# Browser Issues From Hell!



## kenny1 (Jan 9, 2009)

Hello Friends,
It's been awhile since I've darkened your doorstep, I hope you've been well. To the problem at hand...

I have found myself in recent weeks engaged in brutal trench warfare with Edge browser. It is kill or be killed and I am here seeking a weapon to finally destroy this vile demon once and for all. I started writing this post days ago and it became a soap opera novella, as I've been in this battle for some weeks. But I guess it's not necessary to provide you with the full history in dramatized narrative. So let me sum up:

_Note: when I wrote the last two sentences I fully intended to write a condensed version of this post. I did not fare well with that intent, although what follows is a fraction of the novella. My apologies..._

This old Dell laptop I'm currently using was out of commission for some time, sitting on a shelf gathering dust. I recently got it repaired and set about getting it up to date and back to work. I've been a google chrome user for some time and have been using it as my default browser for I don't know how many years. I even manage to use chrome as my primary browser on my ios devices (iphone and ipad pro) in spite of safari's frequent objections.

So during the Dell's resurrection process it has been my intention to stick with chrome and enjoy the seamless sync it has with chrome for ios (I love having everything immediately and automatically current no matter what device I pick up, bookmarks, history, even currently open tabs). Setting chrome as the default browser on a windows device has always been simple. Set it and forget it and it just works. Well, not anymore.

As you no doubt know, some sick twisted evil genius at Microsoft has gone into the guts of the Windows 10 OS and integrated the Edge browser into it so that Edge is now part of the operating system and no longer an independent app. I learned this the hard way when I tried to make chrome the default and kept seeing Edge opening certain links with no regard for my so called "default browser" settings. Apparently Edge has been given the authority to do what it wants when it wants, regardless of its owners desires.

When I saw this keep happening I became increasingly incensed. Before long I realized that I could set chrome as my default to my hearts content and Edge would simply not respect it. So I decided Edge had to be uninstalled, removed from this laptop. I quickly discovered that Windows 10 design now prohibits this action. All the standard uninstall options in Windows 10 are grayed out or not present for Edge. This discovery only increased my determination and I sought out a tool designed specifically to uninstall Edge from Windows 10.

So I found an uninstall tool that worked, I uninstalled Edge and was jubilant. Edge was out of the picture and chrome and I could live out our lives in peace. Wrong!! In what seemed like moments after being uninstalled, there was Edge back on the screen, giving me the finger with a mischievous grin. What the hell!! (sorry, I can't seem to write this post without getting caught up in the story)

Edge has come back from the grave, laughing in my face. The insidious design of Windows 10 not only acts to prevent Edge from being uninstalled, should it manage to be uninstalled it will immediately and automatically re-install itself. Like a virus. Aaaahhhh!!! Not to be deterred, my resolve only grew stronger. This was now war.

After more research I discovered there are alot of angry people out there just like me and one of them had designed a fix that would prevent Edge from re-installing itself. I couldn't download it fast enough. Once again, I ran the Edge uninstall tool, installed the fix and rebooted. When the laptop was back up I dashed around looking for Edge and sure enough the beast was gone (and remains gone in fact as of the writing of this sentence). Dead and buried finally and I was once again jubilant. I had won the war! I poured a stiff drink and was poised to light a celebratory cigar, when a sudden gust of air came from nowhere and blew out the match.

My happy dance was brought to a screeching halt when I found myself somewhere in settings with cause to click on what looked like an innocent hyperlink. Expecting the relevant web page to appear, Instead, to my intense shock and dismay I was rudely greeted by this abomination:










Those sick twisted bastards at Microsoft have corrupted the innocent hyperlink! The old hyperlink I've always known, friendly to browsers of all persuasions, they have been corrupted, deliberately designed to be compatible with Edge and only Edge. I could hear the developers laughing with delight. They have designed an escape proof prison. Think you've escaped, think again.

I am rebellious by nature and have particular issues with certain authority figures, and I can tell you, this situation has triggered it, sending me into some kind of madness. At this stage, being forced to crawl into the Microsoft store, beaten into submission, to bow down and re-install Edge, I may lose what remains of my mind, set this laptop on fire and dance around it naked singing John Denver songs until they come and take me away.

At this stage I've pretty much lost the plot. I've become Rambo, hiding in the mountains covered in mud and blood, surviving on wild pig and refusing to be taken alive by that arrogant small town cop, Edge.

For the record, I did try out Edge browser and just didn't like it. I found things about it annoying and went back to chrome, back when I was under the illusion I actually had a choice. Does anyone else here find it repugnant that you can no longer choose your own default browser in Windows 10? I mean, you can, but it's like a token default, the illusion of choice. In the end you will use Edge to open any Windows 10 hyperlink. Like it or not. Chrome will still open some links, mostly only links on a page already open in chrome. But every link across Windows 10 has been twisted and perverted into the so-called "Microsoft Edge Link" and if Edge has been removed from the system as I have done, those links will not open. They will only give you the above error message, telling you to go install Edge (actually it says "you need a new app" but what it is really saying is you need Edge, because those links will not work without Edge). Someone, please tell me you too are outraged by this travesty. I know it's sad but I need some camaraderie.

Also, it's not just Windows 10 hyperlinks that won't work, even some of the simple desktop links I've placed there myself will no longer open in chrome, instead opening to some weird blank white page with the hyperlink text in the upper left corner, like this:










Annoying me to no end!!! I can't even put a hyperlink shortcut on my desktop and have it open in the browser I choose. What the hell are those developers thinking? All they're succeeding in doing is steeling my resolve to jettison Microsoft from my life at the earliest opportunity. But presently finances forbid and I'm stuck with it.

So, brilliant minds here at Tech Support Forum, you have never let me down before... please tell me there is a magic bullet. Some script perhaps that will intercept the command to display that god forsaken error message and instead grab the intended link and redirect it, say to chrome?? Or maybe some means of running Windows 10 in some other mode? Any and all suggestions welcome! (unless it is to acquiesce, to bend over and take it. Hard pass on that.)

Kenny
PS. Thanks for letting me rant... if you think this version is verbose, you should see the other one!! this one is pretty contained I assure you


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## kenny1 (Jan 9, 2009)

PPS. Those sadistic MS developers have this "forced to use Edge" imperative sealed up so tight you can't even right click on a "Microsoft Edge Link" for a menu to "open with" or even "copy link address" so you can paste it into another browser. Every possible escape has been sealed shut. When they designed those "Microsoft Edge Links" they made damn sure they would be opened in Edge or not opened at all.


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

Support.Microsoft.com > *Why can't I uninstall Microsoft Edge?*


> Microsoft Edge ... is an essential component of _*our*_ operating system and can’t be uninstalled.
> _[...continues...]_


One solution: Use another OS. 

*Doc* - Citizen Lab's "Security Planner" (Bruce Schneier advisor) - Motherboard's comprehensive "Guide to Not Getting Hacked" - EFF's "Surveillance Self-Defense" - John Scott-Railton's "Digital Security Low Hanging Fruit" - "Digital Security and Privacy for Human Rights Defenders"


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Nice Rant, but you may want to save it for your Blog or a Podcast. This is far too long. You could have eliminated most of your emotions and just given us the facts
Anyways, Just like Internet Explorer before it, Edge is a part of the Windows 10 OS, you cant' Uninstall it. But you don't have to use it either. Try solution #5 and #6 in this link Fix: Can’t set Chrome as default browser Windows 10 - Appuals.com to make Chrome your default Browser. 
BTW, the new Edge Chromium is very similar to Google Chrome, if you have updated it, you might try it.


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## kenny1 (Jan 9, 2009)

spunk.funk said:


> This is far too long. You could have eliminated most of your emotions and just given us the facts


Point taken. I said as much myself, in the first paragraph:: 


Kenny said:


> it's not necessary to provide you with the full history in dramatized narrative. So let me sum up:


and afterward acknowledged my failure, adding:


Kenny said:


> _Note: I fully intended to write a condensed version of this post. I did not fare well with that intent, My apologies..._


In addition to browser issues it seems I have displaced creativity issues. You're dead right, I need a better outlet -- if not in a blog or podcast then somewhere, anywhere more appropriate than a tech support forum! So thanks for the feedback, I clearly needed prodding in that direction. 

Thank you also for the other info, I will look into that here shortly. Cheers,
Kenny


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

I didn't mean to revoke your Poetic License, your acknowledgement of condensing your Query and then ignoring it, fell on deaf ears. I hope you don't go to your doctor and when he asks "whats wrong?" you go into a lengthy soliloquy of how this illness has impacted your life and living conditions before telling him where it hurts? As Sgt Friday used to say "just the facts" 😊
Let us know how you got on.


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## kenny1 (Jan 9, 2009)

Ok I’ve looked into these suggestions:


spunk.funk said:


> Just like Internet Explorer before it, Edge is a part of the Windows 10 OS, you can’t uninstall it. But you don't have to use it either. Try solution #5 and #6 in this link Fix: Can’t set Chrome as default browser Windows 10 - Appuals.com to make Chrome your default Browser.


Zooming in….


spunk.funk said:


> *you can’t uninstall it*
> But* you don't have to use it *either*.*


Perhaps I need some help reconciling these assertions, I am struggling:

1. *you can’t uninstall it*

It is true, Windows 10 is designed to prevent Edge from being uninstalled, but the objections can be disregarded if you choose. I did choose, and *I did uninstall Edge successfully*. So I may need some clarity on your comment. Is it meant to be taken literally?

I wondered if maybe you were alluding to the fact that Windows 10 design includes another imperative: if Edge does get uninstalled, Windows 10 will immediately re-install it. But that issue is quickly solved with this tool: Blocker Toolkit to disable automatic delivery of Microsoft Edge
blocking the reinstallation of Edge, so that once uninstalled it stays uninstalled.

So I have taken the steps above and it worked, *Edge has been entirely uninstalled from my Windows 10 laptop*. So that’s one,

and two:

2. But *you don’t have to use it *either

I tried using solutions #5 and #6 as recommended but found no matter what method I use to set a default browser, as soon as I click on any Windows 10 hyperlink, this happens:










You want “just the facts” Sgt Friday? How about this: Windows 10 hyperlinks have been redesigned and redefined by Microsoft. They are now called "Microsoft Edge Links" and if you wish to open one of them *you will have to use Edge browser. *Is that a fact? Apparently so. 

For the record, I covered all this in my opening post, although much of it “fell on deaf ears” I’ve been told... This deafness, is it selective? random? voluntary? intermittent? Anyhoo, I’m being a smartass, but in fairness you kinda asked for it. 

“Asked for it?! How so?” came the incredulous cry. 
“So glad you ask!” said I...

I find it curious that even after I’d fully acknowledged your disdain beyond any reasonable doubt, you still felt the need to repeat the same dreary quibble, dress it all up in a cheap new suit (like I wouldn’t notice), regurgitate it as a clever doctors office parable replete with object lesson to rival any bible story, repackage and rebrand it in the guise of some grand insight, cast down from on high that I might be enlightened. Hmmm… Curious, indeed….

And to your facetious quip; yes, maybe I would open up to the doctor about my life, if he seemed a decent enough fellow.

Top of the day!
Kenny
PS. Thank you for not revoking my Poetic License! I could never have written this post without it…


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

I applaud your tanacity I don't know what Microsoft Hyperlinks you speak of? I can access any Microsoft Hyperlink in the Brave, Chrome, or Opera browser. Including Live.outlook.com, or Live.com, support.microsoft.com etc


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## kenny1 (Jan 9, 2009)

spunk.funk said:


> I applaud your tanacity I don't know what Microsoft Hyperlinks you speak of? I can access any Microsoft Hyperlink in the Brave, Chrome, or Opera browser. Including Live.outlook.com, or Live.com, support.microsoft.com etc


No kidding? Well, hell in a handbasket! Now I really am vexed to the hilt, as they say. Ahem, OK, maybe no one says that, but still.. What the hell?

How are you able to access them in those other browsers? Do they just open for you in the browser you’ve set as your default? Or do you use “open with” somehow?? Or “copy link address” and paste into the browser? Or what?

Over here in my world none of the above are options. Right click does nothing, no context menu where I would typically find “open with” or “copy link address”. And the default browser settings have no effect either.

To clarify, the links I speak of are those found anywhere in the Windows 10 operating system which point to an online internet web address and require an internet browser to open.

Some annoying examples (which I encounter most frequently) include all links generated by the Cortana search box on the taskbar or any web link found in settings or control panel (like those under the heading, “Help From the Web”). You never know when you’re going to encounter one, they’re scattered throughout the system.

Just to be clear, for example, you can click on a web link generated by the Cortana search box and have it open in a browser other than Edge?? If that is true then I fear I may be trapped in some purgatory like hell loop, being punished for my sins, no doubt.


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## jenae (Jun 17, 2008)

Hi, this is probable beyond what I would call the scope of this forum, how did you uninstall edge? The hyperlinks are dependent on the hard coded IE browser, not edge, it is why (IE) should not be removed and why edge needs to be expertly removed. I have never seen this on the web, even then we have problems with windows updates to contend with, MS have removed the necessary expertise to think out of the box and gone to India for programmers. 

I choose to keep edge as a backup I simple don't use it, however it does show in revo as an app that can be uninstalled, I have never bothered to do so, you can uninstall ALL modern apps in win 10 you need to grant admin (your account, control, otherwise you get access is denied ) This is the only safe way to do this as you can always reinstall the app... my advice, let it be and enjoy your computer .


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## kenny1 (Jan 9, 2009)

Hello, thanks for your feedback Jenae. I uninstalled Edge using a specific tool which I have attached. I am not an "expert" and can only say the uninstall tool worked.. Even so, this tool didn't address the Windows 10 imperative to automatically re-install Edge. That task required a second tool, found here: Blocker Toolkit to disable automatic delivery of Microsoft Edge (I tried to also attach to this post but it is an .exe and wasn't allowed). 

So, again, I'm no expert, but with these tools I did do my homework and I am confident in the expertise of their designers. I was able to follow the instructions given and these tools performed as intended. 

So at this point it appears I have two choices: give up the fight and let Edge have its way with me or live with the fact there are hyperlinks on my laptop I cannot open. Hmmm... could be time to brush up on my Harakiri...


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

I Disabled Cortana and I never use those links in Windows 10 for _Help From the Web_. If I needed help, I would open up Google or Bing Search and type my question. But if you click one of those links, it does open Edge. You can copy the URL Web Address from Edge and paste it into any browser you wish to view the content, then close Edge.


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## kenny1 (Jan 9, 2009)

spunk.funk said:


> if you click one of those links, it does open Edge.


Alrighty then, the truth at last. I guess that rules out the purgatory/hell loop theory, for now... Harakiri, however, is still on the table. 

Thank you Doctor, stay well, 
Kenny


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## xrobwx71 (Oct 24, 2019)

I've read this entire thread. Thank God I'm off work today and had the time.

I manage 15 computers or so, Home, Family, Work. They all have Win 10, they all have the new Edge, they all have Chrome and it's set to the default browser. When you click on a hyperlink/web address, Chrome opens and goes to that address. I see this is not happening on your particular computer.

Have you tried a repair install? If you do this, first uninstall Chrome with Revo Uninstaller free. Then perform the repair install. Then re-install chrome and set it as the default browser.

If this doesn't work, take that laptop outside, grab some safety goggles and a sledgehammer and wail away. It's very satisfying. /j


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

xrobwx71 said:


> I've read this entire thread. Thank God I'm off work today and had the time.


You deserve a medal.


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

Stamp it "TL;DR" - (Too Long; Didn't Read)? 

--
*Doc* - Citizen Lab's "Security Planner" (Bruce Schneier advisor) - Motherboard's comprehensive "Guide to Not Getting Hacked" - EFF's "Surveillance Self-Defense" - John Scott-Railton's "Digital Security Low Hanging Fruit" - "Digital Security and Privacy for Human Rights Defenders"


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## xrobwx71 (Oct 24, 2019)

Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate the writing skill but this is not the place for it. It hinders rather than helps the goal of obtaining a solution to a problem. Efficiency is what our goal is here at TSF, to helping as many people, accurately and quickly as possible. 8 minutes of reading, although great exercise for the brain, is not an efficient way to outline a problem.

I would definitely encourage him to start a blog. It would probably be successful.


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## kenny1 (Jan 9, 2009)

SpywareDr said:


> Stamp it "TL;DR" - (Too Long; Didn't Read)?


Classic, I saw that before, didn't know what it meant, thanks for clarifying. 

OK, the feedback at this point is unambiguous. Experiment on merging creative writing with tech support posts can be concluded: 
Ill conceived premise, not compatible, abort. 

To be honest, I expected admin to shoot it straight down. Surprised it survived. I do apologize for wasting anyone's time. While my query was and is legit, I was having a little fun with composition. Wrong venue, duly noted. (what's the bet someone still points it out again?)


xrobwx71 said:


> If this doesn't work, take that laptop outside, grab some safety goggles and a sledgehammer and wail away. It's very satisfying. /j


Good advice, thanks! Reminds me of this scene from the movie Office Space: 




However, perhaps the laptop can live on. I believe I may have found the answer to end all answers. I haven't had a chance to investigate it fully just yet but believe me I will. Not sure yet, but I'm allowing myself to be very optimistic. I'll report back once done.


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

One way would to get exactly what _you_ want in an OS would be to develop it yourself. 

--
*Doc* - Citizen Lab's "Security Planner" (Bruce Schneier advisor) - Motherboard's comprehensive "Guide to Not Getting Hacked" - EFF's "Surveillance Self-Defense" - John Scott-Railton's "Digital Security Low Hanging Fruit" - "Digital Security and Privacy for Human Rights Defenders"


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## kenny1 (Jan 9, 2009)

Hello All, I don't know if anyone here can recall the following plea I made in the last paragraph of my TL: DR opening post:


kenny1 said:


> ....please tell me there is a magic bullet. Some script perhaps that will intercept the command to display that god forsaken error message and instead grab the intended link and redirect it, say to chrome??


I had just coughed up that idea as a spur of the moment random thought with no idea if it was even plausible, more to illustrate my hope that some solution, not that one necessarily, was out there somewhere, that someone out there has to have designed the silver bullet I'm looking for... Well, I am here to tell you with great joy, someone has done exactly that.

The amazing thing to me is that the magic bullet turns out to be almost exactly what I had imagined in the above quote. Just luck, I can assure you. I don't even remotely possess the skill or knowledge to design anything like that. But thankfully someone does!

Thankfully, also, another someone happened to see my post on another forum and was astute enough to realize that what I was looking for might be this thing they'd heard about called EdgeDeflector and out of the blue a reply appeared, offering me the following link: How to Bypass Microsoft Edge in Windows 10

As soon as my eyes fell on the words in the link my brain lit up immediately and within the first few sentences of the article that opened I knew I'd found the holy grail. It was another couple days before I could get in there and investigate more closely and finally today I was able to verify, yes, it is indeed the magic bullet I've been searching for for over a month.

And just in time, too. As it really was looking like I'd thoroughly exhausted every possible avenue and was still empty handed. Up a creek. **** outa luck.

To be honest, I'm a little surprised this EdgeDeflector tool isn't more common knowledge. Seriously, I've been scouring the earth with this problem for weeks and it eluded me entirely. And I'd been communicating with numerous tech people in numerous venues and no one knew about it, apparently, except this one obscure fellow named Ralfy who just happened to wander past and see my post. Thank you Ralfy! I never have to look at Edge again if I don't want to. Harakiri is off the table. 

Best,
Kenny


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## xrobwx71 (Oct 24, 2019)

kenny1 said:


> To be honest, I'm a little surprised this EdgeDeflector tool isn't more common knowledge.


Since 1995 Microsoft has had its own browser in Windows called Internet Explorer. For millions of people, It's ridden alongside other programs and browsers for 25 years. When Microsoft created Edge, some looked at it similar to I.E. and either used it or downloaded another browser and ignored it.
Some enthusiasts, want to slim down their experience and remove the integrated browser but most of them doing so have some knowledge and experience in doing such things with a computer.
The best advice for a novice is to leave it alone or the tinkering will cause you problems as you have been experiencing.

In answering your query above, I'm not suggesting you can't tinker as it's your computer and you can do with it what you wish. Just be aware, when tinkering, "here there be monsters".


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## kenny1 (Jan 9, 2009)

xrobwx71 said:


> Since 1995 Microsoft has had its own browser in Windows called Internet Explorer. For millions of people, It's ridden alongside other programs and browsers for 25 years. When Microsoft created Edge, some looked at it similar to I.E. and either used it or downloaded another browser and ignored it.
> 
> Some enthusiasts, want to slim down their experience and remove the integrated browser but most of them doing so have some knowledge and experience in doing such things with a computer.
> 
> ...


Indeed. I have met these monsters and they are a nightmare.

Like the millions of people you mention, from my first pc in the late 90’s all my early voyages into cyber-space took place aboard MS Internet Explorer. It was Outlook that helped me with my first awkward steps into a new world called “email”. I remain grateful for these and other gifts from Microsoft that thoroughly enriched my life.

Nonetheless, when Outlook started becoming a source of frustration I was relieved to discover I had options and before long Outlook was out and Thunderbird was in, with Firefox soon to follow. The Mozilla brothers became part of the furniture and before I knew it they had enhanced my screen time for over a decade.

One thing I _don’t_ recall during that time was Microsoft ever forcing me to use _their_ preferred defaults or preventing me from choosing my own. I had a choice. Wanna know where real monsters be? Start messing with a man’s freedom of choice.

No matter how anyone tries to spin it, Microsoft took away part of the users control over their own pc experience by introducing the forced use of Edge browser and Bing search engine. These are facts. Anyone inclined to dispute them, please do your homework. These facts are indisputable.

You may argue how best to process this information, however. Maybe the old “you can’t fight city hall” type of resignation is what some find works best. Myself and others found the “irate customer” hat more fitting.

When I chose to fight it, I had no idea what I was in for. It turned into more of a nightmare than I could have imagined. Would I do it again, knowing what I know now? If I knew what I know now, I wouldn’t have to do it again. What I know now is that there is a solution, a perfectly workable and effective solution called EdgeDeflector and it can be found here:

How to Bypass Microsoft Edge in Windows 10

I’ll say again, I remain baffled that of all the tech people I encountered during weeks of scouring the earth searching for a solution, in chat after chat and on forums such as this one, apparently nobody knew about this tool. From where I now sit I still feel it should be more common knowledge. It certainly could have saved me a great deal of wasted time, energy and frustration.

I noticed the last post from xrobwx71 begins by quoting my query (more of a statement really) and the post is apparently framed as a reply -- To be honest, I’m not quite sure exactly the implication therein…. If the suggestion is that maybe EdgeDeflector info was known but deliberately withheld to protect me from monsters… ?? I can’t process this idea and I really hope it isn’t so. If true, well, I’m sure no one wants to hear how I feel about that… Tired now… good night, it's been fun.

Best,
Kenny


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## Gary R (Jul 23, 2008)

Now you know why some of us use Linux. 

Not the solution to everything, but you generally have more control over *your *machine.


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## djaburg (May 15, 2008)

While Linux is great, stable, and can breathe new life into an old machine, it's not for the non-technical or faint of heart. Let a kernel patch go awry and it's paradise lost for most. 

I did find interesting, as has been mentioned, that reference to Edge Links. I can create URL shortcuts on my desktop with ease and they always open with my preferred browser. The only things I've not seen open this way are the ones specifically created by MS that seem to be based on links to their products or services. I rarely use any of those so for me much of this verbose, albeit entertaining, thread seems to be a nothing burger other than the desire to find out "why?"...


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

There simply has to be something wrong with your Windows 10 install as I have been setting Chrome as the default browser for years and never had Edge open up and I must have done this on my 4-5 pcs and every one I have sold ion the last 3 years as I am a builder. There are a few instances when I noted IE opened up by default probably because whatever I was opening still required it but Edge was never caught doing that. Since I have never had this happen I have to conclude your install is corrupted or perhaps you have tried so hard to remove a part of the OS thisd is Microsoft "payback" for your efforts. I just ignore Edge and have never had an issue with it opening when I don't want it to including setting pdfs to open to Acrobat which I think at this point I could do if blinede tomorrow I have done it so much.


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## xrobwx71 (Oct 24, 2019)

Rich-M said:


> There simply has to be something wrong with your Windows 10 install as I have been setting Chrome as the default browser for years and never had Edge open up and I must have done this on my 4-5 pcs and every one I have sold ion the last 3 years as I am a builder. There are a few instances when I noted IE opened up by default probably because whatever I was opening still required it but Edge was never caught doing that. Since I have never had this happen I have to conclude your install is corrupted or perhaps you have tried so hard to remove a part of the OS this is Microsoft "payback" for your efforts. I just ignore Edge and have never had an issue with it opening when I don't want it to including setting pdfs to open to Acrobat which I think at this point I could do if blinede tomorrow I have done it so much.


This is my experience exactly and although not a lot, I manage 15 computers at Home, Family, and work. All exhibit the above. I have had Edge balk while setting up a new system like "hey wait are you sure you don't want to use Edge?" but once I got Chrome set as the default, it has always stayed that way.


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## Gary R (Jul 23, 2008)

djaburg said:


> Let a kernel patch go awry and it's paradise lost for most


Same could be said for Windows.

Personally I've never experienced that sort of problem, and I've run a number of different distros on a number of machines over a number of years without issue. 

I've also introduced a number of inexperienced friends to Linux, and they've been more than happy with the experience.

Most modern distros are a great deal more "user friendly" than they used to be a few years back, and whilst Linux is not for everyone, it's now a good deal more accessible than many people believe it to be.


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## kenny1 (Jan 9, 2009)

This Linux you speak of... I must look into it. Although my dustup with Windows 10 has more or less settled down and life has returned to some semblance of normalcy, so at the moment there are no major annoyances on my radar. Frustration with Windows really will have to reach some kind of critical mass to push me over that edge.

Speaking of edge (and annoyances  ) another piece of the puzzle just fell into place for me and I had to pop in and share. Although I strongly objected, to some degree I could understand Microsoft trying to force traffic through Edge as Edge is their baby. But what I was not aware of until a moment ago was Microsoft's relationship to Bing. I guess I am clueless but I did not know until it just leapt out at me when I did a search using Cortana (and btw, EdgeDeflector did it's job brilliantly, opening the search results in Chrome, so that problem remains effectively solved) and the page that opened in Chrome was this little fellow: 









Microsoft Bing!! Anyway, as I said, that little piece of the puzzle just fell into place in my mind. Microsoft was not just trying to feed one baby (Edge) but two. So they set up their devious little scheme to force Windows 10 users through Microsoft Edge browser and Microsoft Bing search engine for all "Microsoft Edge Links" throughout Windows 10 OS.

In any case, I know this thread was finally quiet and set to enter the long sleep that awaits all good threads, dormant in the forum archives. I just couldn't resist the urge to share, even though I imagine it's no news to most of ya'll, it's the news of the day for me 

Be well,
Kenny


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

How to Disable Bing in the Windows 10 Start Menu

Microsoft Edge Browser Policy Documentation | Microsoft Docs


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