Scripting

Well, after tinkering with deploying Firefox to my end users I thought I'd post the steps in case someone else wnated to easily deploy the web browser.
First off, I wanted a deployment that had a progress bar, so my end users could tell weather or not things were working, so if you want a totally silent deployment you'll need to do more work.
Secondly, I wanted something I can easily adjust without having to go back in and repackage everything (and I dislike having to do too much work to a software package - after all, that's the sort of thing they should fix at the company).

So, with that said, here are the steps I went through to configure the installation for Windows XP Professional:

1. Download the Mozilla Firefox installation, and then execute the installation, but do not proceed to install the software.
3. Navigate to "C:\Documents and Settings\YourUserName\Local Settings\Temp" and locate the folder containing the extracted Mozilla Firefox files (it's best to clear out your Temp files and folders before doing this step).
4. Copy the extracted files into a folder somewhere else on your hard drive, then exit from the unfinished Mozilla Firefox installation.
5. Edit the "Config.ini" file located in the folder containing the extracted files (use Notepad). Change "Run Mode = Silent" and all of the "Show Dialog=TRUE" to "Show Dialog=FALSE" (change all of them except the section titled "[Dialog Installing]", leave this one to TRUE). After testing the basic installation, try editing the other settings to get what you want.
6. Save the "AutoInstall.vbs" script in the folder containing the extracted files.
7. Test your installation using the "AutoInstall.vbs" script.


8. Open Mozilla Firefox and make any preference changes you want using either the GUI interface buttons and menus, or using "About:Config" in the Address bar along the top of the window.
9. Close the Mozilla Firefox browser and then navigate to, and copy, the "C:\Documents and Settings\YourUserName\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\xxxxx\prefs.js" file to another location.
10. Edit the "prefs.js" file (use Notepad), removing any references to the specific user account, and then save the file.
11. Rename and copy the file to "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\profile\user.js".
12. Delete the "C:\Documents and Settings\YourUserName\Application Data\Mozilla" folder, and then open Mozilla Firefox to test your new default settings.
13. If desired, edit the "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\profile\bookmark.html" document if custom default bookmarks are required (use Notepad or an HTML editor).

And here's the code for the "AutoInstall.vbs" script:
' Automatic Mozilla Firefox installation and configuration script.

Option Explicit
Dim WshShell, objFSO

On Error Resume Next

Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")


' Executes the installation.
WshShell.Run "setup.exe", 1, False

' Verifies that the installation has completed (checks every two seconds).
While WshShell.AppActivate("Install Complete") = FALSE
wscript.sleep 2001
Wend
WScript.Sleep 502

'Brings the installer to the foreground.
WshShell.AppActivate "Install Complete"
WScript.Sleep 1003

'Sends keystroke to close the installation window.
WshShell.SendKeys "{ENTER}"
WScript.Sleep 3004


' OPTIONAL CUSTOMIZATIONS
' Configures Firefox preferences.
If objFSO.FileExists ("user.js") Then
objFSO.CopyFile "user.js", (SystemDrive & "\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\profile\user.js"), True
End If

If objFSO.FileExists ("bookmarks.html") Then
objFSO.CopyFile "bookmarks.html", (SystemDrive & "\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\profile\bookmarks.html"), True
End If

If objFSO.FileExists (SystemDrive & "\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop\Mozilla Firefox.lnk") Then
objFSO.DeleteFile (SystemDrive & "\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop\Mozilla Firefox.lnk"), True
End If

If objFSO.FileExists (SystemDrive & "\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Mozilla Firefox\Mozilla Firefox (Safe Mode).lnk") Then
objFSO.DeleteFile (SystemDrive & "\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Mozilla Firefox\Mozilla Firefox (Safe Mode).lnk"), True
End If


Wscript.Quit

I think that's most of it (in a rough nutshell). Hopefully there will be an easier method to silent install the package with customizations someday (I know there are plenty of MSI packages out there that others have built, but I prefer knowing what's in my package when I'm deploying it to a few hundred workstations).

- Lucid