Why is WU installing Firefox add-on's?
in [Windows Update]
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From: Ottmar Freudenberger on 5 Mar 2010 02:41 "Gene3" <Gene3(a)not.valid> schrieb: > Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware that KB951847 was the original source of > Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant 0.0.0. Well, to be precise, it contained the .NET Framework Assistant 1.0.0. Since KB951847 is nothing else than .NET Framework 3.5 SP1, ... Anyhow, IIRC Fx/Mozilla changed the Add-On/Plugin/Extension policy due to the experience with KB951847 and others: http://blog.mozilla.com/addons/2009/05/01/no-surprises/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/developers/docs/policies/reviews#section-defaults http://blog.mozilla.com/security/2009/11/16/component-directory-lockdown-new-in-firefox-3-6/ This may or may not cause KB963707 (which should make the ".NET Framework Assistant 1.0.0" uninstallable via the GUI of Fx) to "fail" with Fx 3.6. That's why http://support.microsoft.com/kb/963707 includes some special advises for Fx 3.6 users. > Another responder in this thread said that's not really a problem, simply > disable it, but that's not how I look at it. Reasonable but... You've deleted the {20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b} key in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions" manually and KB963707 gets reoffered via WU/AU? And there's no "Windows Presentation Foundation" *Plugin* listed on the *Plugin* tab of Fx (Manage Add-Ons) any longer? > If I'm not going to use software, I want it off my machine! So why did you install any .NET Framework version at all? <duck> Bye, Freudi
From: Gene3 on 5 Mar 2010 10:32 The .NET removal tool is quirky but it works. When I first tried it, it froze when I asked it remove all .NET (1.0-3.5) at the same time. So I had to remove them individually in order: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0 which worked OK. After that, I finally asked it to remove all again, and this time it worked. So I believe my computer was squeaky clean (no .NET remnants) at that point, except there was one 3.5 remnant in add-or-remove-programs which I deleted via the registry. Thereafter I was able to install the following in order without errors, using files downloaded directly from MS (nothing from WU): 1.0, 1.0 SP1, 1.1, 1.1 SP1, 2.0, 2.0 SP1, 3.0, 3.0 SP1, 3.5, 3.5 SP1. Only after all of that was completed did I allow WU to get involved. WU then proceeded to install/reinstall a lot of stuff via HIGH PRIORITY updates in a seemingly endless process. It took several hours to get thru all of it. Finally everything from 1.0 to 3.5 was installed without errors and no further updates available from WU. The only remaining snafu was the subject of this thread, the buggy incompatible unwanted add-on in Firefox. -- G3 "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABearMVP(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:uCNlgRDvKHA.3408(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > Gene3 wrote: >> ...So an alternate fix for me would be to use >> the .NET removal tool and scrub my system clean of it. > > Please let us know how you make out with that.
From: Harry Johnston [MVP] on 7 Mar 2010 15:49 On 2010-03-05 8:41 p.m., Ottmar Freudenberger wrote: > Anyhow, IIRC Fx/Mozilla changed the Add-On/Plugin/Extension policy due to > the experience with KB951847 and others: > http://blog.mozilla.com/addons/2009/05/01/no-surprises/ > https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/developers/docs/policies/reviews#section-defaults > http://blog.mozilla.com/security/2009/11/16/component-directory-lockdown-new-in-firefox-3-6/ I don't think any of these changes relate to the .NET Framework Assistant. The no-surprises policy defines what add-ons are allowed to do, but not how they are installed. Component Directory Lockdown affects only add-ons that try to insert code directly into Firefox rather than using the defined extensions mechanism. I really think the .NET team got a raw deal over the FA. Global add-ons, both MS and third-party, had been around for years and nobody had ever made any fuss about them before. Heck, just looking at my box right now there's uninstallable add-ons from Adobe Acrobat, MS Office, Sun Java, and Windows Media Player. OK, those are plugins rather than extensions, although why it would make a difference I don't know, but Sun Java also adds a global extension - exactly the same mechanism and behaviour as the original .NET FA - but nobody's making a fuss about it, because hey, it's Sun instead of Microsoft, so that's OK. Harry. > This may or may not cause KB963707 (which should make the ".NET Framework > Assistant 1.0.0" uninstallable via the GUI of Fx) to "fail" with Fx 3.6. > That's why http://support.microsoft.com/kb/963707 includes some special > advises for Fx 3.6 users. > >> Another responder in this thread said that's not really a problem, simply >> disable it, but that's not how I look at it. > > Reasonable but... > You've deleted the {20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b} key in > "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions" manually and > KB963707 gets reoffered via WU/AU? And there's no "Windows Presentation > Foundation" *Plugin* listed on the *Plugin* tab of Fx (Manage Add-Ons) > any longer? > >> If I'm not going to use software, I want it off my machine! > > So why did you install any .NET Framework version at all?<duck> > > Bye, > Freudi -- Harry Johnston http://harryjohnston.wordpress.com
From: jimk0512 on 9 Mar 2010 12:24 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/details.aspx?FamilyID=cecc62dc-96a7-4657-af91-6383ba034eab&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 > >
From: Gene3 on 9 Mar 2010 14:35
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" <jimk0512(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:EAB9A4D4-6F44-4D57-B381-BA6DA9EA0C1F(a)microsoft.com... > 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/details.aspx?FamilyID=cecc62dc-96a7-4657-af91-6383ba034eab&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 >> >> |