Try to redo the default browser setting and temporarily set another browser as the default browser.
Then let Firefox once again set itself as the default browser.

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/How+to+make+Firefox+the+default+browser
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Setting+Firefox+as+the+default+browser+does+not+work

I followed all suggestions and Firefox, even though set as my default browser, will not open desktop link icons pointing to a webpage. Firefox opens my home page, same as before. If I use IE and set it as my default browser, links work properly.

Try removing that link / short cut and creating a new one.

I have done that several times, no change. Every desktop shortcut pointing to a link, such as "https://login.secureserver.net/index.php?app=wbe" fails to work, all other links pointing to items such as ""C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat 11.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe" work fine. If I open Firefox and then bookmarks and find the link "https://login.secureserver.net/index.php?app=wbe" it opens the workspace email login window and I am able to login.

Go to the shortcut and right click. Select Properties > Web Document. Under URL, copy it and post it here.

https://login.secureserver.net/index.php?app=wbe

You can check for problems with DDE.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Windows_error_opening_Internet_shortcut_or_local_HTML_file_-_Firefox

I use w7 and my problem is when I check on a link on my desktop, when firefox is not open, it only opens Firefox to my Firefox home page. If one instance of Firefox is already open, the link opens another instance of Firefox to my home page and not the desired link. The suggested solutions did not work.

I only have a few ideas left.

Clear the Cache Firefox/Tools > Options > Advanced > Network > Cached Web Content: "Clear Now"
and
Remove Cookies Firefox/Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies: "Show Cookies"

Totally remove Firefox, Uninstall Firefox from your computer then use the full installer from Mozilla.org



LAST RESORT! ! ! Reset Firefox

This has to do with opening a page by clicking a link in another program that doesn't work when Firefox isn't running. I.e. it is not possible to start Firefox this way and open the requested page, but does work in case Firefox is already running. This should either be a problem with DDE being used (that Firefox doesn't support) or another problem with the default browser setting.

Does this happen with all supported file extensions?

This still sounds that some registry keys haven't been created correctly.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Default_browser