[Solved]Opera as main Windows browser.

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by leocg

after latest update to windows on my wifes computer, we find that opera has dissapeared. No big deal methinks. Wrong. after re-installing Opera and setting browser to preffered, after every session Edge browser takes over again. Any solution please? (apart from obvious, getting Mrs Wifey onto Linux with me) TIA.

[A Former User]

A Former User @Guest last edited by

@anythingulike May want to check this, and never click Yes if Edge asks the question.

[A Former User]

A Former User @Guest last edited by

@redpill Thankyou for response. Thats what I did after win updates. After session ends, next time you reboot, edge auto replaces opera. Win keeps doing this even after re downloading, installing, and setting app pref for opera browser.

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest last edited by

@anythingulike After a reboot, do you see Opera in that list of browsers to be set as the default one?

[A Former User]

A Former User @leocg last edited by

No. It only shows edge as preffered browser. Opera has to be downloaded again and set as default. Then the cycle starts again after every session..

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest last edited by leocg

@anythingulike Then either Opera is not being installed correctly or some program is removing it.

Or there is something wrong with your Windows installation.

[A Former User]

A Former User @leocg last edited by

@leocg yes.thsts correct, i am going to try once more to download opera, which i cant find on the pc. i will make sure i know where the download is saved. i know to set default browser and not change to edge when prompted. This seems like another windows monopoly since latest updates. I will respond further after yet another attempt at opera for default browser. Thankyou for your interest in the post.

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest last edited by

@anythingulike It isn't in Downloads directory? If you search for Opera in File Explorer, can't you find anything?

Here Windows doesn't keep changing the default programs on reboots, so I don't think it's the one to blame.

After have installed Opera, go to menu > Help > About Opera and take note of the paths, so you can find Opera more easily if necessary.

[A Former User]

A Former User @leocg last edited by A Former User

@leocg Opera was not in downloads directory after it was replaced by edge. Therefore on this fresh download of Opera I made note of where the download was stored. For some reason, it was under Users/Username/Temp.Computername. At this point, totally bewildered. Nevertheless, continuing with install everything goes great. Opera runs like a dream, and is set as default Browser. Shutdown and re-boot, Opera replaced with Edge. Once again, bewildered, but no big deal, because I know for sure where the Opera download is. Wrong again, no Opera download in specified folder. Oh dear, what a to do. lol.
I am confident in my installing of Opera correctly, as there are no errors when it is running. I can't see any program removing it that was already on the computer, as it has had no problems previous to the Windows updates a couple of days ago. I would assume the problem to be that Windows is somehow corrupted. A fresh install of Windows has to be the next step. Backing up essentials and going for the reset. That should eliminate most problems. I will inform further, later. Thank You for listening.

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest last edited by

@anythingulike Just for curiosity, where is Opera being installed?

[burnout426]

burnout426 Volunteer last edited by burnout426

• Uninstall Opera from Programs and Features/Apps. Choose to keep your data if you want.

• Check to make sure "C:\Program Files\Opera" and "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\programs\Opera" are not present. If they are, delete them.

• Delete everything in "C:\Windows\temp" and "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\temp".

• Then, if you want, delete these keys in registry (via regedit):

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Opera 
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet\OperaStable
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Clients\StartMenuInternet\OperaStable
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Opera Software
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\OperaStable
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\OperaStable
    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\OperaStable
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\opera.exe
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\opera.exe
  

Also, delete Opera entries in these keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\RegisteredApplications
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\RegisteredApplications
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\RegisteredApplications

• Delete any Opera icons/shortcuts that are left over.

• Open up the Windows Task Scheduler and delete all the Opera update tasks.

• Go into Default Programs/Apps and reset things back to Microsoft/Edge. Also, open Edge. Then, close it. If Edge asks to be the default, let it.

• Download the offline package of Opera from https://www.opera.com/download, save it to your desktop and rename to test.exe or something.

• Launch the Opera installer, click "options", set "install path" to "C:\Program Files\Opera", set "install for" to "all users", check "Make Opera default browser", uncheck "import data from default browser" and install. Also, go into Default Programs/Apps and make sure Opera is set as the default browser.

Restart Windows and see if Opera is still there. Also, see if test.exe is still there on your desktop.

If Opera is still getting uninstalled on you, I'd check the Task scheduler for entries that might be deleting Opera on startup. I'd also check your startup entries in msconfig/task manager to see if you can see anything that might be removing Opera. You could also check:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

in the registry for the entries.

I'd check for malware on your system too.

I'd manually check for updates for Windows to make sure everything updated.

If none of that helps, I'd try all of that with a different user account on Windows (create one for testing).

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by

After Windows latest update, 7/31/19, all my Opera history was deleted and then only 2 days of history was stored. Opera also became unstable. I felt it was due to the update and did a System Restore. My history seems to have come back, Opera is still acting unlike it ever did. Firefox was also de-stabilized from the browser with which I am familiar. I feel better without the update, figure Windows will force it at some point and that the de-stabilizing of existing browsers on the users' computers, allows Edge to have an 'edge' so am thinking of going to Linux.

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest last edited by

@christeal Different problem, so please discuss it somewhere else.

[A Former User]

A Former User @burnout426 last edited by

@burnout426 Thankyou for your contribution to the Post, unfortunately I had already embarked on complete re-install of Windows. Everything is Tip Top now. No problems at all. Opera now default and doesn't get replaced on re-boot by Edge. I can only think the updates didn't take properly if that's possible. I just thought there might be a quick fix rather than complete re-install. Windows, Opera and Wifey all sweet. Thank You for all contributions.