Need File Location Which Lists Default Apps Used

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Like the title says which file in Windows 11 actually holds the information that lists them under Settings, Default Apps.  There is a Chinese listing to select as a default browser which I cannot find or remove.  Had ESET go online to my laptop, and they were able to find and remove most of the programs.

The laptop was purchased through China and had some of their programs loaded.

The quality of the laptop is top notch and price was excellent.  I have no issues with the laptop.

Re-installed Windows 11 twice and still have the same issue.

This is a Chinese 360 program probably what they use.

I’m sure there is a file that controls what is listed in the default APPS list but still can’t locate it.  Windows has many layers and files.  Need someone’s expertise on where to look.

Thank You

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The list of apps to select is not stored in a file, but comes from different Registry keys and compiled by Windows to display in the Settings (at least that is how Windows 10 does it).

Do not know if it is the same in Windows 11, but I’ve seen this in Windows 10 where you can’t find the app listed in Windows Settings to uninstall, but it shows in the list of apps to choose as default. The solution in Windows 10 is to uninstall the app using the Control Panel applet instead of Windows Setting. Open a Run box and enter appwiz.cpl and press the Enter key. Delete the app from this list of installed apps and it should remove the app from the default app list in Windows Settings.

HTH, Dana:))

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There is a Chinese listing to select as a default browser which I cannot find or remove.   Re-installed Windows 11 twice and still have the same issue.  The laptop was purchased through China

Were your re-installs of Win 11 done using the built-in “recovery” option?

If so, I would think you’d wind up with same issues because it’s an OEM source.

Drcard:)) had some good thoughts.

If it becomes an endless rabbit hole, I think a clean install of Win 11 would solve the issues. With a full image backup at the ready, try a clean (not repair) install of Windows 11 on your laptop.  If you don’t like the results of the clean install, you can re-image your C: drive back to the way it was with nothing lost.

Just my two cents worth.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11

Desktop Asus TUF X299 Mark 1, CPU: Intel Core i7-7820X Skylake-X 8-Core 3.6 GHz, RAM: 32GB, GPU: Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti 4GB. Display: Four 27" 1080p screens 2 over 2 quad.

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Try using Uninstalr to remove the unwanted program.
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/uninstalr-worlds-best-cup-of-coffee/

cheers, Paul

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Due to the rules in China for computer use, it may indeed be difficult to bypass or change as it was done by the manufacturer to be compliant. One of the strongest two methods to make a change is –
1) find group policy settings (GPO) and when you learn which affects default apps, handlers, and extensions for browsers, then set those policies locally on your PC.

start and advanced CMD or Powershell, (Win+x) and use it to open mmc.exe.
Ctrl+M then scroll and find Policy, choose this local machine as its option.
Configure the Policies you want to be enforced for your PC.

These may override the settings China pushed to your computer.

2) find the file and path of their program and break or redirect it.
Ctrl+Alt+Del, more details, details tab (or is it Processes tab?), right-click the column headers, click select columns, find Command Line, and check the box to make it display.

Find the Chinese 360 and you’ll see its directory and file (as well as any command line parameters which is neat but not needed for this).
Close the program and then replace the exe with a chrome.exe or firefox.exe that uses the same filename. So when your computer tries to open 360, it is opening something else but disguised with the same name.
No guarantees this will work but I’ve sometimes defeated some malware with that trick substituting notepad or safe program for the bad one.

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Thank you everyone for your input.  Still haven’t found the fix.

I agree there is probably a registry entry that loads all the default APP listings under settings.

It’s buried somewhere and would like to get the 360plus Chinese writing listing removed from the list and laptop.

Still looking for the right answer.

I believe all the Chinese 360 main programs have been found and removed.

Thank You

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If you want to manually delete the entry from the registry list AND if Windows 11 stores the entries in the same places as Windows 10 this will help you find the listed app in the Registry.

First and foremost – Back up the Registry before making any changes

With the name of the app as it appear in the apps list, open Regedit and go to the following keys to look for the app’s name.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Click to expand Uninstall which will display a list of most of installed apps. The first apps listed will have alphanumeric coding as the “name “ for the app. For each of these click to highlight that alphanumeric code to display that app’s values in the right pane. Look for the data for DisplayName for the name of that app as it will display in the list. Many of the apps are listed by their name.

If you find the app listed, simply right click that app’s name and delete the key.

Next check this key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Usually not much listed, but it could be here.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

You’ll find a lot here listed by their alphanumeric code, so as above you’ll have to check each one for DisplayName to find the name of the app. This node is where a lot of background things are listed.

If the program is not listed in any of those keys, then I don’t know where it is stored.

HTH, Dana:))

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Drcard:)), thank you for the information.  In the registry below I actually found another file with a registry entry of 360+chinese letters exactly the same that is showing up in the default APPS list.  I deleted the entire folder and was hoping this was the item that gets loaded in the list.  Cleaned the registry and rebooted and the same issue.  This information is buried somewhere.  If any other ideas or information to try let me know.

Thank You

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

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Thank you everyone for your input.  Spent a few more hours looking through the multitude of Windows registry files.  Found multiple listings in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT directory that had the 360 Chinese data.  Deleted all the files checked Settings Default APPS and the Chinese 360 listing was now removed.

For the money if I buy again directly from China I will know where to look.

Thank You

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