Uninstalling the Clickonce Support for Firefox
A couple of years ago we heard clear feedback from folks that they wanted to enable a very clean experience with launching a ClickOnce app from FireFox. James Dobson published FFClickOnce and got very good reviews, but we had many customers that wanted ClickOnce support for Firefox built into the framework… so in .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 we added ClickOnce support for Firefox! This made ClickOnce apps much more accessible to a wide range of customers.
We added this support at the machine level in order to enable the feature for all users on the machine. Seems reasonable right? Well, turns out that enabling this functionality at the machine level, rather than at the user level means that the "Uninstall" button is grayed out in the Firefox Add-ons menu because standard users are not permitted to uninstall machine-level components.
Clearly this is a bit frustrating for some users that wanted an easy way to uninstall the Clickonce Support for Firefox. But good news! We have a fix in place (enabling each user to uninstall the feature for themselves) and our testing team is making sure that is rock-solid now.. I expect that to be out in the next few weeks. I’ll be sure to post more information on that when I have it.
Update (5/2009): We just release an update to .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 that makes the firefox plug in a per-user component. This makes uninstall a LOT cleaner.. none of the steps below are required once this update is installed.
Update to .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 for the .NET Framework Assistant 1.0 for Firefox
In .NET Framework 3.5 SP1, the .NET Framework Assistant enables Firefox to use the ClickOnce technology that is included in the .NET Framework. The .NET Framework Assistant is added at the machine-level to enable its functionality for all users on the machine. As a result, the Uninstall button is shown as unavailable in the Firefox Add-ons list because standard users are not permitted to uninstall machine-level components. In this update for .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 and in Windows 7, the .NET Framework Assistant will be installed on a per-user basis. As a result, the Uninstall button will be functional in the Firefox Add-ons list. This update will also make this version of the .NET Framework Assistant for Firefox compatible with future versions of the Firefox browser. Updates to the .NET Framework Assistant may include updates to the Windows Presentation Foundation Plug-in for Firefox causing it to be enabled upon its initial update.
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In the meantime, if you want to disable the Clickonce Support for Firefox here are the steps directly from the dev in charge..
Stop-gap Solution To uninstall the ClickOnce support for Firefox from your machine
1) Delete the registry key for the extension
i. From an account with Administrator permissions, go to the Start Menu, and choose 'Run...' or go to the Start Search box on Windows Vista
ii. Type in 'regedit' and hit Enter or click 'OK' to open Registry Editor
iii. For x86 machines, Go to the folder HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Mozilla > Firefox > Extensions
For x64 machines, Go to the folder HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Wow6432Node > Mozilla > Firefox > Extensions
iv. Delete key name '{20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b}'
OR alternatively
i. Open a command prompt window (must be 'run as Administrator' on Vista and later)
ii. Copy and paste the appropriate command below and hit 'Enter'
For x86 machines:
reg DELETE "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions" /v "{20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b}" /f
For x64 machines:
reg DELETE "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions" /v "{20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b}" /f
2) Reset the changes made to the Firefox user agent
i. Launch Firefox, go to the Firefox address bar and type in 'about:config'
ii. Scroll down or use 'Filter' to find Preference name 'general.useragent.extra.microsoftdotnet'
iii. Right-click on the item and select 'reset'
iv. Restart Firefox
3) Remove the .NET Framework extension files
i. Go to the Start Menu, and choose 'Run...' or go to the Start Search box on Windows Vista
ii. Type in 'explorer' and hit Enter or click 'OK'
ii. Go to '%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\Windows Presentation Foundation\DotNetAssistantExtension\'
iii. Delete the 'DotNetAssistantExtension' folder and all its contents
Comments
Anonymous
February 26, 2009
How do I install the Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant? I installed .net 3.5 SP1 on my machine before I installed Firefox, which means that Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant is not present as an add-on in Firefox. Can anybody help?Anonymous
February 26, 2009
Link Listing - February 26, 2009Anonymous
February 26, 2009
Podcasts Recording of Sebastien Lambla @ E-VAN 25 February 2009 [Via: Jan Van Ryswyck ] DNN Change...Anonymous
February 27, 2009
A couple of years ago we heard clear feedback from folks that they wanted to enable a very clean experienceAnonymous
February 27, 2009
The right way would have been to just publish the add-on at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/Anonymous
February 27, 2009
Εξεζητημένο, αλλά ας βρίσκεται.Anonymous
February 27, 2009
I agree with Seth, you did something quite irritating and that personally reduced more my trust in Microsoft.Anonymous
February 27, 2009
People just need to chill out. It happened, it's being fixed. The better way would have made it an optional update or an opt-in checkbox on the SP1 install.Anonymous
February 27, 2009
Thank you for submitting this cool story - Trackback from DotNetShoutoutAnonymous
March 02, 2009
Adam, I think you missed the point. This addon should never have been installed in the first place, and it is that issue that Seth and Javier C is most likely commenting on. The auto installation borders on malware. In fact, I now regularly check my Firefox addins after installing Microsoft products, just for the pleasure of disabling them: 2007 Microsoft Office system Windows Presentation Foundation ...just to name the two 'addons' installed on my machine that have ABSOLUTELY no place in firefox. I agree that trust in Microsoft is dwindling rapidly. FYI. I have been developing products for windows since windows 3.0.Anonymous
March 03, 2009
I have both IE and FF installed and use FF unless I absolutely have to use IE. My question is, if I follow the delete info given above to "uninstall the ClickOnce support for Firefox" (NET.framework), does this mean the NET.framework support for IE will also be gone? Thanks. BT SHawAnonymous
March 04, 2009
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March 04, 2009
Paw - THe .NET Framework Assistant is installed as part of the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 install. If you don't see it you can do a repair on the .NET Framework 3.5 install. the order of install of FireFox and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 should not mater. btshaw - The CO support for IE will NOT be uninstalled by following these steps, so you should be OKAnonymous
March 07, 2009
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March 10, 2009
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March 11, 2009
'We added this support at the machine level in order to enable the feature for all users on the machine. Seems reasonable right?' Er, no, it seems completely unreasonable to most people and probably criminal.Anonymous
March 11, 2009
'We added this support at the machine level in order to enable the feature for all users on the machine. Seems reasonable right?' Sounds good to me. Since I don't know what its good for, maybe some other... erm... "users" will find a use for it.Anonymous
March 11, 2009
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March 11, 2009
Sorry...What I am referring to is the Firefox extension you added with .NET with some update for windows, in which you DID NOT ASK if the user wanted this extension or not!Anonymous
March 14, 2009
Obviously, everyone is already aware that this was a ridiculous move from Microsoft. (as evidenced by the author's link to the slashdot article, and all the comments here). In any case, here's another "Amen" for Seth D's comment on Feb 27. Firefox add-ons belong at addons.mozilla.org. Opt-in = happy users. Not bothering to ask = angry users.Anonymous
March 18, 2009
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March 20, 2009
I agree with most comments that it shouldn't have been installed the way it was. One question seems to have not been covered. If you actually want this add-on, but want it as a user level add-on (like most of them are) is there a way to install it that way? Click-once is not evil if you have to roll out new versions of your application to many users on a regular basis - the key is to not be sneaky about it - user dialogs, event log entries, etc... are all in order. Some folks just don't have the skill to download and install an app, it just has to work. There are legitimate reasons to want a machine level install (company wide policy for instance), why not provide instructions to install that way and leave it up to an administrator to roll out that way if they want to, but keep the user mode install the default?Anonymous
March 22, 2009
They did it on purpose with the intention of making Firefox suffer from security issues as much as IE. Functioning as intended, move along and carry on with your business.Anonymous
March 25, 2009
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March 29, 2009
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March 30, 2009
The only mistake of Microsoft is what they added it to the "addons" page. If they would add something to the "plugins" page nobody would notice it.Anonymous
March 30, 2009
Oh, sorry, "addons" means "extensions"Anonymous
March 30, 2009
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March 31, 2009
According to annoyances.org (http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article08-600) "This update adds to Firefox one of the most dangerous vulnerabilities present in all versions of Internet Explorer: the ability for websites to easily and quietly install software on your PC." Question is : Is the above statement true. Is Brad Adams or anyone from Microsoft able to disprove it. I respect this site since it gave me a lot of help for a lot of stuff microsoft had long-since discontinued support for, and it has provided me great troubleshooting advice. I agree with other comments that this secret install borders on the level of malware.(Sony anyone?) It was stupid on Microsofts part for the following reasons :
- Risking flak from security community and firefox community(if this indeed creates vulnerabilities in firefox)
- Add the fact this was install without any user notification or consent. All my other plugins and extensions were installed with permission from me.
- Risk antitrust allegations for using microsoft update to promote microsoft products over other(java).
Anonymous
March 31, 2009
oops.. sorry for mispelling your name Brad.Anonymous
April 01, 2009
Makes you wonder what else MS is installing without your knowledge...?Anonymous
April 05, 2009
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April 16, 2009
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May 22, 2009
With Firefox, I just went to download a certain new version 2.0 web browser and and was surprised thatAnonymous
May 25, 2009
cool featue of spyware. when will there be a MS update that removes firefox, and forces all users to use internet explorer. so that machine can FASTER infected with virussus. dont forget one thing, any stupid user (99%) just click on anything thet get below there mouse..Anonymous
June 01, 2009
Digg links an article from The Washington Post's blogs explaining that the last MS .NET update, delivered via Windows Update, silently installed a Firefox extension. I wasn't aware of it but I found it on my work PC too! Uninstallation is pretty com..