How I install Firefox

[pdmcmahon]

Apologies in advance to all for the duplicate, I accidentally posted this first in the Unattended Windows section.

Anyways, here goes:

Good day all, I have had loads of success with Firefox and I would like to share my tweaks and hopefully help someone.

First off, I download the executable from the Firefox website. Then, using WinRAR, extract the contents of the executable to a staging folder.

In that folder, find a file named CONFIG.ini, I open it using Notepad++ and change one line:

Run Mode=Normal

to

Run Mode=Silent

Then, install Firefox by double clicking the SETUP.exe located in the staging folder. This will not require any user intervention as the install mode has now been set to silent.

Once that is done, I run Firefox and make all of my personal settings; start page, download prefs, etc. and close Firefox. Now, I look in "c:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox", find the file named PROFILES.ini and open it with Notepad++, change the "Path=" Value to "Path=Profiles/profile.default". Now, look in the profiles directory and find the "*******.default" folder, rename it to "profile.default"

Here is what this should look like when you are done:

http://static.flickr.com/98/208286125_c74e785b06.jpg

Hopefully, the previous paragraph isn't too confusing, what I was doing there was 'forcing' Firefox to use a profile folder that is specifically named, not one that is created randomly by the application.

Now, another suggestion is to run Firefox again and load up all of the Extensions and Search Plugins that you want. Be VERY CAREFUL not to do anything that would be specific to you, such as entering your info into the Google Toolbar Autofill fields, etc. The next paragraph will explain why.

Here are some of my favorite extensions:

http://static.flickr.com/67/208286126_d331c95cb3.jpg

Now that you have a clean, default profile setup, let's wrap it up. Using WinRAR, zip up the following:

"c:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles" folder

"c:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles.ini" file

Make the zip a self-extracting executable (mine is named PATCH.exe for the purposes of this article), and have it extract to the "c:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox" folder. Additionally, set the options to overwrite without asking, this way it will purge the existing "profiles.ini" file.

Then, I run the simple batch file that contains 2 lines:

SETUP.exe

PATCH.exe

This batch file performs a completely silent install of Firefox that includes all of our tweaks, customizations, extensions and search plugins.

It is possible that I missed one or two things. I apologize if I did, please post a reply with any questions or suggestions.

[ZileXa]

or way more simple:

1. install Firefox using: firefoxsetup.exe -ms

(the well-known switch for Mozilla apps silent install)

2. start firefox up with its default profile, go to Start> Run.. and type:

"C:\program files\mozilla firefox\firefox.exe" -profile defaults\profile"

now install your extensions and themes, modify Firefox to your needs, add bookmarks, searchplugins, tweak about:config etc.

Don't forget, to install themes/plugins Firefox requires a restart, use the same commandline in step 2!

3. add the folders:

"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\profile"

**"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\searchplugins"

* "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\plugins"

* "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\components"

to a rar or 7z SFX and let it extract during Windows setup using RunOnceEx or whatever, AFTER Firefox has been installed.

Actually I would recommend to create 1 giant 7z (not sfx) file, containing all apps that do not need an installer (like ExactAudioCopy etc) and containing all other files (like Windows Themes etc). You can add these folders to that 7z file and use commandline to extract during RunOnceEx or whatever.

I have explained this so that even a 9 year old can do it. It is very simple, easy to maintain, speeds up the whole unAttended process.

PLEASE NOTE:

*:You don't need to install plugins in step 2. the Java installer will install the Java plugin, same goes for ReaLite/Quicktime Lite or Alternative (or original) and WMlite (with .ini files for the setup).

Shockwave: the original installer contains YahooToolbar. Check my signature, mine (and other custom Shockwave installers!) does not have YahooToolbar. So you want to use a custom installer! But all custom installers DO NOT install the firefox or Opera plugin, I have added a SFX file to my custom installer containing the Shockwave pluginfiles for Firefox, so add these to your SFX.

I also added the Flash plugin, you DO NOT need an installer for Flash! (Shockwave DOES requires to be installed, even if you already have the pluginfiles in your browser's plugins folder). This saves time (and space on your CD/DVD).

**: some searchplugins you install will unfortunately be placed in Firefox\defaults\profile\searchplugins, move them to the folder I mention in ** and delete the folder in profile.

HOW TO UPDATE?

Very fast and simple: if a new version of Firefox comes out, simply wait untill your Firefox has been updated! Then, start Firefox from its defaultprofile like in Step 2, Firefox will now update all the extensions, don't forget to restart. Then add and replace the "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\profile" folder to your 7z or SFX

For an even more Detailed Dutch guide, read Unattended Install CD Deel 3.

Edited August 6, 2006 by ZileXa

[Plasma]

Hi there I have managed to do everything with my uA disk and Firefox apart from find a silent Shockwave installer that works.

ZileXa - the link in your signature is dead, any chance of a mirror or you emailing me your silent installer?

Cheers

Plasma

Edited August 17, 2006 by Plasma

[AngelOfCake]

I prefere to repack it myself. Using autoit to install it silently and 7zip to package it.

This is the batch I use.

TITLE Compressing

DEL "Runner.exe"
DEL "001.reg"
DEL "002.reg"
DEL "003.reg"
DEL "004.reg"
DEL "7zip installs\FireFox.exe"
RD /S /Q "Firefox"
RD /S /Q "Mozilla"

XCOPY "C:\Program Files\Firefox" "Firefox" /S /I /E /V /G /H /Y

XCOPY "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Mozilla" "Mozilla" /S /I /E /V /G /H /Y

REG EXPORT "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\MozillaPlugins" "001.reg"
REG EXPORT "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla" "002.reg"
REG EXPORT "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\mozilla.org" "003.reg"
REG EXPORT "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MozillaPlugins" "004.reg"

C:\PROGRA~1\AutoIt3\beta\Aut2Exe\Aut2Exe.exe /in "Runner.au3" /out "Runner.exe" /icon "Icon.ico" /comp 4

7za a -t7z "7zip installs\000.7z" "*" -mx=9 -ms=on -mf=on -mhc=on -mhcf=on -m0=LZMA:a=2:d=26m:lc=8:pb=0:fb=273

copy /b "7zip installs\7zs.sfx" + "7zip installs\config.txt" + "7zip installs\000.7z" "7zip installs\FireFox.exe"
Del "7zip installs\000.7z"

TITLE Done
PAUSE

This is the autoit script

DirMove("Firefox", @ProgramFilesDir & "\", 1)
DirMove("Mozilla", @AppDataDir & "\", 1)
FileMove("FireFox.lnk", "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Entertainment\", 9)
RunWait("Regedit /S 001.reg")
RunWait("Regedit /S 002.reg")
RunWait("Regedit /S 003.reg")
RunWait("Regedit /S 004.reg")
Exit

[Plasma]

I don't have a problem installing Firefox I just run the .exe and use the -ms switch.

I then install my default profile to the profiles directory and edit the profiles.ini

I just can't get an installer for Shockwave to go in silently.

Plasma