How to install Firefox 4 silently with customizations?

Question

I know that with Firefox 3.6, one could extract the installer, modify files such as "nonlocalized\defaults\pref\firefox.js" and "localized\browserconfig.properties", and then install Firefox silently with these modifications by running the "setup.exe -ms" command.

Now that Firefox 4 is out, I tried duplicating this behavior but found that the files mentioned above were nowhere to be found within the Firefox 4 installer. How, then, can I install Firefox 4 silently with customizations such as having the profile migrator disabled, a custom home page, etc.?

I have discovered that after extracting the Firefox 4 installer's files, the core\override.ini file can be created and set up to disable the profile migrator. Also, the core\defaults\pref\firefox.js file can be created and set up to disable the default browser check and such. However, I have yet to figure out how to set the home page. Does anybody know?

Answer 1

I was folloing the instructions o the following web site

http://mockbox.net/configmgr-sccm/174-install-and-configure-firefox-silently.html

I am now at the same point, Can't figure out how to set the default home page for my deployment package.

Answer 2

In the same directory as firefox.js create another file called prefs.js enter the following string:

user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://www.your homepage.com/");

Answer 3

As you have found, Firefox 4 has introduced some significant changes to how Firefox handles the configuration files. The configuration files now reside in a package file called 'omni.jar' you can over-ride the settings by creating new configuration files and placing into the 'defaults\pref\' folder or editing and repackaging the 'omni.jar' file.

However, the 'browser.startup.homepage' is not being accepted using this method - as this is a suspected bug it has been filed with Mozilla.

After going through several other options I've devised and tested a consistent and simple way of applying the customisations to a Firefox 4 installation. There is one limitation as detailed in the instructions, it may be a good or a bad thing depending on your deployment situation and requirements. See here for more information: http://www.mockbox.net/configmgr-sccm/300-firefox-4-set-default-home-page-for-all-users.html

Please note, I have also updated the original article to use this process. ( http://mockbox.net/configmgr-sccm/174-install-and-configure-firefox-silently.html )

Hopefully this will suit your requirements!