1237592 - The option to set browser as default is missing from the stub installers on Windows 8.1 and newer

Status: RESOLVED INVALID

(Firefox :: Installer, defect)

Description

[Cornel Ionce [:noni] [Hubs QA]]

The Windows 8.1 and newer stub installers don't have the option to set the browser as default 

STR:
1. Download the Firefox stub installer (i.e. https://archive.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/candidates/44.0b6-candidates/build1/win32/en-US/Firefox%20Setup%20Stub%2044.0b6.exe)
2. Open the executable file.

Expected Results:
The option to set browser as default is shown right after the "options button".

Actual Results:
The option to set browser as default is missing from the stub installer. 

Screenshot: http://i.imgur.com/9VJC69s.png


Additional notes:
* This is reproducing on Windows 10 x86, Windows 10 x64 and Windows 8.1 x64.
* It's not a regression, it reproduces back to Firefox 18.

Comment 1

[Molly Howell (she/her) (no longer active)]

This is intentional behavior. As of Windows 8, Microsoft removed the ability for an application to set the default browser; that can only be done directly by the user now [1]. Since that means the checkbox wouldn't be able to do anything on Windows 8 or newer, it would be confusing for users if we left it displayed, so we intentionally hide it on those systems.

[1] https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/hh848047%28v=vs.85%29.aspx