How can IE9 64bit be set up as default browser?

**mariod** · 2012-03-28 12:46

I operate in Win7 Home premium (soon to update to Pro).
Have designated on desktop and taskbar IE9 64B...it's faster and more responsive that IE9 32B.
Unfortunately, e-mails and apps that have link to internet, when clicked, automatically launch IE9 32B.

Is there any way that the autolaunch of IE9 be made to default to the 64B version?

IE9 32B resides in Program Files (x86) while IE9 64B resides in Program Files in the Win7 environ.

Any help is appreciated!

***ruirib*** · 2012-03-28 13:36

IE 64 cannot be the default browser. You will find more info on the issue here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/i...6-a9416d65f981

**Medico** · 2012-03-28 14:27

What you can do however is put a shortcut to the IE 9 64 Bit version on your Desktop instead of the 32 Bit icon that you probably have there. This way at least when you click on the icon to open IE, you will open the 64 Bit version. Unfortunately, clicking on a link for example in you favorites on the Start Orb will open the default 32 Bit version. If however you use the Favorites on the 64 Bit IE browser, then the favorite will also open in the 64 Bit browser.

**Banyarola** · 2012-03-29 05:04

I would like to know why you can't make it the default browser.

***ruirib*** · 2012-03-29 05:21

Microsoft's choice.

**Banyarola** · 2012-03-29 05:27

It's not ready yet for prime time anyway.

It's still kinda buggy.

***ruirib*** · 2012-03-29 05:34

I suppose that's why they did it. They likely chose to avoid users facing more problems than what they would experience with the 32 bit version.

**Medico** · 2012-03-29 07:12

When it was first decided to not allow it as default there were not many add ons that were 64 Bit compatible. That has now changed. I use the 64 Bit browser almost exclusively when I;m in Win 7 with no ill effects. I suspect at some point in time MS will change that.

**mariod** · 2012-03-29 12:10

Thank you all for your replies!

I hope that, as Ted said, MS will see the light and change over. The 64bit version really is faster.
I already had placed the shortcut icon on my desktop. I went a step further: I pinned it to the task bar after unpinning the 32bit icon.

Once again, thanks all!!

**Medico** · 2012-03-29 19:37

I did that as well. I hate a cluttered desktop.

**chowur** · 2012-04-02 15:52

Here is a link for the 64bit version of,Java,Flash;http://www.howtogeek.com/110075/how-...ampaign=020412
Just scroll down alittle.

**CLiNT** · 2012-04-05 08:10

If you click on a link in email, you'll notice the 32 bit version of IE9 opens, not the 64 bit version.
No way that I'm aware of to make the 64 bit version of IE9 the default browser. But you can make it more usable by relegating the 32 bit icon
back into the programs section of the start menu and pinning the 64 bit icon on the task bar, like others have done.

You may also keep them both on the task bar but change the icon to make the 64 bit one stick out more.

I use nothing but the 64 bit browser, in 99% of instances, with little issue and seldom have any need for the 32 bit version.
So the 64 bit component of IE9 is very much a prime time and highly usable browser.

**StevenLawyer** · 2012-04-26 06:39

There is a way to trick Windows into using 64-bit in all circumstances. It involves using the NTFS file system's inherent feature called symbolic links (also called NTFS junctions). A symbolic link appears to Windows and any programs running in Windows as a real directory but is, in fact, a pointer redirecting the program to another drive or folder. Windows uses symbolic links to maintain backward compatibility. For example, in Windows 7, there is a hidden symbolic link in the root directory entitled “Documents and Settings” that points to the “Users” directory in order to maintain backward compatibility with programs written for XP (turn off “Hide Protected Operating System Files” in Folder Options and see for yourself—after looking, don’t forget to turn it back on!).

Sidenote: I use symbolic links to relocate all of those unwelcome folders in My Documents created by various programs. I did a write up on that here.

Here's how to make 64-bit IE your default browser in all circumstances. Note, following these steps will disable 32-bit IE. However, it is simple to switch the default back to 32-bit when a page must be opened in 32-bit.

1. Go to www.sysinternals.com and download the Junction application (Note: Sysinternals has a plethora of great apps worth checking out). Save the executable somewhere easy to find, like the root of your hard drive (i.e., “c:\”).

2. In Windows Explorer (with IE not open--so print these directions), rename the “Internet Explorer” directory in “c:\program files (x86)” to “Internet Explorer 32bit”.

The 64-bit version of IE is located in the "Internet Explorer" directory in "c:\program files". We are going to create a symbolic link at "c:\program files (x86)\Internet Explorer" that redirects to "c:\program files\Internet Explorer". This will cause all programs--including Windows--to run the 64-bit version when they go to what appears to be the folder at "c:\program files (x86)\Internet Explorer" but what will be, in fact, a symbolic link. (Note: One can quickly change the symbolic link to point to the "Internet Explorer 32bit" folder that contains the 32-bit version. I use scripts to allow me to quickly change the default back and forth).

3. Open an elevated command prompt. To do so, in the Windows Search box, type “cmd”. Right click on “cmd.exe” and select to “Run as Administrator”.

4. At the command prompt, navigate to the directory in which you saved “junction.exe”

Example:
c:\Windows\system32> cd c:\

5. Type the following command:

Junction "c:\program files (x86)\Internet Explorer" "c:\program files\Internet Explorer"

If you want to change back to 32-bit, just type the following two commands at the elevated command prompt:

Junction -d "c:\program files (x86)\Internet Explorer"
Junction "c:\program files (x86)\Internet Explorer" "c:\program files (x86)\Internet Explorer 32bit"

The first command is necessary to remove the existing symbolic link before creating the replacement one.

That's all there is too it. As I said above, one can create scripts (batch, powershell, or vbs) to make switching back and forth easy.

Cheers,

**cybersun** · 2012-05-12 20:31

Steven,

Let me ask you: what is the difference with plainly and simply renaming it?

I would rename c:\program files (x86)\Internet Explorer\explorer.exe to explorer32.exe
then copy from: c:\program files \Internet Explorer\explorer.exe to c:\program files (x86)\Internet Explorer, and that should do the trick.

Please let me know if you know any inconvenience with doing that.

Regards,

Roger

**StevenLawyer** · 2012-05-13 09:43

Roger:

That may work fine. My concern is that there are other dlls and files in the directories that are different between the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of iexplorer. A winmerge comparison of the two directories shows that many of the dll binaries are different and that there are some files in each that do not exist in the other. Also, just copying the explorer.exe means that you won't isolate settings between the two.

You could copy the entire directories and it should work fine.

My method ensures that each runs with all of its associated files. If you set up a task that can run as an administrator on demand that executes the two commands I set forth to switch one way, and another to switch the other way, you can then make shortcuts to those tasks that can be run by an non-admin without having to use elevated permissions. If you want detailed instructions, let me know.

One more caveat, whichever method you use (copying or symbolic links), you want to have everything back to normal (i.e., Internet explorer opens in 32-bit) before installing updates--as updates will assume the directories are in their default location.

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