.NET Assistant in Firefox

[Gary]

With .Net 3.5 SP1 installed, Microsoft installed silently the .Net Framework Assistant, this cannot be uninstalled by the normal means as the uninstall button is greyed out, now an update has been released from Microsoft from here this gives the .net assistant the option of being uninstalled and updates it for future versions of Firefox. The assistant has to be enabled for this to work however, so if you have disabled it, re-enable it before adding the update.

[Ray]

Thanks, Gary, update now installed. 

[Gary]

Thanks, Gary, update now installed. 

I uninstalled the ad on on afterwards Ray, I do not use its features and its been said to be a potential security risk as it allows silent installs of software. Quote "Annoyances.org, which lists various aspects of Windows that are, well, annoying, says "this update adds to Firefox one of the most dangerous vulnerabilities present in all versions of Internet Explorer: the ability for Web sites to easily and quietly install software on your PC" I'm not sure its that bad, but I don't want it in my browser anyway and I do not like Microsoft doing silent installs without my permission tbh 

[kinmel]

Disabled on my machines too

[Baz]

what is the .net framework for. I see it every time I check for updates but havent got it yet as dont know if I need it or not

[Gary]

what is the .net framework for. I see it every time I check for updates but havent got it yet as dont know if I need it or not

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework 

[wecpcs]

With .Net 3.5 SP1 installed, Microsoft installed silently the .Net Framework Assistant, this cannot be uninstalled by the normal means as the uninstall button is greyed out, now an update has been released from Microsoft from here this gives the .net assistant the option of being uninstalled and updates it for future versions of Firefox. The assistant has to be enabled for this to work however, so if you have disabled it, re-enable it before adding the update.

I actually ran the update when I had it net.assistant disabled in Firefox and when I went back into Firefox it had removed it completely.

Colin

[Sebby]

Only with Microsoft would you have to install something to uninstall something.

[Rik]

But it does it so well.

[Sebby]

[Gary]

I actually ran the update when I had it net.assistant disabled in Firefox and when I went back into Firefox it had removed it completely.

Colin

Odd check to see if you have C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\
Windows Presentation Foundation\DotNetAssistantExtension

The folder should be empty/or not there, and also about:config in Firefox and look for the .net user agent string, general.useragent.extra.microsoftdotnet

If you do have that right click and reset 

[wecpcs]

Odd check to see if you have C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\
Windows Presentation Foundation\DotNetAssistantExtension

The folder should be empty/or not there, and also about:config in Firefox and look for the .net user agent string, general.useragent.extra.microsoftdotnet

If you do have that right click and reset 

The folder is there and is not empty. So how do I reinstall the original net.assistant, in order to enable it and uninstall it for keeps or shall I just hack it out of the registry.

Colin

[wecpcs]

The folder is there and is not empty. So how do I reinstall the original net.assistant, in order to enable it and uninstall it for keeps or shall I just hack it out of the registry.

Colin

I have just uninstalled the MS update which re-enabled the net.assistant back into Firefox. I then ran the update again which then provided the option to uninstall, (which was not provided initially), which I then did and the addon disappeared from Firefox, but that folder you mentioned is still there in Windows and is not empty. So I have gone around in circles to end up with the same conclusion.

Colin

[Gary]

I have just uninstalled the MS update which re-enabled the net.assistant back into Firefox. I then ran the update again which then provided the option to uninstall, (which was not provided initially), which I then did and the addon disappeared from Firefox, but that folder you mentioned is still there in Windows and is not empty. So I have gone around in circles to end up with the same conclusion.

Colin

I imagine its ok with the new fix you used, there is a way to remove those things completely, which empty the folders contents and removes the reg key seems like the manual way cleans things up more, but you can do the following if you want to, its not needed I guess but does clean the registry as well. I think using the fix is fine but in case you, can do this. I was just surprised the "fix" way did not remove all contents compared with the original Microsoft way, which was posted before the fix was released, here is the official MS pre fix way.

   1. Delete the registry key for the extension. To do this, use one of the following methods.
          * Use Registry Editor:
               1. Log on with an account that has Administrator permissions.
               2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then press ENTER.
               3. Locate and then click the following registry subkey.

                  For x86-based computers:
                  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions
                  For x64-based computers:
                  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions
               4. Delete the {20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b} subkey.
          * Use a command prompt:
               1. Log on with an account that has Administrator permissions.
               2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then press ENTER.
               3. At the command prompt, type the appropriate command, and then press ENTER.

                  For x86-based computers:
                  reg DELETE "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions" /v "{20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b}" /f
                  For x64-based computers:
                  reg DELETE "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions" /v "{20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b}" /f
   2. In the Firefox user agent, reset the changes that you made in step 1. To do this, follow these steps:
         1. Start Firefox, type about:config in the Firefox address bar.
         2. Scroll down or use Filter to find the following preference item:
            general.useragent.extra.microsoftdotnet
         3. Right-click this item, and then click Reset.
         4. Restart Firefox
   3. Remove the .NET Framework extension files. To do this, follow these steps:
         1. Log on with an account that has Administrator permissions.
         2. Click Start, click Run, type explorer, and then press ENTER.
         3. Open the following folder:
            %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\Windows Presentation Foundation\DotNetAssistantExtension\
         4. Delete the DotNetAssistantExtension folder and all its contents

[wecpcs]

I imagine its ok with the new fix you used, there is a way to remove those things completely, which empty the folders contents and removes the reg key seems like the manual way cleans things up more, but you can do the following if you want to, its not needed I guess but does clean the registry as well. I think using the fix is fine but in case you, can do this. I was just surprised the "fix" way did not remove all contents compared with the original Microsoft way, which was posted before the fix was released, here is the official MS pre fix way.

   1. Delete the registry key for the extension. To do this, use one of the following methods.
          * Use Registry Editor:
               1. Log on with an account that has Administrator permissions.
               2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then press ENTER.
               3. Locate and then click the following registry subkey.

                  For x86-based computers:
                  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions
                  For x64-based computers:
                  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions
               4. Delete the {20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b} subkey.
          * Use a command prompt:
               1. Log on with an account that has Administrator permissions.
               2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then press ENTER.
               3. At the command prompt, type the appropriate command, and then press ENTER.

                  For x86-based computers:
                  reg DELETE "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions" /v "{20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b}" /f
                  For x64-based computers:
                  reg DELETE "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions" /v "{20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b}" /f
   2. In the Firefox user agent, reset the changes that you made in step 1. To do this, follow these steps:
         1. Start Firefox, type about:config in the Firefox address bar.
         2. Scroll down or use Filter to find the following preference item:
            general.useragent.extra.microsoftdotnet
         3. Right-click this item, and then click Reset.
         4. Restart Firefox
   3. Remove the .NET Framework extension files. To do this, follow these steps:
         1. Log on with an account that has Administrator permissions.
         2. Click Start, click Run, type explorer, and then press ENTER.
         3. Open the following folder:
            %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\Windows Presentation Foundation\DotNetAssistantExtension\
         4. Delete the DotNetAssistantExtension folder and all its contents

Thanks I have done all that registry now clean once again. Have a 

[Gary]

Thanks I have done all that registry now clean once again. Have a