Windows 10 Remove duplicate default program entry

[Jimmy59601]

After a bout with some malware, I found that I have two entries for Firefox in my list of default programs in Win 10 settings. One won't let me pick Firefox as the default browser when I choose that one. I want to remove it from the list. Is there a way? See the screenshot. Thanks!

 

[livix07]

Please try these solutions:
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/10529-add-remove-items-all-apps-start-menu-windows-10-a.html

 

[davehc]

perhaps it might help if you look in the Programs and features (Setting - Apps, and, on the right) and see if you possibly have two entries of different versions there

 

[Jimmy59601]

perhaps it might help if you look in the Programs and features (Setting - Apps, and, on the right) and see if you possibly have two entries of different versions there

Did that. Only one. My guess it the legit FF. I probably do some research on the registry, as I'd bet it's there somewhere.

 

[davehc]

Maybe if you unistll FF , you can then find the other and delete it manually. Easier enough to reinstall.

 

[Jimmy59601]

True, but there is only one FF on my system, in any of the customary folders, and I don't think the remaining one will show up after reomving the real FF. My guess is that it's a, phantom entry with no artifacts in my folder structure. I'll run a search of the registry first

 

[Neemobeer]

I was able to replicate your issue by installing two versions of Firefox, so for starters open "Add/Remove Programs" and verify you don't have two versions installed. If you don't then it's most likely a registry key left over for the old version.

 

[Neemobeer]

To locate the keys

• Click on Start
• Type regedit
• Expand the HKCR hive
• Scroll down to FireFoxHTML-

Each version of FireFox will produce a FireFoxHTML-####### and FireFoxURL-#####. If you're on the current version of FireFox (63.0.3) then the correct two keys will be HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FirefoxHTML-308046B0AF4A39CB and HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FirefoxURL-308046B0AF4A39CB you should be able to delete the other HTML/URL pairs.

Once removed you will need to close and re-launch System Settings

 

[Jimmy59601]

Yes!! That did the trick. Thanks very much for sharing your expertise.

 

[Jimmy59601]

If I may impose with another question that's related, my issue now seems only partially solved. I'm running FF 63.0.3 on Win10x64. For a long time, I kept Firefox to set my default browser to Firefox in the Options menu. Lately, every time I open FF, I am advised that FF is not my default browser. Then, I set it to the default in Windows/Settings/Apps. But after I close FF and reopen it, I'm again prompted that FF is not the default browser. So I go through the process yet again. Could there be some Windows registry setting? I created second profile and copied the bookmarks, cert8/9

 

[Jimmy59601]

I solved the problem. It was with a Firefox shortcut that I placed on the Taskbar. The shortcut opened FF to my home page, my.yahoo.com. I found that. if I opened FF from a Taskbar shortcut that opened Google.com, the issue did not occur. I deleted the problem shortcut and created a new one that also opened FF to my.yahoo.com and the problem did not present or recur. Regardless, thanks very much for your help!