Setting BROWSER environment variable?

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Luke
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Message 1000234 - Posted: 3 Jun 2010, 6:03:40 UTC

Hi folks...
I uninstalled a browser I hadn't used in a long time on my WinVista laptop, but every time I clicked 'Your Account' in BOINC it would launch with it.

Now the browser is uninstalled, when clicking 'Your Account' in BOINC manager, I firstly get the message:

"http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/etc...

Application not found."

Clicking Okay to that brings up the dialog box:

"BOINC manager tried to display the webpage http://etc... but couldn't find a web browser.
To fix this, set the environment variable BROWSER to the path of your web browser, then restart BOINC manager."

So naturally, I went to Control Panel > System > Advanced > Environment Variables > New... > and typed in for var name "BROWSER" and var value the location of the browser I want it to load in (Firefox 3.6.3). And then restarted BOINC.

All to no avail. Any ideas?

Regards,
- Luke.
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Message 1000235 - Posted: 3 Jun 2010, 6:11:17 UTC - in response to Message 1000234.  

Set up the default browser for the OS.
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Luke
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Message 1000237 - Posted: 3 Jun 2010, 6:18:17 UTC - in response to Message 1000235.  

Set up the default browser for the OS.


Hmm. It would seem like that should work. But I don't have the option to radio Firefox. Only Google Chrome, Google Chrome, IE, and Safari. And yes, it lists chrome twice?

Is there any settings in the registry or other options...?
- Luke.
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Message 1000239 - Posted: 3 Jun 2010, 6:25:01 UTC - in response to Message 1000237.  
Last modified: 3 Jun 2010, 6:37:46 UTC

(Re)installing firefox might help, as that should set the required variables in the registry.

Gruß,
Gundolf
[edit]Perhaps one of the two chrome entries is the missing firefox, where the registry got corrupted. Does a registry search for the exact name show any hints?[/edit]
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Message 1000245 - Posted: 3 Jun 2010, 7:17:57 UTC

Per re-install, sometimes you need to do a remove in order to get the install to tackle everything.

Another thought to the core problem, might want to check the usual suspect file association mappings (Start / Default Programs / Associate a file type or protocol) to confirm they're pointed to your browser. http, html, php, yadda

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Message 1000251 - Posted: 3 Jun 2010, 7:31:37 UTC - in response to Message 1000245.  

Per re-install, sometimes you need to do a remove in order to get the install to tackle everything.

Another thought to the core problem, might want to check the usual suspect file association mappings (Start / Default Programs / Associate a file type or protocol) to confirm they're pointed to your browser. http, html, php, yadda



Hmm. Things get weirder. http, https, and ftp were all associated with "Unknown Program". I tried to reassign it but only got the options of Chrome (once), IE and Safari.

I really want to leave doing a remove and install as the last option.

Thoughts?
- Luke.
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Message 1000257 - Posted: 3 Jun 2010, 7:59:23 UTC - in response to Message 1000251.  

I'd think a repair installation of Firefox is the easiest, but who am I. ;-)

See if http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/File-association-fixes-for-Windows-Vista.html helps you out.
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Luke
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Message 1000262 - Posted: 3 Jun 2010, 8:31:51 UTC - in response to Message 1000257.  

I'd think a repair installation of Firefox is the easiest, but who am I. ;-)

See if http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/File-association-fixes-for-Windows-Vista.html helps you out.


Thanks Jord... still no avail. :)
I will try a uninstall/reinstall of Firefox and see how it goes.
- Luke.
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Message 1000271 - Posted: 3 Jun 2010, 8:56:36 UTC

Well the reinstallation has worked. Thanks Jord, Gundolf and 52 Aces for the help.

Association of protocols to programs in the control panel now shows Firefox associated with http/https/ftp etc.

Thanks :)
- Luke.
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Message 1000327 - Posted: 3 Jun 2010, 13:57:40 UTC - in response to Message 1000271.  

Yep, there is an age old dev team adage --- "No one wants to own the installer." It's the punishment possition of EVERY product out there, and it shows in situations like yours where the "Going got tough."

I've dissected enough installers with the certification tools to be amazed at the lazy shortcuts taken (ie: stuff that is specific to the dev's personal OS build rather than going through the proper installer API's & OS registration functions). Fortunately the dev's get even lazier on the uninstall, which means the OS+Installer product layer is "mostly" in charge, so a back out has half a chance at clearing the path forward.

Add to that, most Off-The-Shelf systems come with dozens of these equally hack-installed trial/nag editions (99% fruitlessly useless -- damn these marketing deals cut on golf courses) where everything wants to load something all the time (plus half of them are sending chatty tattle msgs weighing down your network). First thing I do is grab the Mfg utils (hot keys, battery metering, & other box drivers), and wipe out the drive and build fresh. Just too many phantom abberant behaviors otherwise. And No, this isn't Microsoft's fault -- quite the contrary.
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Message 1000605 - Posted: 4 Jun 2010, 12:29:07 UTC

It would seem that this issue occurs every now and then.
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Message 1000629 - Posted: 4 Jun 2010, 14:24:31 UTC - in response to Message 1000327.  

Yep, there is an age old dev team adage --- "No one wants to own the installer." It's the punishment possition of EVERY product out there, and it shows in situations like yours where the "Going got tough."

I've dissected enough installers with the certification tools to be amazed at the lazy shortcuts taken (ie: stuff that is specific to the dev's personal OS build rather than going through the proper installer API's & OS registration functions). Fortunately the dev's get even lazier on the uninstall, which means the OS+Installer product layer is "mostly" in charge, so a back out has half a chance at clearing the path forward.

Add to that, most Off-The-Shelf systems come with dozens of these equally hack-installed trial/nag editions (99% fruitlessly useless -- damn these marketing deals cut on golf courses) where everything wants to load something all the time (plus half of them are sending chatty tattle msgs weighing down your network). First thing I do is grab the Mfg utils (hot keys, battery metering, & other box drivers), and wipe out the drive and build fresh. Just too many phantom abberant behaviors otherwise. And No, this isn't Microsoft's fault -- quite the contrary.

All the extra crap software is why I haven't added more laptops to our network. It amazes me that even a laptop has to come with so much advertising and total junk.
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Message boards : Number crunching : Setting BROWSER environment variable?


 
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