Closed Bug 314581 Opened 19 years ago Closed 15 years ago

Thunderbird always asks to be set as default mail client

Categories

(Thunderbird :: Preferences, defect)

Product:
Thunderbird
Component:
Preferences
Platform:
x86
Windows XP
Type:
defect
Priority:
Not set
Severity:
normal

Tracking

(Not tracked)

Status:
RESOLVED WORKSFORME

People

(Reporter: fgiffo, Unassigned)

References

Details

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8b5) Gecko/20051006 Firefox/1.4.1
Build Identifier: ThunderBird version 1.5 Beta 2 (20051006)

I've removed and reinstalled, manually edited the prefs.js file and even created a non-existant user.js file with the mail.checkdefault field to no avail. Although windows seems to accept mozilla as the dfeault loading it when necessary thunderbird itself doesn't recognize its the default and asks at EVERY startup of the program. The OWNER account works fine, the second account (and only other) does not, gets the USE TB AS DEFAULT EMAIL CLIENT window at every load regardless of the selection made when asked. Both users are administrators. PLEASE HELP! :) I'm going nutz here. Thank you.


Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Load Thunderbird... EVERYTIME THIS HAPPENS...
2.
3.

Actual Results:  
Asks if I want TB to be the default email client. Clicked box to select yes.


Expected Results:  
Repeat.

Windows XP, FFOX v1.5b2 and TBIRD v1.5b2... This has been happening prior to the betas, I installed them hoping to correct problem to no avail. Have removed and reinstalled to no avail as well.
No one's going to see a hidden security bug, clearing flag

You could check with http://forums.mozillazine.org and see if someone there has found a solution for your case.
Group: security
Summary: DEFAULT MAIL → Thunderbird always asks to be set as default mail client
Version: unspecified → 1.5
I have this same problem...HELP
I'm getting the same problem with thundebird 1.0.7. I didn't have this problem when upgrading from previous versions, but this is a fresh install.
Anybody got a solution?
I suspect that the people seeing this problem are running TB in an account 
under Win2K or WinXP that doesn't have Administrator rights -- see bug 250675.

The original report here, however, indicates the Administrator *has* set TB to the default -- which should change the default for every user in the system.

My problem was indeed that I installed TB using the admin account, but never ran it in the admin account, only a power user account. Running it in the admin account fixed the problem.
No,I am currently running my TB under a Admin account....

I have 4 accounts on my computer......It only happens on 1 of them...
(In reply to comment #6)
> No,I am currently running my TB under a Admin account....
> 
> I have 4 accounts on my computer......It only happens on 1 of them...

Is that one account an Admin account?  If so, have you tried using the Windows "Set Program Access & Defaults" to set TB as the default mail client, from that account?
Im also having the same trouible. I am the administrator and installed the program on my desktop. There is only this problem with mine. I have done all the uninstalling and installing and even checked the Registry (which actually DOES say that ThunderBird is the default). It is very annoying to have that pop up EVERY time you open the program! I would love to find out how to get it to remember.
(In reply to comment #8)
I can report the same result. But if you do what it suggests in Comment #7, as Administrator in XP do Start->Control Panel->Add or Remove Programs->Set Program Defaults and Access, then choose custom, expand the dropdown list, choose TB as default email program, then OK. This fixes the problem (in my case at least).

My question is this: is there a GPO setting to do this automatically? I really don't want to visit 100 desktops individually, physically or over the network. Or failing this, presumably 'set prog defaults' just twiddles the registry, but does anyone know ALL the entries it makes?

I tried the suggested:
Administrator in XP do Start->Control Panel->Add or Remove Programs->Set
Program Defaults and Access, then choose custom, expand the dropdown list,
choose TB as default email program, then OK

Nothing happened. Im still needing help. I dont even have any other email programs installed on my computer. Please note: When I change the default program under Add Remove Programs, it too does not stay checked. When I open it again, the default has been switched back to "use my current e-mail program". I dont even know what that is.
Possible dupe of bug 294863.
(See also #328759, which describes this problem occurring specifically when user is logged in to a domain, and #294863, which describes a registry key issue.)

- I am running from an account which is the network Admin account.
- I did not have this problem in any version prior to upgrade to version 1.5 (20051201) (from 1.3.)
- Selecting "Yes" in popup == nothing.  Restarting Tbird yields same result.
- Setting as default mail client in Thunderbird Tools / Options / General / Default Settings by checking tbird as default for "Mail" yields an unchecked box (after notification popup...) at next restart.
- I have re-installed Tbird 2 additional times without success.
- As advised in Comment #9 (of Bug 314581), using Control Panel / Add or Remove Programs / Set Program Access and Defaults and selecting "Mozilla Thunderbird" and "Enable accesss to this program", then selecting "OK."  The popup "Applying Changes" (Setting Mozilla Thunderbird as default application...") progress meter - which never went above ~half way - ran for 25 minutes before I finally cancelled it.  Returning to Set Program Access and Defaults yields that nothing has been changed: it is set "back" to "Use my current e-mail program" as my default e-mail program, and the problem persists at every startup of Tbird.
- Applying the workaround from Bug #294863, Comment #4 also had no effect, even after trying it 3 times.

Additionally:
- FYI: This has NOT happened to any other non-Admin accounts on this same domain (yet?).

Windows XP Pro SP2 w/ all updates as of posting, and I am on a long-working domain (account)....
(In reply to comment #12)
> Returning to Set Program Access and Defaults yields that nothing
> has been changed: it is set "back" to "Use my current e-mail program" as my
> default e-mail program, and the problem persists at every startup of Tbird.

SPA&D *always* shows "Use my current e-mail program" -- it never actually indicates what the default mail program is.  That's Microsoft's fault, not Mozilla's.

The only simple way I know to check which program is the default is to see 
which program is invoked on a MAPI send.  The simple way to do this is to 
right-click on a file and "Send to | Mail Recipient" -- whichever program is used for that message is the default.  And as far as I know, this is the 
setting that has to be made by the Administrator that applies to all users.

The default handler for a 'mailto' URL *can* be set on a per-user basis.  (However, some programs will invoke the MAPI client to handle a 'mailto' 
rather than using the 'mailto' handler -- IE6 is the one I've seen do this.)
(In reply to comment #13)
> (In reply to comment #12)
> > Returning to Set Program Access and Defaults yields that nothing
> > has been changed: it is set "back" to "Use my current e-mail program" as my
> > default e-mail program, and the problem persists at every startup of Tbird.
> 
> SPA&D *always* shows "Use my current e-mail program" -- it never actually
> indicates what the default mail program is.  That's Microsoft's fault, not
> Mozilla's.

  Ok, thanks for that info....

> The only simple way I know to check which program is the default is to see 
> which program is invoked on a MAPI send.  The simple way to do this is to 
> right-click on a file and "Send to | Mail Recipient" -- whichever program is
> used for that message is the default.  And as far as I know, this is the 
> setting that has to be made by the Administrator that applies to all users.
> 
> The default handler for a 'mailto' URL *can* be set on a per-user basis. 
> (However, some programs will invoke the MAPI client to handle a 'mailto' 
> rather than using the 'mailto' handler -- IE6 is the one I've seen do this.)

Um, no, this isn't my problem at all.  By all *actions* Tbird seems to BE my default mail client!

The problem is that *every time Tbird is started* it asks me to set it as the default mail client.  (I.e. *Tbird* does not seem to be able to tell that it's my default email client!)

To restate the specific problem:

Every time Mozilla Thunderbird is started (by any means) a popup alert window with the following text appears:

Do you want to use Mozilla Thunderbird as the default mail client?
[Checkbox] Do not display this dialog again.
[Yes] [No]

No combination of anything that I've detailed here or above will make this alert cease to be displayed at every invocation of Tbird.  (This is the same scenario described by the original filer of this bug.  I posted here only to record in detail the fact that none of the suggested fixes or workarounds here or in other related bugs have worked for me....)

Tbird operates fine in every other possible way that I've experienced.
This may or may not help but I used SysInternals REGMON to see what keys were accessed by Thunderbird on startup and shutdown and then manually played with a few of them.

If I remember right the one that seemed to accomplish something for me was changing a couple of them in the following area:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla Thunderbird\Desktop

I reversed the DefaultMailHasBeenSet key from 0 to 1 and the RegisteredAsMailApp from 1 to 0 and or vise versa. Anyhow, I rebooted and had no reloaded Thunderbird w/no change so I changed them back again and rebooted once more although I don't think thats necessary and viola, it asked, and it remembered.

I don't know why this would work but that was where I was making changes by reversing key values when it finally started working.

Worth a try...
Good luck!

THIS DID RESOLVE MY ISSUE WITH THIS PROBLEM...
Status: UNCONFIRMED → RESOLVED
Closed: 18 years ago
Resolution: --- → WORKSFORME
Sorry, I accidentally marked as resolved. Although that worked for me, probably should wait and see. Sorry guys.
Status: RESOLVED → UNCONFIRMED
Resolution: WORKSFORME → ---
I just tried to simulate the bug and CAN simulate it on mine and then fix it again.

I just went into regedit and changed the following value:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla Thunderbird\Desktop\defaultMailHasBeenSet

from a 0 to a 1

When I reloaded TB is asked to be set as default again, I clicked yes, and then exited. When I tried to load it again it asked me again to be set as default and I even tried rebooting. Problem continued.

I reloaded regedit again and changed the same registry value to 0 and now its working normal again and not asking to be set as default.

Why its not changing it from TB and holding it I'm not sure but see if this resolves your issue. Good luck!


Yes! I went to regedit:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla Thunderbird\Desktop\
defaultMailHasBeenSet
registeredAsMailApp
and set them both to 0 (they were both 1) and it has worked so far! FINALLY. Hopefully it will keep working. 
Thanks for figuring that out.
No problem... Glad it worked for you! Certainly an annoying little bug'r.
Status: UNCONFIRMED → RESOLVED
Closed: 18 years ago → 18 years ago
Resolution: --- → FIXED
Reopening.  First of all, if no patch has been made, we don't use "Fixed."
Second of all: don't you think that making these registry settings ought to be automatic?
Status: RESOLVED → UNCONFIRMED
Resolution: FIXED → ---
Your right... You'll have to excuse me, I'm kinda new to the whole bugging/debugging forum thing.

I assumed since the issue was that Thunderbird continuously asked the user if he/she wanted to make it the default mail application and that we've found a solution to the problem I was suppose to mark it fixed.

I realize we haven't found the actual cause of this issue but after watching the registry activity while logged in as a user that doesn't have this issue and watching the registry activity logged in as a user who does have this issue I was thinking that it may be XP and not Thunderbird itself.

Watching the registry activity when attempting to set it as the default mail app at thunderbird startup shows thunderbird changed the key that causes this problem. Yet the key doesn't retain the value thunderbird assigns it for whatever reason.

Best wishes,
Frank
(In reply to comment #17)
I can report the same. In regedit I simply set the defaultmailhasbeenset to 0 then restarted Thunderbird. The message did not reappear. The defaultmailhasbeenset flag had been set back to 1.

There is however a slight twist to it; as part of a migration process I sometimes open Eudora 5.2. When Eudora has been opened Thunderbird brings back the message, but only on a one-off basis. If Eudora is not opened in the interim, the Thunderbird message does not reappear. Opening Eudora does alter not alter the defaultmailhasbeenset flag value for Thunderbird - it remains set at 1.

My feeling is that there is a bug in the code somewhere.
*** Bug 343840 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
I am experiencing this issue with a new install of Thunderbird version 1.5.0.10 (20070221), on Windows XP. Under the General tab of Options, no matter how many times I select "Make Thunderbird the default application for News", it unchecks after every time I select the "OK" option.

As a result, on startup of Thunderbird, I receive the default message, regardless on whether I check the option to make it the default or not.
As a workaround, try setting some other program as default. Then again set thunderbird as default. 
(In reply to comment #25)
> As a workaround, try setting some other program as default. Then again set
> thunderbird as default. 
> 

While I appreciate the suggestion, it was not successful. I set another mail program as the default. After receiving the message, I set Thunderbird as default. Upon re-opening Thunderbird, the same message would appear again.

I attempted this process two different times, with the same result.
This problem also occurs on Windows Vista Home Premium.
The key for Vista is:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\VirtualStore\MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla Thunderbird\Desktop\defaultMailHasBeenSet
Assignee: mscott → nobody
Jon, Joe, others, do you still see this in thunderbird 2?  
How bout with thunderbird 3 trunk if you are able to test it?
  (backup your profile first)
  ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/nightly/latest-trunk/

Testing the trunk is important, because your problem may have been recently fixed by bug 404609 - which is in trunk and *not* in beta 1.

Recently (I can't give a time frame) I am seeing the prompt when perhaps I shouldn't - but it could be my environment as I'm always bouncing between builds. Not sure yet if bug 404609 resolved it.  Perhaps caused it. dunno

If we still see this, then wanted-thunderbird3 should be set.
I'm sorry. I forgot about this bug report. This problem is not a TB problem. It happens for other email clients too.

Here is the fix:

Click on Start icon in lower left corner of monitor.
Click on “Default Programs”
Click on “Associate a file type or protocol with a program”
Go to bottom part of list entries that show protocols.
Check for protocol name “MAILTO”.
If it is there and does not say:
"MAILTO    Thunderbird.URL     Mozilla Thunderbird" delete it.

If it is missing then, follow these steps:

Re-create the missing string value

     Click Start, Run, or Windows icon key + R
     type Regedit.exe
     Navigate to the following branch:

        HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\mailto

     From the Edit menu, select New, and then click String Value.
     Type URL Protocol as the name of the new String Value
     Exit the Registry Editor
Jon wrote me "No, I haven't seen it in a while." but didn't offer more information. version 2.0.0.21
Component: General → Preferences
QA Contact: general → preferences
So we close this WFM.
If you still see the problem in version 3 available in a few weeks, please open a new bug.
Status: UNCONFIRMED → RESOLVED
Closed: 18 years ago → 15 years ago
Resolution: --- → WORKSFORME
On new install, have this issue now in Windows 10, it asks to make default email client on every start of TB, on two separate machines with new install of 45.5.0
I will try this when I get a chance:
I'm sorry. I forgot about this bug report. This problem is not a TB problem. It happens for other email clients too.

Here is the fix:

Click on Start icon in lower left corner of monitor.
Click on “Default Programs”
Click on “Associate a file type or protocol with a program”
Go to bottom part of list entries that show protocols.
Check for protocol name “MAILTO”.
If it is there and does not say:
"MAILTO    Thunderbird.URL     Mozilla Thunderbird" delete it.

If it is missing then, follow these steps:

Re-create the missing string value

     Click Start, Run, or Windows icon key + R
     type Regedit.exe
     Navigate to the following branch:

        HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\mailto

     From the Edit menu, select New, and then click String Value.
     Type URL Protocol as the name of the new String Value
     Exit the Registry Editor
No neither of those fixed it, any other ideas?  Even if "check for default at start" is not checked, it still pops up.
(In reply to mike from comment #35)
> No neither of those fixed it, any other ideas?  Even if "check for default
> at start" is not checked, it still pops up.

This is an old bug report closed many years ago on the conditions observed at that time, so we would not want to reopen it.
But see bug 852593 and bug 1314236
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