DonationCoder.com Software > Post New Requests Here

IDEA: an app to stop installers from launching web browsers and opening pages

<< < (2/3) > >>

Eóin:
A program which temporarily took over default handling of webpages for the duration of the install would probably do the trick, and wouldn't be too hard to code.

You'll even find code samples on this MSDN - page  :)

I don't have the time just now, unfortunately.

app103:
A program which temporarily took over default handling of webpages for the duration of the install would probably do the trick, and wouldn't be too hard to code.

You'll even find code samples on this MSDN - page  :)

I don't have the time just now, unfortunately.
-Eóin (March 05, 2011, 04:47 PM)
--- End quote ---

No coding necessary if you use mouser's BrowserTraySwitch app and configure your firewall to block one of the browsers installed on your PC. Then it is just a matter of using mouser's app to switch the default to the blocked browser when you install something and then switch back when you are done.

MilesAhead:
In fact if you don't mind messing around with the registry you could just set any app as the default browser, such as dummy.exe which would just go away without opening a window(maybe beep or something so you know it ran.)

Only thing is esp. with 64 bit there's a lot of registry setting "echo" where the 32 bit stuff sets 64 bit settings for SysWow64 32 bit emulation and it gets messy.  You could probably just use a registry monitor, then set something as the default browser, to see what registry keys are changed.

I just don't like to mess with the registry unless it's very simple. Like one or two keys.  Too much liability for no gain.

But I would think once you know which keys to manipulate it would be a matter of writing a small utility that takes the installer off the command line, change the registry to make dummy.exe the default browser, run the install, then change the default back to whatever it was in the first place.

edit: on the other hand, some of these installers want to use an IEism so they explicitly call IE with the url.

Maybe the pop-up killer approach would be better. Kill all browsers until the install is complete.

Brian De Braganza:
Many thanks for replying everyone  :)

I can see that I have touched a nerve. Perhaps the first person to create such a "killer" app will be hailed a hero!

@MilesAhead and app103, I will try BrowserTraySwitch. Since I never use IE, I could switch to that before an install and switch back to Firefox after. At least IE would open quickly. I would need to set it so that javascript and activeX are disabled and all the other bells and whistles that Microsoft insists on are turned off. I so rarely use IE that every time I do launch it, it throws a dozen or so things to step through before it will open a danged page - LOL.

@Ath, I did complain on one occasion to the developers - of Tabbles (some nice Italian gentlemen) when Tabbles insisted on opening a browser page every time on installation AND update. They informed me that mine was the first complaint about that and all the other users loved the fact that the Help page opened at the website! So.... >:(

@Eóin - I'm not a programmer so I'm afraid I'd probably end up with a bomb that destroyed my machine.

@app103, now that's an idea. I could install any quick and simple browser I would never use (there are lots of them) and block it in ESET's firewall. Combined with BrowserTraySwitch, that would work, except ... remember, some installers actually hang if they don't get a signal back that the browser page has opened (that SHOULD be outlawed).

@MilesAhead "Maybe the pop-up killer approach would be better. Kill all browsers until the install is complete." It would need to send a signal to the installer that the URL was opened. Some installers actually hang if they don't get that response.

Brian De B

Ath:
You can hardly block internet access, as a lot of installers often fetch parts to install from the internet, check for updates during install, or register your copy with the supplier based on account information entered during install.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page