Fixing Default Browser in Windows XP

After fiddling around with the Set [as] Default Browser buttons in MyIE2 and Firefox, Windows XP acknowledges Firefox as the default browser (Browse The Internet button turns to Firefox icon), but all URLs launched from Thunderbird open in a new MyIE2 window!

Frustrating. Even reinstalling Firefox doesn't help.

After quite a bit of hair-pulling, I figured out a way to solve it:

1. Run regedit.


2. Find the key called HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\HTTP\shell.


3. Set the (Default) value to Firefox.


4. Create a new key called Firefox under the key shell.


5. Create another new key called command under Firefox.


6. In the command key, set the (Default) value to C:\<path>\<to>\FIREFOX.EXE -url "%1"

Repeat that for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\HTTPS\shell, and we're all set.