AlanStan Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 I am using Windows XP, SP3. I have been using CC Cleaner and Defraggler for years, and so last night, I decided to give Speccy a try. The Speccy installer also installed Chrome, and I did not know it had done this until some time later. Chrome became my default browser. I did not want this as I am an enthusiastic Firefox user and had it set up with lots of bookmarks and menu customization. So I went into my Firefox, clicked on tools/options/advanced/check now in order to reset Firefox as my default. But clicking on a URL link in a Notetab Pro file opened the URL up in Chrome. I removed Chrome, but when I clicked on a URL in a NoteTab Pro file, Windows searched for Chrome despite this. So I went to my Windows start/control panel/add or remove programs/ and clicked on set program access and defaults/custom in order to set Firefox as my default. After that, clicking on a URL shortcut still defaulted to Chrome. So I clicked on my computer and clicked tools/folder options/file types and noted HTML files were assigned to be opened by Firefox. However, Windows still wanted to use Chrome to open the URL. Then I uninstalled Speccy, rebooted, and finally Windows understood Chrome was not my default browser. ************* I can't begin to tell you how annoying this whole time-wasting episode was. I think that foisting Chrome on the unwitting user as a "feature" of the Speccy installation, along with Chrome's aggressive and obnoxious attempt to make it the default browser will annoy many other people. If the Speccy installer was deliberately designed to install Chrome without the user's permission and knowledge and this was not just user-error on my part, this is a terrible public-relations mistake. As it is, I no longer can recommend Piriform products until I know this has been fixed or until I know it was just some dumb thing I did. I hope it was user error, so that I can continue to recommend Piriform, along with a caution to be aware that Chrome is offered during installation. My experience, however, was that I had to choose between having Speccy and being forced to use Chrome as my default instead of Firefox, or have Firefox and forgo Chrome. With respect, Speccy is not worth giving up Firefox as my default browser. ************* I hate to make this kind of posting as my introduction to the forum. But when I sent a private email to Piriform according to the suggestion on the website, I got an automatically generated email that said, "If you have a suggestion, then please post it in our forum. For support with the forum, please contact one of the forum moderators. Sorry about this automated response, but we're super busy creating great applications " My preference would have been to handle this problem privately, but I couldn't do that without paying $24.95 USD for the privilege. Regards, AlanStan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhawk Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Piriform tools have an opt-out option, if you've made a mistake by not unticking just open Control Panel, "Add or Remove Programs" and uninstall. Richard S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winapp2.ini Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 This is a common problem, but not because the installer is a sneaky one. This is usually caused by the initial lag on the installer when it's bringing up the chrome screen, so people click the "next" button more than once, which registers as "go ahead, install chrome" winapp2.ini additions thread winapp2.ini github Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanStan Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 Hi Redhawk and Winapp2, Piriform tools have an opt-out option, if you've made a mistake by not unticking just open Control Panel, "Add or Remove Programs" and uninstall. Richard S. This is a common problem, but not because the installer is a sneaky one. This is usually caused by the initial lag on the installer when it's bringing up the chrome screen, so people click the "next" button more than once, which registers as "go ahead, install chrome" Thanks for the replies. I usually exercise caution about looking for piggyback installs. And I appreciate Winapp's statement that an initial lag in the installation routine can cause the user to hit "next" button before the warning screen about the piggyback install has had a chance to appear. Presumably, this "glitch" was not deliberately designed into the installer. At least, I want to believe that it is not deliberate. Nevertheless, the user who gets caught up in this will find it infuriating. Apparently, Chrome makes changes to the registry that creates problems for those who uninstall it and want to use another default browser (please see link below). Perhaps the Piriform powers-that-be monitor this forum and will see this thread. I certainly hope so as I am unwilling to pay $24.95 USD just to make a complaint, and Piriform seems unreachable otherwise. This conundrum has the potential for doing real damage to Piriform's community good will if they do not fix the installer so that this accident does not continue to happen to others. As I said, I'm usually very careful about piggyback installs, and this one caught me unaware. When doing a bit of research, I discovered I'm not the only one with this reaction. I found this thread on the highly-regarded Bleeping Computer forum about Piriform's piggyback installation of Chrome that caught a sophisticated and experienced user unaware. This cannot be good for Piriform. Regards, AlanStan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winapp2.ini Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 I assure you, the developers do read every thread. winapp2.ini additions thread winapp2.ini github Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanStan Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 I assure you, the developers do read every thread. Good. I hope someone official from Piriform will acknowledge here on this forum that this complaint was made. Regards, AlanStan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Fast Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Good. I hope someone official from Piriform will acknowledge here on this forum that this complaint was made. Regards, AlanStan Alan, I too have been the victim of the lag before. At first, I simply thought well, you know! Maybe they didn't include it this time for some reason! But it turned out that the installer simply lagged & I hit next before it loaded the screen to checkmark the box! I am not too worried, since I have a flash drive & between the portable versions that have no toolbar, & the fact that I can simple send it to a flash drive & then use it without having to install it again, I am set! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators DennisD Posted March 20, 2011 Moderators Share Posted March 20, 2011 (edited) Good. I hope someone official from Piriform will acknowledge here on this forum that this complaint was made. Regards, AlanStan Hi AlanStan. Apart from the fact that the devs do read all these posts, the moderators (who are not affiliated to Piriform in any way), also point them to posts such as this. Thanks for taking the trouble to pass on your experience in such a polite manner. Edited March 20, 2011 by DennisD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanStan Posted March 21, 2011 Author Share Posted March 21, 2011 Alan, I too have been the victim of the lag before. At first, I simply thought well, you know! Maybe they didn't include it this time for some reason! But it turned out that the installer simply lagged & I hit next before it loaded the screen to checkmark the box! I am not too worried, since I have a flash drive & between the portable versions that have no toolbar, & the fact that I can simple send it to a flash drive & then use it without having to install it again, I am set! Hi Superfast, I looked around for portable versions and versions not encumbered on the Piriform site, but I didn't see any. Would you mind pointing me to where I can get it for Ccleaner, Defraggler, and Speccy? Hi AlanStan. Apart from the fact that the devs do read all these posts, the moderators (who are not affiliated to Piriform in any way), also point them to posts such as this. Thanks for taking the trouble to pass on your experience in such a polite manner. Hi Dennis, Of course, the moderators are volunteers, not the decision makers who determine how the product is packaged and distributed. Thanks for your kind words. I hope someone in a position of authority will acknowledge that this concern was raised. Regards, AlanStan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Nergal Posted March 24, 2011 Moderators Share Posted March 24, 2011 find the portable version and the slim build (that one is posts about a week after release) at the very bottom of the downloads page where it says BuildsWe also offer a portable version for installing on USB thumb drives. Visit the builds page to download. ADVICE FOR USING CCleaner'S REGISTRY INTEGRITY SECTION DON'T JUST CLEAN EVERYTHING THAT'S CHECKED OFF. Do your Registry Cleaning in small bits (at the very least Check-mark by Check-mark) ALWAYS BACKUP THE ENTRY, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'LL BREAK IF YOU DON'T. Support at https://support.ccleaner.com/s/?language=en_US Pro users file a PRIORITY SUPPORT via email support@ccleaner.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators DennisD Posted March 25, 2011 Moderators Share Posted March 25, 2011 I hope someone in a position of authority will acknowledge that this concern was raised. I pm'd the admin re this thread, and they have replied to me saying they are going to check this out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanStan Posted April 5, 2011 Author Share Posted April 5, 2011 I pm'd the admin re this thread, and they have replied to me saying they are going to check this out. Thanks Dennis, I am only now checking back, and a few days before you posted this, my wife was in a rather severe accident that resulted in both her hips being fractured. I haven't been spending much time on the computer as I've mostly been at the hospital and now the rehab nursing home. If you get a response from the admin, I'd love to hear their response and what, if anything, they intend on doing about this. Unexpected piggyback software may bring in some bucks, but it sure causes a lot of ill will, and surely, community good will has some monetary value. It seems penny-wise and pound-foolish to squander it. Regards, Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators DennisD Posted April 5, 2011 Moderators Share Posted April 5, 2011 I'm really sorry to hear of your wife's accident Alan, and you have my best wishes for a speedy and full recovery. I don't think there'll be any other feedback to me, but time will tell as to whether they've acted upon your comments and experience, and I'm sure they'll agree with you regarding the ill will this could cause. If I do hear anything more I will of course let you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xerces8 Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 Hi! 9 years later, this is still an issue. I just installed Speccy (version 1.32) on Windows 10 and it also installed Chrome. There is no opt-out option, as suggested by redhawk. See screenshots (after clicking Customize in the installer): And the one after clicking "More": Also, I did not click twice or anything similar. Regards, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Dave CCleaner Posted May 22, 2020 Admin Share Posted May 22, 2020 @xerces8: If Speccy offered you Chrome (which it only does sometimes) it would have appeared on the first screen here: ... with the opt-out in the offer itself (not under the customise options). Piriform Homepage - [CCleaner - CCleaner Mac - CCleaner Android - CCleaner Browser - Recuva - Speccy - Kamo] - Product Support Looking for your licence key, expiry date or download link? Check here first: https://www.ccleaner.com/support/license-lookup To find out how we protect your privacy - read CCleaner's Data Factsheet. What's new? Check the latest CCleaner for Windows release notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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