Google Chrome : Welcome Screen

[kennysarmy]

I'd like to disable the Welcome Tab that opens when a new user logs on to our Windows 10 test PC's.

 

Someone has had a similar problem:

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/wz27-jqyL4U

 

Does anyone have a solution?

 

[NB9457]

I'd like to disable the Welcome Tab that opens when a new user logs on to our Windows 10 test PC's.

 

Someone has had a similar problem:

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/wz27-jqyL4U

 

Does anyone have a solution?

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]40394[/ATTACH]

I'm sure we've done this through the Chrome GPOs, assuming you have them installed?

[kennysarmy]

I'm sure we've done this through the Chrome GPOs, assuming you have them installed?

 

Yea I have but can't find anything to turn this off....

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/internet-related-filtering-firewall/136069-help-google-chrome-mandatory-profiles.html#post1166667

 

Suggests it has to be done with the preferences file....

[ADMaster]

I just added this one liner to my OSD, maybe I should post this in that other thread too.

 

New-Item -ItemType file -Path "$OSDISK\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\First Run" -Force

 

If you want to hit existing PCs it should be easy enough to do something similar with a start up script, or GPP. You can find the file in your own profile too, if you have previously opened chrome.

This is just a blank text file named First Run with no extension or anything, basically tells chrome first run has already ran.

[kennysarmy]

I just added this one liner to my OSD, maybe I should post this in that other thread too.

 

New-Item -ItemType file -Path "$OSDISK\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\First Run" -Force

 

If you want to hit existing PCs it should be easy enough to do something similar with a start up script, or GPP. You can find the file in your own profile too, if you have previously opened chrome.

This is just a blank text file named First Run with no extension or anything, basically tells chrome first run has already ran.

 

Thanks.

 

OSD?

[computer_expert]

Thanks.

 

OSD?

 

Operating System Deployment (eg. mdt, sccm task sequence etc)

[ADMaster]

OSD is Operating system deployment I use SCCM. The bottom line is getting that first run file into the users profile / default user profile for new users.

I read back and you mention mandatory profiles. I don't use them so cannot test, but you should be able to just copy this fine into the mandatory profile and be done.

[Sheridan]

Did anyone else get around this once after image deployment? We're seeing this on both W7 and W10 PCs.

 

We've always used Chrome enterprise with policies, and have the home page open but recently that stupid welcome page opens now as well. Its blocked by the chrome policy so we just get an error page showing with the correct home page on the second tab and it looks rubbish!

 

I've tried copying the master_preferences file to the same folder as the Chrome executable:

{

 

"distribution":{

"msi":true,

"system_level":true,

"verbose_logging":true,

"suppress_first_run_bubble": true,

"show_welcome_page": false,

"skip_first_run_ui": true,

"msi_product_id":"D325A4AE-0EAB-3726-912C-6D0A56A95505"}

}

 

"download":{"prompt_for_download":true}

 

"sync_promo": {

"show_on_first_run_allowed": false,

"user_skipped": true

}

 

}

 

I've also copied the First Run file from a user who has signed in to everyone's profile when they login but the Welcome screen still appears! We're just using local profiles as well in combination with a delprof regime so profiles are never more than a few weeks old.

 

Its annoying that the chrome policies don't allow you to prevent this and none of the workarounds seem to be working for me!

[ADMaster]

I've started working on my 1703 build and found my work around doesn't work anymore. I tested with some older versions of chrome and it looks like the last version this worked for is 56.

I've had a read though the new GPOs for 57 and 58, but don't see anything relevant.

I guess the only option is to open chrome and then copy that to the default profile. I keep trying to delete various bits to see what file its looking for but not had any luck yet.

[ADMaster]

I've got this working now. In addition to the first run file i previously mentioned, you need to deploy a preferences file.

 

Here is the contents of my preferences file

{    "browser": {        "has_seen_welcome_page": true    }}

 

 

be sure to run it through a json validator.

 

Here is my install script for chrome.

 

$OSDISK=(Get-WmiObject Win32_OperatingSystem).SystemDrive
New-Item -Path "$OSDISK\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Preferences" -ItemType File -Force
copy-Item -path  "Preferences"  "$OSDISK\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default" -Force
start -Wait msiexec -ArgumentList "/i googlechromestandaloneenterprise64-58.0.3029.96.msi /qn"

 

You could add the first run file into this script too, but I already had it in another script so left it be.

 

I've just deployed this to a VM and it worked great.

[win]

Does it work with Chrome 59?

 

Unfortunately i've not been able to remove the welcome to chrome page. Added the file 'First run' to the 'user data' folder, and also added the 'preferences' file to the 'Default' folder. Contents of 'preferences' checked with an online json validator and only contains one line (as above).

 

For further testing i gave 'everyone' full permission to the chrome folder in default user but still no joy.

 

This is for Chrome enterprise x64 59.0.3071.115

[ADMaster]

Have you tested this with a new user on the PC? my scripts are meant to be used during OS deployment.

If you are doing this after a user has logged on for the first time you will need to add in some sort of loop to add the files to their profiles.

 

I just imaged a few machines today and used chrome 59.0.3071.115 enterprise x64. The settings applied as expected, no welcome screen.

 

I have just updated my app in SCCM and am testing with V60 now.

[win]

I'm in the test phase so logged in as a local admin and manually added the 2 files into the local default profile (and add the folder structure). This is all on the C drive.

 

Then logged in as a new domain user with a mandatory profile (from network location) but still showing the welcome screen.

 

From looking at the script, is it possible that files need to be added prior to chrome being installed?

[ADMaster]

No they just need to be there prior to that user opening chrome for the first time.

I don't use mandatory profiles so that could be where your getting hung up.

What happens if you add these files to the mandatory profile? The only issue I see with that is the preferences file is modified and added to after chrome is launched. homepage, installed extensions etc.

If there is already a preferences file in the mandatory profile maybe it just needs to be modified.

Just for your own testing / sanity check either create a new local user, or domain user without the mandatory profile.

 

EDIT: to speed up testing of changes delete this folder

C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome

Then add back in the first run and preferences files.

Edited August 1, 2017 by ADMaster

[Burrout565]

We're having the same issue here, I've supposedly disabled the welcome screen through GPO and this is reflected under Chrome://Policies. The changes have taken effect for Staff memebers, but for the Students who have mandatory profiles the issue is there.

 

I've got the First Run file and the preferences file are set to already seen welcome page, but the issue are still there. Sadly this is the only real issue we've got with Win10, any other ideas?

[sparkeh]

@ADMaster Thanks, you are a bona fide legend!

[DavR]

Just a +1 to say that we had this problem with Chrome under Windows 10 as well. I tried all I've seen here with Preference and First Run files, but we were stubbornly still getting "Welcome to Chrome" from chrome://welcome-win10/ screen under mandatory profiles.

 

The key file for us seems to be AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Local State. I copied this from a working machine after first run and dropped this into our mandatory profile and, touch wood, this seems to be working for us. Needs more testing tomorrow though!

 

The only other option that worked for us is to go ahead and make Google Chrome your default browser, which I kinda resent having to do just to resolve a Welcome screen. I'm trying to give our kids open choice over which browser to use, not just immediately go for Chrome.

[win]

The key file for us seems to be AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Local State. I copied this from a working machine after first run and dropped this into our mandatory profile

 

Where did you drop it in your mandatory profile? Is it using the same path on a network share like this:

 

\\server\mandatoryprofile\AppData\roaming\Google\Chrome\User Data\Local State

[DavR]

Where did you drop it in your mandatory profile? Is it using the same path on a network share like this:

 

\\server\mandatoryprofile\AppData\roaming\Google\Chrome\User Data\Local State

 

Not roaming AppData, still in local. User profiles aren't supposed to copy the AppData\Local folders, but I found that if I added mandatoryprofile.V6\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Local State to my mandatory profile on the server, it did copy those folders down with the rest of the profile.

 

Bit of a dirty fix, but as I only needed this for one student mandatory profile (staff can work it out themselves), I'm inclined to let it be.

[win]

I found that if I added mandatoryprofile.V6\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Local State to my mandatory profile on the server, it did copy those folders down with the rest of the profile.

 

That is a good find! I copied first run and local state which got rid of the first run page, but didn't get rid of the second run page i.e. sign into google!

 

Rather than continuously clicking on 'no thanks' it seems copying the entire 'default' folder into the 'user data' folder solves it completely This probably slows logins a bit but at least it finally works as it should.

[DavR]

That is a good find! I copied first run and local state which got rid of the first run page, but didn't get rid of the second run page i.e. sign into google!

 

Rather than continuously clicking on 'no thanks' it seems copying the entire 'default' folder into the 'user data' folder solves it completely This probably slows logins a bit but at least it finally works as it should.

 

Oh really? Can't say I've had that problem. I've got Start Pages etc defined in my Group Policy which seems to overcome that at least.

[win]

I've got start pages and a homepage setup but it appeared as tab 1, probably don't need to entire default folder just a file within it but haven't got time to filter through them. Might have a go when the upgrade is complete and all is settled.

[DavR]

I've got start pages and a homepage setup but it appeared as tab 1, probably don't need to entire default folder just a file within it but haven't got time to filter through them. Might have a go when the upgrade is complete and all is settled.

 

You're doing the Windows 10 upgrade this summer too huh - well, best of luck to you. I'm nearly ready to start rolling out to all workstations, but getting this far has been a right £$%^&!

[win]

Best of luck to you too, i underestimated the complexity of this project and should really have stayed with windows 7 until 2020! But my guinea pigs tell me they have no problems yet with w10 so i'm in the process of rolling out to everyone else, only a couple of weeks left to get it all done

 

At least the Google welcome screen + sign on screen are both gone (thanks to this thread) so progress is being made.

[DavR]

Indeed, thank God for Edugeek is all I can say!

 

Edugeek - making me look like I know what I'm doing since 2005....