Any Surefire Way to Exterminate MSOutlook as Default Email?

[Foolmewunz]

Bill's hiding in the background on my computer, as usual. If I try to reply to a website via email, it defaults to Outlook as the server. I don't use Outlook (but I had a trial version installed, maybe that's the problem?), but use GMail.

I have tried to "advice for the flustered" solutions found on the web. One was to install GMail notifier and then right click on it and change the default email. Sounds nice, but although it's in my In Tray, I can't open it to do any changes.

Then there was some other little piece of software that was supposed to do it in a breeze.... Nope, that one doesn't do anything, either and I can't even find the little sucker in my Program files.

Short of jihad, is there any way to get this done. The email I wanted to send does NOT allow you to copy the address and use it in another email - it's some sort of sooper sekret "linked" email address that only works via websites, evidently (who knew such things existed).

This is kind of an important email. If any of you computer mavens are up and about at this hour, your help would be greatly appreciated.

No, I won't get a MAC.

 

[Andy_Ross]

sorry, ignore this. posted by mistake

 

[The Norseman]

What browser are you using?

In Opera (the only browser I use), it's under Settings --> Preferences --> Advanced --> Programs

Then I look for the "mailto" launch command and what follows is what program I want to use.

If you use Internet Exploder (and really, why would you) then it's Internet Options --> Programs then the Set programs button (near the bottom of the dialog box).

I don't know how to adjust that in FF or Chrome.

 

[The Norseman]

Oh, and PS: get Linux.

 

[Foolmewunz]

Google Chrome, and I selected options in that to make GMail my default email, plus I linked back-and-forth between the two wherever and whenever it came up during the Set-up process for either. But MS has long arms and evidently they reach into many a web page and the default for them is Outlook. According to what I've read, even the "patches" I mentioned often default back to the web page kicking you out to Outlook or to a notice that you need to get it or accept a free trial.

Oh, and I found a temporary way around the problem - with a bit of analog work. I phoned the recipients and got their direct email address, so got my message through.

But I'd still like to know if anyone has a surefire solution, as it's happened to me a couple of times in the past, but I never really cared that much if my email to HowDumbIsKirkCameronAnyway.com got through. This one was important, and it occurred to me that I'd better go and fix it. I can usually find solutions that work on line, but this time I hit a brick wall.

AND, while we're at it.... Anyone else use GMail Notifier? It's just a widget that will tell you if you're in another program, via small popup box, that you've got a new incoming mail. It won't work, either.

 

[This is The End]

OP you have not told us which version of Windows you are using?

XP, 7, 8??

If 7 it should be very easy:

Windows 7 and Vista

Click the Start button, then click the Default Programs item.
Click on Set your default programs.
Under Programs, click the e‑mail program you'd like to use (e.g. Thunderbird, Windows Live Mail, Outlook).
Click Set this program as default.
Click OK at the bottom of the window.

For XP check here:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/k...g=Changing+the+e-mail+program+used+by+Firefox


If you really need it to re-direct to a browser based email site then I believe that in FF you will have to manually edit one of the gecko.handlerService.schemes.mailto.# lines in about:config.


ETA:

This Addons.Mozilla.org search for mailto lists several extensions that may be suitable for different webmail services.

 

[Foolmewunz]

OP you have not told us which version of Windows you are using?

XP, 7, 8??

If 7 it should be very easy:




For XP check here:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/k...g=Changing+the+e-mail+program+used+by+Firefox


If you really need it to re-direct to a browser based email site then I believe that in FF you will have to manually edit one of the gecko.handlerService.schemes.mailto.# lines in about:config.


ETA:

Windows 7. And I tried that - one of the first links I found... but GMail is not on the list of programs that I can choose as a default. Just coincidentally,... why, Outlook is there! I kid, I kid, because not all programs on the sub-menu are MS. It gives me three browsers to choose from, but only Outlook for mail. (And one of the browsers is Google Chrome.)

 

[uk_dave]

Is gmail a program?

I think you've got to specify a program on your computer which will download and display email, such as outlook or thunderbird etc.

But if you use gmail or yahoo.... well, they're websites aren't they?

 

[Dancing David]

Bill's hiding in the background on my computer, as usual. If I try to reply to a website via email, it defaults to Outlook as the server. I don't use Outlook (but I had a trial version installed, maybe that's the problem?), but use GMail.

I have tried to "advice for the flustered" solutions found on the web. One was to install GMail notifier and then right click on it and change the default email. Sounds nice, but although it's in my In Tray, I can't open it to do any changes.

Then there was some other little piece of software that was supposed to do it in a breeze.... Nope, that one doesn't do anything, either and I can't even find the little sucker in my Program files.

Short of jihad, is there any way to get this done. The email I wanted to send does NOT allow you to copy the address and use it in another email - it's some sort of sooper sekret "linked" email address that only works via websites, evidently (who knew such things existed).

This is kind of an important email. If any of you computer mavens are up and about at this hour, your help would be greatly appreciated.

No, I won't get a MAC.

What OS do you have?

 

[Dancing David]

Windows 7. And I tried that - one of the first links I found... but GMail is not on the list of programs that I can choose as a default. Just coincidentally,... why, Outlook is there! I kid, I kid, because not all programs on the sub-menu are MS. It gives me three browsers to choose from, but only Outlook for mail. (And one of the browsers is Google Chrome.)

UK Dave is correct, you have to have a program to set as the default service, but I will check seven forums later.

I found this for now:
http://www.sevenforums.com/network-sharing/5339-webmail-default-mail-client.html

It looks like there are different paths.

 

[This is The End]

UK Dave is correct, you have to have a program to set as the default service.

I said that back in post #6, but he said he already tried it.

What OS do you have?

I asked that in post #6, and he answered it in post #7. Win 7.

 

[paiute]

No, I won't get a MAC.

FYI:
MAC = Media Access Control (address), a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications on a physical network segment
Mac = short for Macintosh, a computer manufactured by Apple Inc.

 

[Foolmewunz]

FYI:
MAC = Media Access Control (address), a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications on a physical network segment
Mac = short for Macintosh, a computer manufactured by Apple Inc.

And they all moved away from Paiute on the Group W bench.....

 

[Foolmewunz]

So the upshot is that Bill wins again. They've made it so difficult to get around it (believe me, at least three of those solutions don't work for whatever reason), that people throw up their hands in disgust and buy the full version of Outlook, I guess.

Meh? I phoned them and got a direct email address and re-sent the message directly from GMail. Gmail actually has a setting to use it as your default email choice. I tried another website and it seemed to work this afternoon. But when I just tried it again, it once more defaulted to Outlook, which tells you that your trial offer has expired, but nevertheless leaves the email screen up just so you'll create a worthless message that can't go anywhere, I guess.

 

[KoihimeNakamura]

I had Thunderbird for that reason.

 

[Rat]

Hmm, I don't really know what to say. On this machine, and on my main machine upstairs, if I click a mailto: link it opens a new browser window or tab with a new gmail message. These are both Windows 8, but the same was true under 7 for me. The problem is that I have no memory of having to set this, although I guess I must have done at some point.

 

[Foolmewunz]

Hmm, I don't really know what to say. On this machine, and on my main machine upstairs, if I click a mailto: link it opens a new browser window or tab with a new gmail message. These are both Windows 8, but the same was true under 7 for me. The problem is that I have no memory of having to set this, although I guess I must have done at some point.

I'm pretty sure it has to do with the fact that I took the free trial of Outlook. When the trial expired, of course they keep it active so they can always bug you to buy the full version. I'm going to try to uninstall it (rather than just de-select it from the Office menu), but with MS I always worry that some component is needed elsewhere.

But one or another combinations of what I did yesterday seem to have worked. This morning, clicking a Reply To field got me my GMail compose message screen.

 

[Babbylonian]

There shouldn't be any dependency issues with uninstalling Outlook. At this point, I think you can even remove Internet Explorer (that was the big one in the olden days) without causing issues with other software. We can thank the EU for that.

 

[ConspicuousCarl]

I use Opera, but not any installed clients. Opera has its own built-in system for intercepting new email message scripts (anything from a simple "mailto:" and even when crappy flash websites try to feed you an email address). I don't ever use it, but I am pretty sure it let's you designate anything as default. I am not at my desktop to check right now.

 

[Sam.I.Am]

Wait. You didn't uninstall it and then wonder why it is getting called up when you call it up? Email software is probably some of the most targeted software out there so it's very robust in keeping itself from being messed with from outside sources.

Uninstall that sucker (when I read the OP my answer was going to be "Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure" but you haven't even tried a conventional approach yet). There's nothing in the uninstaller that is needed by anything else. Usually it deletes only the stuff needed by the software being deleted (located in the programs install folder) and (more importantly) removes the programs hooks from the registry.

The concerns that you are expressing about deleting some stuff that may be used by other software are related to some pre-XP type stuff. Not Win7.