RE: Why is WU installing Firefox add-on's?

Can't answer why Windows Update is installing Firefox add-on. Also don't know
why instructions in How to remove the .NET Framework Assistant for Firefox
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=963707 are inaccurate, and lead to Windows
Update reinstalling .NET Framework and putting the Firefox add on back.

I have found that performing only Step 1 of Method 2 (which removes a
registry key) is enough to keep the add on from appearing in Firefox. And
Windows Update does not at this time check for the presence of the registry
key, so it does not force a .NET Framework update and put the add on back.

So, if you just want it gone from Firefox, I suggest deleting the
appropriate registry key. (Per the instructions, "Delete the
{20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b} subkey.")

"Gene3" wrote:

> Why is WU putting add-ons into Firefox? It's Mozilla's responsibility to take care of their own browser, and I imagine they would prefer it that way.
>
> WU puts the new extension "Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant 0.0.0" into Firefox without any prior notice to user. I'm not sure offhand exactly which WU update does it, but apparently one of the High Priority security updates related to .NET 2.0/3.0/3.5. This add-on from MS is not compatible with Firefox. Only the Enable/Disable button is active, the Options and Uninstall buttons are grayed out.
>
> MS tried to provide a fix to enable the Uninstall button, but it doesn't work with later versions of Firefox as I and many others can verify:
> Update to .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 for the .NET Framework Assistant 1.0 x86 (KB963707)
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en
>
> MS also published manual removal instructions:
> How to remove the .NET Framework Assistant for Firefox
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=963707
> I can verify that the manual removal method works OK with my Firefox 3.6 despite some inaccurate details. (There is no general.useragent.extra.microsoftdotnet preference item in my Firefox 3.6 about:config list.) However removing it is pointless(!), because WU then reinstalls it via High Priority KB963707. The only way to prevent reinstallation is to disable KB963707 in WU.
>
> In fact Mozilla has their own version of Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant 1.2 which works OK as I can verify with Firefox 3.6. It can be installed on top of the MS 0.0.0 version, then 0.0.0 doesn't appear. However the MS 0.0.0 version wasn't replaced and reappears if 1.2 is uninstalled. The MS 0.0.0 version is not needed, only causes problems, and somehow needs to be killed by WU.
> --
> G3
>
>

You are correct!

This works on my XP Home SP3 computer, as also pointed out by nmroadrunner
at https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/forum/1/562619

Use method 2 in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/963707

Delete the registry key in step 1. (You can ignore step 2 which doesn't work
anyway.) Do not perform step 3 which involves removing a folder with files,
or Microsoft Update will reinstall the update to .NET Framework and undo
your changes.

Summary: just remove the registry key. Firefox will not see the .NET
Framework, and Microsoft Update will not put it back.
--
G3

"jimk0512" <> wrote in message
news:EAB9A4D4-6F44-4D57-B381-...
> Can't answer why Windows Update is installing Firefox add-on. Also don't
> know
> why instructions in How to remove the .NET Framework Assistant for Firefox
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=963707 are inaccurate, and lead to
> Windows
> Update reinstalling .NET Framework and putting the Firefox add on back.
>
> I have found that performing only Step 1 of Method 2 (which removes a
> registry key) is enough to keep the add on from appearing in Firefox. And
> Windows Update does not at this time check for the presence of the
> registry
> key, so it does not force a .NET Framework update and put the add on back.
>
> So, if you just want it gone from Firefox, I suggest deleting the
> appropriate registry key. (Per the instructions, "Delete the
> {20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b} subkey.")
>
> "Gene3" wrote:
>
>> Why is WU putting add-ons into Firefox? It's Mozilla's responsibility to
>> take care of their own browser, and I imagine they would prefer it that
>> way.
>>
>> WU puts the new extension "Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant 0.0.0" into
>> Firefox without any prior notice to user. I'm not sure offhand exactly
>> which WU update does it, but apparently one of the High Priority security
>> updates related to .NET 2.0/3.0/3.5. This add-on from MS is not
>> compatible with Firefox. Only the Enable/Disable button is active, the
>> Options and Uninstall buttons are grayed out.
>>
>> MS tried to provide a fix to enable the Uninstall button, but it doesn't
>> work with later versions of Firefox as I and many others can verify:
>> Update to .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 for the .NET Framework
>> Assistant 1.0 x86 (KB963707)
>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en
>>
>> MS also published manual removal instructions:
>> How to remove the .NET Framework Assistant for Firefox
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=963707
>> I can verify that the manual removal method works OK with my Firefox 3.6
>> despite some inaccurate details. (There is no
>> general.useragent.extra.microsoftdotnet preference item in my Firefox 3.6
>> about:config list.) However removing it is pointless(!), because WU then
>> reinstalls it via High Priority KB963707. The only way to prevent
>> reinstallation is to disable KB963707 in WU.
>>
>> In fact Mozilla has their own version of Microsoft .NET Framework
>> Assistant 1.2 which works OK as I can verify with Firefox 3.6. It can be
>> installed on top of the MS 0.0.0 version, then 0.0.0 doesn't appear.
>> However the MS 0.0.0 version wasn't replaced and reappears if 1.2 is
>> uninstalled. The MS 0.0.0 version is not needed, only causes problems,
>> and somehow needs to be killed by WU.
>> --
>> G3
>>
>>

On 2010-03-10 8:35 a.m., Gene3 wrote:

> You are correct!
>
> This works on my XP Home SP3 computer, as also pointed out by nmroadrunner
> at https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/forum/1/562619
>
> Use method 2 in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/963707
>
> Delete the registry key in step 1. (You can ignore step 2 which doesn't work
> anyway.) Do not perform step 3 which involves removing a folder with files,
> or Microsoft Update will reinstall the update to .NET Framework and undo
> your changes.
>
> Summary: just remove the registry key. Firefox will not see the .NET
> Framework, and Microsoft Update will not put it back.

Be aware that anything which triggers a repair of the .NET framework will
probably restore the key. This might (I don't know) include things like future
..NET updates, or the installation of new programs which use .NET.

Hopefully a future version of Firefox will require global add-ons to be opted-in
by the user. I think that would be the best long-term solution.

Harry.

--
Harry Johnston
http://harryjohnston.wordpress.com