Windows Vista Default browser and Firefox [and Vista firewall outbound blocking]

This is a "twofer. "

First: I want Firefox to be my default browser. I am the administrator and only user. When firefox opens it tells me it is not the default browser and asks me if I want it to be. I tell it "yes." This accomplishes nothing. IE7 remains the default for anything starting with "http" How do I make this change stick?

Second: The Vista firewall is supposed to watch over outgoing traffic. Yet it has never queried about any of my programs which use the internet such as Quicken nor can I find a list of allowed programs other than microsoft vista elements. Did it steal from my old Zonealarm (which is not running) list?

Thanks muchly.

Gary Berns

 

Browser

I've gotten that much solved. Thanks.

Anyone got an answer on the firewall?

 

Hello Gary,

WF will block all incoming by default unless exceptions made.

Will allow all outgoing by default unless exceptions made Rather useless as far as security goes

I've added to your thread title to indicate the firewall question. Awkward to split it out now.

Regards - Charles

 

I wanted to stop using ZA Pro because it no longer is just a firewall and I find it more and more intrusive. My wife hates the constant message interruptions that she doesn't know how to handle. That's why I was hoping Vista would be better than it now seems to be. I turned off the user adviser in Vista for the same reason. Now not sure what to do about firewall.

Gary

 

ZA free perhaps? Basic outbound blocker. However, as far as I know, ZA any flavor is not ready for Vista as of the moment.

One that I know that is: Comodo. But that's as noisy as ZAP is.

I don't exactly know what I'm going to do myself, still running an RC Vista version dual booting with MCE. Won't do anything untill the final version.

FYI for anyone reading this: don't be tempted to install any ZA product on Vista http://forums.zonelabs.com/zonelabs/board?board.id=inst

Apparently the "Vista Ready" on boxed versions of the newest 7.x versions is a "printing" error. And once on, Vista will not allow for easy uninstall.

Regards - Charles

 

To update the Firewall issue:

VistaFirewallControl By SphinxSoftware

http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/details.aspx?view=info&itemid=3331766


http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=62135

http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=62267

Regards - Charles

 

I can recommend the Vista Firewall Control, free from HERE , it does ask for instructions the first time a prog tries to call out, but only the first time.
Very easy to use, much easier than ZA, the beta of which for Vista has just been released.

Roger