Browser Choice

[Ottmar Freudenberger]

That's plain BS and you're aware of that. Do you really think, that running
your avast! toy does resolve the security issues which are *needed* to be
fixed with updates?

Have you ever heard about Bot nets? Obviously not.

I have the strong impression that "not only" your unpatched Windows XP SP3
is weak.

Do you think MS chose to do this? Do you ever read a newspaper or listen to
the news?

[Bee Anon]

Assuming that Vista allows the same Windows Update configurations as XP, I suggest users change their settings to receive notifications only, rather than all updates automatically. You can then log on to Windows Update, choose Custom & read about each update before deciding whether or not to install it. When I read that KB 976002 could not be uninstalled via Add/remove Programs, I chose not to install it. It's too late now for people who are stuck with it, but worth knowing for future reference?!

That's the way I went. Followed up by "Hide this update" from the WUP
screen of courese.

The problem seems to be what people who haven't done this can do to
get rid of the nag screen at startup.

[Joan Archer]

I don't see what the problem is I installed it when I saw the page for the
other browsers I just clicked on IE, as that is my browser of choice, after
taking me to the Microsoft IE Home page it told me I already had it set as
the default and all I had to do was click the icon to put it back on my
taskbar as the install had removed it from there.

No problems after that I just put the shortcut on my desktop into the
recycle bin, job done, this is a Windows 7 desktop machine.

[Catbiter]

I have never come across anything so pattently obvious or stupid in my 36
years in IT.

To conform with EU regulations Microsoft has injected this annoying code
into an update basically to "piss users off" but to point the figer at the EU
and say "Sorry guys but they made us do it!!"

Microsofts aim is not to give people "choice", people ALWAYS have had the
choice of which browser to use simply by installing them.. I run Firefox and
Safari at home , just to keep an eye on what is available so I have aleady
exercised my right to chose. The EU obviously haven't got a clue about the
dissruption and anoyance these daily messages are going to cause Millions of
users.

We are also , and I do not need a crystal ball to predict this, going to be
inumdated with fake update messages from every hacker, attacker and cracker
laka who will see this as a Golden opportunity to try and dupe gullible users
into clicking on links to infected websites and download. Microsoft will then
happily blame the EU for all the problems..

EU should stick to doing what they do best. Fraud and fiddles.

I saw that update today, Fortunately I have automatic updates turned off and
always do a Custom update and declined it.

Maybe this is the way to go ?

[Rob]

What makes me laugh about this, is the comment made by Mozilla Foundation
chair Mitchell Baker. He described the news as "an important milestone
towards helping people take control of their online lives." Just how exactly
is being annoyed by a pop up screen every time I start a new browsing
session, helping me take control of my online life!? If there was an option
to turn it off then maybe.

I don't suppose for one minute Mr Baker is thinking about all the free
advertising he's now getting. Microsoft should never of been forced to
advertise it's competitors products, let alone for free. I'm sorry, but if
people in this day and age don't know there's alternatives to IE, then more
fool them. There's no excuse for not shopping around or feigning ignorance.
Christ, we all know how to use Google don't we? What's next, that's all I
can say. Oh and thanks EU but I happen to like bendy bananas too ;o)

[Smirnoff]

I avoided it by doing what you did.

Problem is there are conflicting reports about whether System Restore works
or not. Some say it does work, others say it doesn't. I haven't seen a
definitive answer to this.

If it does work, fair enough. Those that say it doesn't work may not have
altered their Automatic Update settings, so the update is reinstalled again.
Whatever the case, the longer it goes on, SR will cease to be an option.

Others are adamant that the update cannot be removed by SR and that the only
option is to delete the registry key:

"You can hack it out of the registry. Go to
HCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\run and remove BrowserChoice
Key, "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\browserchoice.exe" /run

Don't forget to back up first...

Does the method used depend on your OS? This could be the reason for
conflicting reports.

I would like to be able to advise my friends of the correct (only?) way to
remove the update.

[jim41248]

I also downloaded the "Browser Choice" update and don't see any problems with it...........
Simple solution ..... Even if you have one of the Browsers offered.. just select and install again.. You aren't forced to use that browser.. and.. you will now get rid of the "Browser Choice" page.

Why are there complaints about this? Your computer hasn't been "Hi-jacked"... It's just a small program which gives you the choice of selecting another Browser by default... It's up to you which Browser you set as default

[berger15]

If you go Start -> Run -> type " msconfig " hit enter, then select tab "
Starup" and uncheck the "browserchoice" box, then click "apply" at the bottom
and close the window. When you reboot you will get a warning, check the box
regarding future warnings and close it. This should stop this bloody annoying
message EVERY time you start the pc up.
It is not listed under the updates under the "add/remove programs" applet,
so you can't remove it once installed.

[Dadu Iippanen]

I'm not a developer, but in my 5 pc's (XP, sp3) Automatic Updates are set to: "Notify me, but don't automatically download or install them." Notification then appears in the task bar and when I open the Choose...dl - window I can check which updates I want. If I uncheck some update and close the window I'll be informed that I haven't choose the update to download. In that window I can also check: "Don't notify me about these updates again". Then that update won't bother me anymore. Well, if I later, for some reason, want that update anyway I go to the MS Windows update site, where I can see all my updates, also the ones I haven't yet.

I don't want to turn all updates off, since it could cause problems - there are some important ones. Sometimes I don't know how to react. Then I just Google it and get advice, in matter of fact that's the way I found this place. And after reading many comments in this site and MS own info I have decided that I don't dl "Choice Screen".

Well, I know this won't help them with the program already installed. I've been there too and learned the hard way! So for the future...

Thanks a lot and I hope you won't find me me silly , simple etc when I'm not specialist nor native English speaker/writer. (There's some very rude talk in this forum;).

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

You may be accessing this thread in a trash-talking forum but the discussion
is taking place in a MS newsgroup which you can access independent of
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsof....windowsupdate

[coppernanotube]

Don't know if this is still relevant, I suffered the "enhancement" as well
and I use Firefox. However was able to avoid a reinstall by tweaking the
registry...

- From a command prompt run regedit
- In path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE...SOFTWARE...BrowserChoice double click on
Shortcut and change the value to 0 (Zero). Thus far it seems to work i.e. the
panel is installed and deactivated w/out a need to download another browser

[kakakak]

regarding system restore, i'd say it's got to work for everyone, as long as they go and do it in SAFE MODE. many people don't know they have to go to safe mode, and then naturally it doesn't work for them. hope this helps :)