`Felix`

Hi all, I personally like to test my RunOnceEx configurations and i wanted a simple way to do it. Now i know there is a command line to call the dll in question, so simply i have created this little exe file to do just that and it will work from anywhere. Simply run this command and siliently it will launch the RunOnceEx process. I have found it valuable and i hope you do too. RunOnceEx_test.zip

Well the vbs files gives system admins the flexibility to modify and change what happens and customize further. And yes you are right if you have installed with the original installer a new user is prompted, however when we make a custom installation - this isn't the case. Again you are right about the default user profile, but we want to have as many options as possible...

kewl! look forward to your feedback.

bump

hi totoymola, Well i would be interested in collaberating with you - i haven't heard back from Bob yet - have you?

Hi Shak, Ok thanks for identifying the issues. I have fixed them and updated the ffstuff.exe file. You can just leave the firefox.sfx file in the same folder as your deployment files - if you want to have it in the winrar folder - just make a change to the !makeSFX.bat. If you have any other issues or questions let me know

Cool! and i also see the benefits of your method - this is just an alternative

Hi Astalavista, Personally i think this method is easier, faster and simplier. This is not a replacement for simonsays' guide which is extremely good - but an alternative approach. The upgrade of the themes is automatic if you set it up that way - firefox will tell the user if there is an update and the update can then be done. As for updating the source install - same system applies - then you would just repeat the process to create your custom installation. - this time it would include the updated extensions and plugins. I am working on a fully scripted version of this - i will make it available when finished. The fully scripted version will be a single "double mouse click" to run and will then produce the final SFX file ready to include in your Unattended CD. More information as i am able to put it together. - Thanks for your comments they are appreciated.

EliasXP, You can download FTBAB.exe from http://www.lss.com.au/lss/windows/ft/ft_ins.htm - simply extract it to your ffdeploy folder and that will fix your problem.

Hi all! Well there are a couple of guides here already and whilst they are very good and alot of members have put time in to researching the requirements and producing the guides, personally I have found them to long-winded . I wanted a very simple and straight forward way of producing 1. an unattended installation that included my selection of extensions and themes; 2. a method that was small and could be downloaded or emailed to someone else; and 3. a single file that could be used to deploy in a corporate environment. The results of my research and testing has been (i am pleased to say) very fruitful. Below is my method for creating a single file that can be used as a stand alone custom installer for Firefox including extensions and themes, whilst at the same time can be used for a complete unattended installation. Mozilla Firefox unattended/stand-alone deployment Guide 1.0 required tools: - Mozilla Firefox - Firefox extensions you wish to include - Firefox themes you wish to include - WinRAR - Simple-FFDeploy.rar Contains Bob Templeton's FFDeploy, Custom WinRAR SFX Module for Firefox and Extra scripts by `felix` (This one file contains everything you need) 1. Install a "clean" version of Firefox and configure to suit your requirements. 2. Install any/all your desired extensions and themes and configure. 3. Now we are going to make use of the great work Bob Templeton has done. Run FFDeploy (either the vbs or the exe) and build the deployment source [some images below to help]. FFDeploy.exe (Start screen) Select your Firefox installation source folder Once the build process has finished you will be prompted with Your choice here what you want to do. Ok Now you will be asked if you want to build a self installer - click on NO. Now exit from FFDeploy. 4. Now we have all the source files required including extensions and themes you are going to install. Navigate to your desktop and the Firefox_Deployment folder. 5. Extract the contents of the Simple-FFDeploy.rar file to the Firefox_Deployment folder. Contained in this file is Comment.txt, exclude.lst, firefox.SFX and !makeSFX.cmd. Next edit the contents of the comment.txt file to suit requirements. Note If you are only going to use the deployment file for unattended installations you can change Silent=0 to Silent=1 6. Now you are ready to create the final deployment file - simply run the !makeSFX.cmd file and this will create mozilla Firefox deployment.exe in the Firefox_Deployment folder for you. It may take a few minutes depending on the size of your source code. Final product (when launched) will look something like this The text will vary based on the changes you make to the comment.txt file. Note if you change the "silent=0" to silent=1 - you will not see this screen when you launch mozilla Firefox deployment.exe. ------- Unattended AIO CD deployment methods 1. Add "mozilla Firefox deployment.exe" (or what ever you renamed it) to your RunOnceEx process. Example: (notice the /s - this is to tell the installer to run quiet/silent mode. If you have set silent=1 in the comment.txt file - you do not need the /s) REG ADD %KEY%\001 /VE /D "Mozilla Firefox 1.0 Custom" /f REG ADD %KEY%\001 /V 1 /D ""%systemdrive%installmozilla Firefox deployment.exe /s" " /f Ok this takes care of the system wide installation... As you will be able to see in the comment.txt file - after extraction, CreateProfile.vbs is run to create a firefox profile for the current user (normally the administrator). For each user, this vbs file must be run to create the users firefox profile. 2. Now we need to add the CreateProfile.vbs to the Default Users NTUSER.DAT file so that any new user to the system will have their firefox profile setup when they logon the first time. To do this is simple and you can also include this in your RunOnceEx process. RunOnceEx Method 1 REG LOAD "HKUCUSTOM" "C:Documents and SettingsDefault UserNTUSER.DAT" REG ADD HKUCUSTOMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce /v Create_Firefox_User_Profile /t REG_SZ /d "cscript.exe "%programfiles%Mozilla FirefoxCreateProfile.vbs"" /f REG UNLOAD "HKUCUSTOM" You could also just create a reg file and use (RunOnceEx Method 2) REG LOAD "HKUCUSTOM" "C:Documents and SettingsDefault UserNTUSER.DAT" REGEDIT /S FirefoxCreateUserProfile.reg /f REG UNLOAD "HKUCUSTOM"FirefoxCreateUserProfile.reg Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_USERSCUSTOMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce] "Create_Firefox_User_Profile"="cscript.exe "%programfiles%Mozilla FirefoxCreateProfile.vbs"" There you have it - thats it! So now you can easily create a custom unattended install of Firefox with themes and extensions and deploy it with all users having a unique firefox profile. If you have any questions, comment, feedback or suggestions please let me know. TODO List - Automate the whole creation (single step) of the source and "mozilla Firefox deployment.exe" - Produce PDF of this guide (when completed...) - Work with Bob Templeton in regards to incorporating this all in FFDEPLOY... maybe/possible??? I hope you find this guide helpful.

totoymola - you may want to put a link to the Unpacked SFX modules for those who wish to modify their resources available from the rarlabs website - Unpacked SFX modules as part of your guide...

Thanks Simon - that fixed it!

Hi TrAvELAr - sorry bout the delayed response..... Ok here is my present solution (fully tested and working) [Tested on Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows 2003 - Windows NT users a little bit different naming process] UserProfileChecker.cmd @echo off cls ::If other than WinNT (2000/XP/2003) Environment - bailout. IF %OS%!==! GOTO _NotNT setlocal GOTO _CHECKS :_CHECKS ::Get current user SID. FOR /F "tokens=7" %%A IN ('getsid \\%computername% %username% \\%computername% %username%') DO SET USERSID=%%A ::Get current user Profile Path. FOR /F "tokens=2* delims=\" %%A IN ('reg query "hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\profilelist\%USERSID%" /v ProfileImagePath') DO SET PIP=%%B ::If the current username and the current user profile path match - bailout! IF "%USERNAME%"=="%PIP%" goto _eof ::Set Directory to be removed next logon... FOR /F "tokens=2*" %%A IN ('reg query "hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\profilelist\%USERSID%" /v ProfileImagePath') DO SET ToRemove="%%B" ::Get the system profiles path - normally %systemdrive%\documents and settings\ ::Or D:\documents and settings\ FOR /F "tokens=2*" %%A IN ('reg query "hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\profilelist" /v ProfilesDirectory') DO set USERDIR=%%B ::Check the system profiles path for a directory name that matches the username echo %USERDIR% | DIR /AH /B "%USERDIR%\%username%\NTUSER.DAT" | find /c /i "NTUSER.DAT" >NUL ::If no match - bailout! if errorlevel 1 goto _eof IF NOT "%USERNAME%"=="%PIP%" GOTO _ModifyUserImagePath :_ModifyUserImagePath call :_splash ::Let the user know something is happening... popup /YN /HF "userprofilechecker.hlp" /IE /M "Duplicate User Profile Detected" /T "User Profile Checker 1.0" if errorlevel 7 goto _eof ::if use says yes - then update the users SID Profile Image path to original value... reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\%USERSID%" /v ProfileImagePath /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d "%userdir%\%username%" /f >NUL reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\DocFolderPaths" /v %USERNAME% /d "%userdir%\%username%\My Documents" /f >NUL reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce" /v RemoveDuplicateProfile /d "%comspec% /C RMDIR /S /Q ""%ToRemove%""" /f >NUL rem shutdown -l -f goto _eof :_NotNT cls echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ echo This program is designed for Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003 echo and above. echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ echo. goto _eof :_ERROR cls echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ echo You have cancelled this update, as a result your profile will not be updated. echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ echo. goto _eof :_Splash echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ echo User Profile Checker v1.0 echo Copyright 2004-2005 Darren Blackley, Simplify I.T. All rights reserved. echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ :_EOF Required 3rd party utilities for the batch to work. REG.EXE - Windows Resource Kit GETSID.EXE - Windows Resource Kit SHUTDOWN.EXE - Windows Resource Kit POPUP.EXE - Just a windows message popup for notifying the user. (Attached) UserProfileChecker.hlp ********** A DUPLICATE OF YOUR USER PROFILE HAS BEEN DETECTED. ********** This situation can happen when your computer has been restored from a disaster/ System crash, an operating system upgrade, a service patch/hotfix or your user Account has been erroneously deleted from the computer. Your original user profile including your files should all be available under your original profile directory. Presently you are operating on a default (new) profile that Windows as created for you because it has found a duplicate directory. To restore your original profile and regain access to all of your original user configuration including My Documents etc. - Click on YES. Note: Once you click yes, your profile will be automatically corrected and you will be automatically logged off. Simply Login again to gain access to your original profile. If you do not wish to restore profile or require more information click NO and contact your local IT support staff member. For more specific information visit this reference on the Microsoft website: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314045 Next step is to build it all into a single exe or com so that no third party utils are required, however i am going to have to go away and learn some delphi or something to do that... any programmers like to give it a try? popup.zip

Let everyone know the details

Hi there all, Am having a little problem that i hope you may be able to help me with. After following the steps i can't see an icon even when i change the whatever.sfx to whatever.exe... if i open the updated whatever.sfx file again in reshack and try to view the icon group i get the following error message: this file has a non-standard resource layout... it probably has been compressed with and "EXE Compressor" I have not yet compressed the files. Anyone got any ideas? I am using version 3.4.0.79 of reshack

Here is the method I have been using for years if it helps anyone REG LOAD "HKU\CUSTOM" "C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\NTUSER.DAT" regedit /s DefaultUser.reg REG UNLOAD "HKU\CUSTOM" REG LOAD "HKU\CUSTOM" "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\NTUSER.DAT" regedit /s AllUsers.reg REG UNLOAD "HKU\CUSTOM" Or you can automate it in your runonceex.cmd script: REG ADD %KEY%\081 /VE /D "Configuring the Default/All User Settings" /f REG ADD %KEY%\081 /V 1 /D "REG LOAD \"HKU\CUSTOM\" \"C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\NTUSER.DAT\"" /f REG ADD %KEY%\081 /V 2 /D "REGEDIT /S %systemdrive%\install\DefaultUser.reg" /f REG ADD %KEY%\081 /V 3 /D "REG UNLOAD \"HKU\CUSTOM\"" /f You could also substitue the "C:\Documents and Settings\Default User" %allusersprofile% if you want to use say drive d: for the user profiles... There are many ways of doing it... Hope you find this helpful

Don't forget guy's - there is Norton Ghost (IMHO - Crap) and Symantec Ghost (IMHO Great - i use daily and have done for for years). Symantec brand products for consumer and corporate - Norton = Consumer, Symantec = Corporate. Personally i have found many problems with the consumer products from Symantec, but the corporate products are very good. Just my phonecard's worth

I know you tried to help but if you gonna attach a file better make sure it works 100% or else mention it that it still has some flaws Your 100% correct... again sorry for the problems.

Very sorry all if this caused a problem... just tried to help.

Agreed - but you only delete the contents of drive C: not the parition. As long as the partition is intact all will be fine.

Hi blinkdt, Yes your idea works well and this is how i set up corporate systems - it makes it easy to back up, update the system, or recover from distasters... The thing to be away of this that when you reinstall or restore your system - if the backup doesn't include the user profile [such as a fresh install] you will end up with the user profile being created from scatch. eg. before reinstall d:\documents and settings\user1 after reinstall d:\documents and settings\user1 d:\documents and settings\user1.computername For each time you reinstall you will add to this problem ... see HOW TO: Restore a User Profile in Windows - This talks about Windows 2000 but it is the same with Windows NT 4, 2000, XP and 2003. The solution is to do the manual fix as outline in the KB Doc above or automate the fix. I have been searching for years for a solution to this problem and finally have written one myself. Currently this is in a batch file format but i will be writing it into a stand alone app file in the next week or so... So then you can add this to your unattended installs and this will resolve the "duplicate profile" issue

Hi TrAvELAr, Thankyou for taking the time to investigate and help me out - i would be interested in reading what you find out.... In the meantime i have managed to write a batch file to check this and correct the issue automatically - I am in the process now of looking to programing it into a single com or exe file as there are some other utils like getsid and reg that are currently used with the batch file that i believe i can do away with in a single application file. I will post the results when i have finished Look forward to reading your next message.

Hi all, For those of you that have Gmail and want to include Gmail Notifier 1.0 in your unattended installations... GmailInstaller.exe /S (please note the CAPITAL S) You can alse set the drive path by using /D=[path to install] More information MSFN's Unattended XP CD - Nullsoft SuperPiMP Install System (NSIS)

Here you go "Have you backed up your software?"

Good point and yes i have tried both. The problem arrises because the restore is from a default clean image and so it doesn't know about the users that have logged on since the build... therefore when the machine is restored the accounts as far as the USER Accounts are missing... so basically i need to be able to backup the sam and security configurations and then restore those... something you may be interested in is this information - this basically is what is happening. HOW TO: Restore a User Profile