mozilla (and other apps touching system wide registry settings) will need to be modified for Vista to elevate privileges when needed.
Trust me, in the long run we want this - this means most ugly old registry meddling apps will continue to operate, but you are also protected from them messing with the ‘real’ registry.
If you leave the “Always perform this check when starting Firefox” box checked, it will — big surprise here — always check to make sure you want FF to be your default browser every time you start it.
Sorry, but you’re dead wrong. The meaning of this check box has always been “Should I prompt you again if I find I’m not the default browser?”. Try it on Firefox and see for yourself.
Um, pay more attention to the software you use?
Actually, I think it’s to Firefox’s advantage that it doesn’t support mhtml files. The format looks like an enormous security problem in the making much like active-x has proven to be. Personally, I despise websites that blast unrequested sound and video at me. I’m staying with Firefox.
stop calling microsoft “redmond”. there are a huge number of other companies in that city, such as Nintendo. bigots like you give everyone else in the city a bad name because you’re too ignorant or lazy to use the right terms.
In your last pic, although it says Firefox next to the various extensions, why is the IE icon still displayed on top?
The question I have to raise:- WHAT IS POINT OF VISTA?.
I believe Vista will create much more headace than XP. XP cover all need and will continue to be supported for next 10 years (my guess) before phasing out, unless microsoft adopt quick and nasty tactic that downsize the XP, make it unsecure, bad press…anything to give excuse for Microsoft to say “well…it time to open your wallent and upgrade to Vista”…boy this is really suck!.
We have to continue using FireFox (which is best in the world, Firefox 2 beta turned out to be very stable), because IE7 is likely not work on XP.
Riscy
I received no elevation prompt in IE when setting it as my default browser. That is what really confused me.
-Ryan
Vista is still in beta…
Great job on making flame bait to get traffic to your website for ad impressions.
Did you try it with any other browsers?
Great job on mindless Microsoft bashing, you’ve made your friends in the lemming crowd proud.
Oh yeah, you might want to do some [very basic] research, that way you could’ve avoided this embarrassment.
“Oh yeah, you might want to do some [very basic] research, that way you could’ve avoided this embarrassment.”
The tables have turned, boys. Used to be Linux that was complicated. Apparently you are supposed to be doing research for such a simple task as changing the default browser. I’m sure Grandma Millie is going to be happy to do research. You open the ugly DOS prompt and type in “/./ wxszf default ie firefox” or something like that.
Interesting that it’s so easy and you don’t even explain what needs to be done.
Wow, I can’t believe a bunch of n00bs vandalized your site Ryan. You should censor their worthless, inaccurate comments.
I’m more inclined to think that the reason why IE worked and Firefox didn’t was because you did not install Firefox with Administrator priveleges. The key is that IE is Adminstrator owned while Firefox isn’t. Even on Linux, most Root owned applications automatically have Root privileges.
I find this pretty poor of MS. Not because it seems to block other browsers from making themselves default by default, but because it seems that it auto-trusts IE. Isn’t this what got MS in trouble with security issues in the first place? The auto-trusting of IE is what allows hackers to install applications onto the OS through a web browser.
I need to see no more than the screenshot of the “What’s associated with this program” to know that Microsoft still can’t make a good UI. The user process diagram for this would be *file* orientated, would it not? not *program* orientated. Whenever I adjust file associations, I’m not interested in everything-that-a-program-opens, or every-file-type-in-the-world (the annoying paradigm that every existing windows version currently implements). Instead I am interested in: the specific file I am trying to open, and what happens to all files that are similar to that one in the future.
I think it’s great that Vista shows Microsoft learning from its mistakes. A better approach would be to stop making mistakes.
How about paying more attention to the article?
Ok, so, here’s a way to make your complaining more productive.
1. Realize what BETA means, and that Vista is STILL a Beta product.
2. Report it as a bug to Microsoft, rather than bitch about it on your blog. It’s more likely to get fixed. If you think Microsoft has enough time or resources to read every worthless blog on the internet to scour for bugs?
2a. If you’re going to run beta software, do your part, report the bugs. Otherwise, uninstall the product and quit your bitching.
Amen
This is not new behavior.
The same behavior exists when you try to run Firefox as a non-administrator in Windows XP or Windows Server 2003. I can’t have firefox registered as the default browser under a non-admin user unless a local admin also registers Firefox as the default browser.
I have not tried it with any other browsers at this point.
I would like to know what I did wrong? If you have any suggestions I am willing to try them. Let me know what you found in your research.
Everyone is entitled to their comments and maybe this will help find a solution…I hope.
It wouldn’t let me install Firefox without receiving the elevated prompt which requested Administrator privileges.
Very interesting because I have never tried to run XP as a non-administrator. The problem is that IE still let me set itself as the default browser without an elevated prompt or without requesting administrator privileges. So I wonder in XP if the administrator has already set the default browser to be Firefox if a non-administrator can change it back to IE. You shouldn’t be able to but that is what’s happening here.
-Ryan
the article states that firefox continued to bring up the prompt every time. this is because firefox failed to set itself as the default browser, and when it would check to see if it was the default upon startup, it would find that it wasn’t, and display the prompt. once ryan figured out what he was doing wrong, the prompt went away. perhaps it’s you that should learn to pay attention.
the same thing happened to me in vista, and it took less than a minute to solve. no biggy. i like that nothing can happen on my computer without my authorization.
Great article. Minus the Bitter Microsoft Apologists™ there have been some interesting responses here. I’d love to see a follow up on this if installing Firefox as an administrator fixes the issue.
The point of the article, boys, is that if the process of setting the default browser is even slightly inconvenient then most average users will not attempt to change the default. This ensures IE’s domination in the browser space. Pointing this out in the blogosphere is a perfect way of drawing attention to it. If Firefox needs to be installed when logged in as administrator in order for this setting to stick, then other programs will need to be installed this way. Won’t this encourage the average user to either stick with Microsoft’s default software or remain logged in as administrator at all times? Both outcomes have obvious downsides.
Utter rubbish. There should only be a handful of SUID root binaries, and those should be the binaries that need escalated priviledges, eg passwd, login, etc
Right,
We are the lemming croud?
Are you not the one in the 95% croud, not looking at the alternatives?
Who’s the lemming now huh?
If this is a bug in vista because its in beta, MS would actually welcome these posts, and fix the problem. Without this post, they might have neven known. (and you would sit with the problem after the release)
News Flash: big IT companies are often named after the town their main headquarter is in, which is why people sometimes use “Mountain View” for Google an “Cupertino” for Apple. And “Redmond” for Microsoft.
Nintendo’s worldwide headquarters, on the other hand, are definitely not in Redmond (last time I checked they were in Kyoto)
You got it exactly right. I wasn’t saying that this is hard to do or that it is even Microsoft’s fault. I was simply saying that as it stands now it will be difficult for someone like my mom to figure out how to switch to another browser.
-Ryan
I’m sure this is most likely due to a change in the way system permissions are managed in Vista vs XP. Once Firefox is updated to use the new API, I’m sure it will behave much like, if not exactly like IE when setting the default browser.
Please note that the firefox site itself does not list Vista as a supported OS. Be excited it works at all
Fuckin discusting and an absolutely typical Microsoft trick. I really hope the courts bring them down or Google corporation launches an alternate, much better operating system. Enlightening post though, thanks very much
Of course IE7 works on XP. ANd of course XP won’t be supported for 10 years - no company ever supports a product for 10 years after it has been superceded by another product.
By no means am I saying censor anyone who disagrees with you - just the vandal flamebaiters that do not even read your article! How do things like, “who cares, bitch?” help anyone?
[quote] By no means am I saying censor anyone who disagrees with you - just the vandal flamebaiters that do not even read your article! How do things like, “who cares, bitch?” help anyone?[/quote]
Agreed, comments like that don’t serve any purpose to the community we’re trying to build. It has been removed… thanks for pointing it out.
Vista has changed the way certain things are done to increase security. That means certain software programs (for example, Firefox) will need updates to work correctly. IMHO, this is a Firefox problem, not Vista.
Agreed, comments like that don’t serve any purpose to the community we’re trying to build. It has been removed… thanks for pointing it out.
Lol, that was only an example. There are many others like that. Next example: “worst post ever”
This is the key point.
If it didn’t work properly as a limited user in XP, it isn’t going to work properly in Vista. (Because that’s exactly what a non-elevated administrator is: a limited user.)
Microsoft has made it clear that the first step to making an app work correctly with UAC in Vista is to make it work correctly with LUA (limited user accounts) on XP. This is a change that Firefox is going to have to make.
I wanted to clear some things up that I think will help this conversation. First, there has been new feature work for Windows Vista to allow per user defaults. This starts to become more and more important since computers are increasingly multi user. It is also important from a standpoint of working with UAC (User Account Control) because per user defaults gives users and apps a way to manage their defaults without having to be an administrator. The infrastructure was put in place to allow user A to have one browser as her default and user B to have a totally different browser as his default. This also extends to anything with common file and protocol types like media players, e-mail clients, photo viewers, etc. Second, the infrastructure is totally open but applications do have to opt into using it. You will see apps from many different companies in the programs list by the time Windows Vista ships. Firefox2 is implementing this new infrastructure as well, so it will show up in the list. Third, there were a few comments about a program centric view is not the right way to view file associations. It really depends on what you are trying to do. Managing files associations holistically across the OS or for specific programs are both valid scenarios. Windows Vista has both of these options. The UI above is only showing the program centric view and not the entire OS view. In the program centric view, you will see all the types an application wants to own to consider itself the default – so IE will show an entry for .mhtml, but it is likely Firefox will not since it doesn’t open .mhtml. Both of views of defaults can be found of the start menu in vista from Default Programs. The documentation on how to move an application to use per user defaults and the new infrastructure is below.
Hope this helps
-Ed
http://msdn.microsoft.com/wind.....fault.aspx