Google Desktop Search and using Firefox as your default browser
For the longest time Google Desktop Search always displayed my search results in Internet Explorer rather than Firefox, my default browser. Try as I might I could not make GDS understand that my default browser really is Firefox and not that blasted IE.
It turns out GDS looks for browser handling instructions in a dimly lit and dusty corner of the Windows Registry, a place not subject to the commands sent from the “Set Program Access and Defaults” applet or “Tools | Options | Default Browser” setting. If you would like to sever ties completely between GDS and IE, here’s how:
- Open the registry editor:
regedit - Find:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\htmlfile\shell\open\command - You will likely see a string value with the full path to
iexplore.exe. Replace the value with:"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -nohome - Enjoy GDS once again.
I found this solution in the archives of the Google Desktop Google Group. Thanks CB!
One final note for those who’ve installed the latest GDS v3 beta, do not enable “search across computers.” At this point, it’s an unnecesarry privacy and security risk. More on that here and here.