Windows 10: Set Firefox as default when it does not show up in Settings

I've had this problem frequently but randomly. I was finally able to track down one set of triggers for the issue, but not a direct fix... only hackish, partial workarounds.

Workaround:

For example, "Groove" or "Movies & TV" will try to grab the associations of music and video formats. The only solution I have found is to uninstall these seemingly uninstallable programs.

http://www.howtogeek.com/224798/how-to-uninstall-windows-10s-built-in-apps-and-how-to-reinstall-them/

The above article describes how to use (admin)Power Shell to temporarily uninstall some Microsoft installed apps.

For example:

Get-AppxPackage *zunemusic* | Remove-AppxPackage

or

Get-AppxPackage *zunevideo* | Remove-AppxPackage

After uninstalling these apps, Windows 10 has never tried to re-take these file associations. I was half expecting it to try regardless and break the associations completely, but was fortunate.

Unfortunately this will not fix all of these problems. PDFs will continue to revert to Microsoft Edge because it cannot be uninstalled by this method.

Trigger cause:

I was able to track down a trigger that causes this to one of my programs. Though I'm not certain that it is the only one that does it as it only causes some associations to change. So more likely it is certain actions that the program causes sets up the first trigger; and another program completes the trigger sequence.

According to procmon, it does some registry snooping with file associations. The second trigger is to open a program that is associated with a file type that often reverts. That second program also snoops at file associations according to procmon.

What I imagine happens is that the first program does something to corrupt the "protection" Windows 10 has for programs changing file associations. Opening the second program causes Windows to re-check its protection and when the hash/progid ends up being invalid, it gets reverted to Microsoft defaults.

For example, I can see an old version of PhotoShop and Firefox doing this. They both look at the key

HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.pdf\UserChoice

Program 1 messes up the hash/progid somehow, Program 2 which is associated with the type makes Windows re-check it and revert it. I'm a little mystified as to why it's deemed corrupted to begin with because the file association is correct before and after Program 1 does its thing. The association wasn't hijacked, so it didn't need Microsoft's overreach to begin with.

Not all of my systems have the same programs installed, so I'm guessing there may be many esoteric old programs that cause the first trigger event. Aside from my original workaround above, I guess you could be mindful using the offending programs. (shrug)

The store app has to make the registration in this registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\RegisteredApplications

And then set the File association\Capabilities in another key, mentioning each file type it can handle. For example Microsoft Edge has the registration here.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModel\Repository\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_25.10586.0.0_neutral__8wekyb3d8bbwe\MicrosoftEdge\Capabilities\FileAssociations

If you can post the export of RegisteredApplications branch, I can make a REG file which adds the FileAssociations info for that application.

With this done, the application should be normally displayed in the Open with.. dialog, as well as in Default Apps.

Update (May 3 2016):

You can use this REG file to add .CONF file type, using the same association setting for CodeWriter .txt file type.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModel\Repository\Packages\ActiproSoftwareLLC.562882FEEB491_2.5.17.17_neutral__24pqs290vpjk0\App\Capabilities\FileAssociations]
".conf"="AppXea46y3k4tynme684q1dgefbnb0b9r8ec"

Pls note that you need to take ownership of the above registry key, add yourself full Permissions, then merge the REG file. Once done, reverse the Permissions to defaults.

Note: This REG file is valid for the current version (as of this post) of Code Writer. If you have any other version, make the modification in the appropriate key.

The key might have the following naming/numbering convention or similar.

ActiproSoftwareLLC.562882FEEB491_n.n.nn.nn_neutral__24pqs290vpjk0