Do not make Firefox default browser during installation

[ef2007]

Fantastic, it seems that Frontmotion doesn't care at all of this issue...
VERY disappointing...

[Elemanzer]

here is what i have found. it does not make firefox the default browser and it does not make ie the default browser. it seems to remove any browser as being the default. if you install it as yourself it works just fine its when you push it. i would believe it is something with the uninstall that is causing the issue.

[jpa]

This thread is too long for its own good. There have been multiple problems over the different versions with default browser issues. DraconPern probably just ignores this thread now.

Anyway. The current problem with Firefox and the "default browser" issues was documented way back here and is due to the custom dll used to set IE back to default. It creates incorrect registry entries with double-nul terminated strings and it is not language aware. That's about it. It should be simple. Yet the thread continues to grow because the problem is not fixed.

I have now contributed another couple posts to the futility that is this thread.

[Elemanzer]

with the post about the registry keys i was able to make it a task sequence that uninstall 366 ran the registry keys and then installed 368 for my own set up capture that does not bring the browser back to no default when firefox is uninstalled. thank you

[ef2007]

with the post about the registry keys i was able to make it a task sequence that uninstall 366 ran the registry keys and then installed 368 for my own set up capture that does not bring the browser back to no default when firefox is uninstalled. thank you

So you didn't used a GPO to deploy the FF CE msi/mst.
Could you please share the exact procedure used (in terms of msiexec uninstallation string, reg script, msiexec installation or whatever you used)?
Thanks

[Elemanzer]

I use SCCM
This is what i run1

1. Msiexec /x {production code} /quiet /norestart
2. Registryfix.cmd
3. Msiexec /i firefox_368.msi /quite /norestart


the registryfix.cmd is this

Code: Select all

@echo off
%~dp0
regedit /s firefox.reg

and firefox.reg looks like this

Code: Select all

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.htm]
@="htmlfile"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.html]
@="htmlfile"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\ftp\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\IEXPLORE.EXE\" %1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\ftp\shell\open\ddeexec]
@="\"%1\",,-1,0,,,,"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\ftp\shell\open\ddeexec\Application]
@="IExplore"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\ftp\shell\open\ddeexec\Topic]
@="WWW_OpenURL"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\HTTP\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\IEXPLORE.EXE\" -nohome"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\HTTP\shell\open\ddeexec]
@="\"%1\",,-1,0,,,,"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\HTTP\shell\open\ddeexec\Application]
@="IExplore"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\HTTP\shell\open\ddeexec\Topic]
@="WWW_OpenURL"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\https\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\IEXPLORE.EXE\" -nohome"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\https\shell\open\ddeexec]
@="\"%1\",,-1,0,,,,"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\https\shell\open\ddeexec\Application]
@="IExplore"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\https\shell\open\ddeexec\Topic]
@="WWW_OpenURL"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet]
@="IEXPLORE.EXE"

thanks to jpa for helping me with this!

now when I uninstall firefox 368 it will keep IE as the default browser.

[steveg700]

I tore this thread with feverish interest. I really hoped to see some sort of resolution. Instead it seems everyone's given up in disgust.

I guess I'll just try using a snapshot util like AIBuilder or WinInstall to create package that takes a snaphsot of nothing more than running the MSI, then immediately afterward s resetting IE to the default browser.

[jpa]

Instead it seems everyone's given up in disgust.

Maybe not given up as we're a plucky bunch but resigned to the situation. An MSI install is required by our current systems and this is one of the few games in town. If Mozilla ever gets their MSI installer done I think a lot of users will switch.

I think I would try wrapping the regular EXE installer in an MSI before I'd go the snapshot route.

Almost more annoying than FrontMotion's quirks is the constant forum link spam.

[steveg700]

Maybe not given up as we're a plucky bunch but resigned to the situation.

Well, I was perhaps a mite hyperbolic.

I think I would try wrapping the regular EXE installer in an MSI before I'd go the snapshot route.

Wrapping the reguilar EXE installer in an MSI doesn't resolve the default browser setting issue. But if I run AIBuilder, I can take a before snapshot, install Firefox CE, change the default browser to IE, and then take an after snapshot. Kind of weird to make an MSI of an MSI, but desperate times and all that jazz...

[jpa]

Sorry, I meant wrap the Mozilla Firefox EXE installer in an MSI and not the Frontmotion MSI installer. Obviously this doesn't work if you're trying to deploy the Frontmotion Community Edition. Hence the length of this thread.

[steveg700]

A belated Happy New Year. Don't suppose there's been any progress on this front from Frontmotion's crew? I'm about to deploy the CE to a large number of users and it'll be a bear having to communicate that everyone will have to reset IE. Compounding the issue is that there doesn't appear to be a GPO setting to make IE the default browser (a rather peculiar omission).

[jpa]

Nothing. DraconPern isn't super communicative.

Here's an example of the current best solution. As long as you roll out FrontMotion CE with these changes the first and all subsequent times your users shouldn't be bothered by "default browser" warning.

Make sure to test a lot before you deploy to a bunch of users. Should probably test by rolling a previous version with the changes above and then upgrade it with the latest version with the changes. See what happens.

[tcannon]

I followed abaldauf's directions to install Frontmotion Firefox 3.6.15 via GPO without making it the default browser. The installation fails, the event log shows event id 10005, and says the reason is "The error code is 2709. The arguments are: C_SetDefaultBrowser."

[jpa]

I would do the following and then test install and uninstall to make sure the default browser problem doesn't show.

1. Open the MSI file with Orca.

2. Change the INSTALLLEVEL to 3 (in table "Property").

3. Remove the following entries from the "CustomAction" table
RestoreIExplore

4. Close and Save MSI file.

5. Create an admin install by executing msiexec.exe /a Firefox-3.6.15-xx.msi
The remaining steps apply to the folder where that admin install was created (you can actually delete the Firefox-3.6.15-xx.msi)

6. Browse to Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\pref
and edit firefox.js. Change the line
pref("browser.shell.checkDefaultBrowser", true);
to
pref("browser.shell.checkDefaultBrowser", false);
Save and close the file.

[abaldauf]

I followed abaldauf's directions to install Frontmotion Firefox 3.6.15 via GPO without making it the default browser. The installation fails, the event log shows event id 10005, and says the reason is "The error code is 2709. The arguments are: C_SetDefaultBrowser."

Things worked fine for me and I already posted a clarified guide and a possible explanation for that behaviour of the installer here: http://forums.frontmotion.com/viewtopic ... =894#p3321