Chrome master_preferences File

[FN-GM]

Hi,

 

I am trying to create a Chrome master_preferences to get rid of the getting started window when you first launch Chrome. I am using the below code and put it in a file called master_preferences in C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application. However it doesn't work. Any thoughts please?

 

Thanks

 

{
"distribution" : {
   "show_welcome_page": false,
   "skip_first_run_ui": true
 }
 }

[Arthur]

Here's the one I use...

 

{
  "homepage": "https://www.google.co.uk",
  "homepage_is_newtabpage": false,
  "browser": {
  "check_default_browser": false,
  "clear_lso_data_enabled": true,
  "show_home_button": true,
  "window_placement": { "maximized": true }
  },
  "bookmark_bar": { 
  "show_on_all_tabs": true 
  },
  "session": {
  "restore_on_startup": 4,
  "restore_on_startup_migrated": true,
  "urls_to_restore_on_startup": [ "https://www.google.co.uk", "http://www.edugeek.net" ]
  },
  "autofill": {
  "enabled": false
  },
  "countryid_at_install": 18242,
  "distribution": {
  "create_all_shortcuts": false,
  "do_not_create_desktop_shortcut": true,
  "do_not_create_quick_launch_shortcut": true,
  "do_not_launch_chrome": true,
  "import_bookmarks": false,
  "import_history": false,
  "import_search_engine": false,
  "make_chrome_default": true,
  "make_chrome_default_for_user": true,
  "msi": true,
  "require_eula": false,
  "show_welcome_page": false,
  "skip_first_run_ui": true,
  "suppress_first_run_bubble": true,
  "suppress_first_run_default_browser_prompt": true,
  "system_level": true,
  "verbose_logging": true
  },
  "first_run_tabs": [ "https://www.google.co.uk", "http://www.edugeek.net" ],
  "instant": {
  "confirm_dialog_shown": true,
  "enabled": true,
  "enabled_once": true,
  "enabled_time": "12983895238037000"
  },
  "intl": {
  "accept_languages": "en-GB,en-US,en"
  },
  "network_profile": {
  "last_warning_time": "1363797548",
  "warnings_left": 0
  },
  "spellcheck": {
  "dictionary": "en-GB",
  "use_spelling_service": true
  },
  "sync_promo": {
  "user_skipped": true
  }
}

[FN-GM]

Yours works, mine doesn't. Trying to work out if there is something mandatory for it to kick in.

[Arthur]

Trying to work out if there is something mandatory for it to kick in.

It has been a while since I created my master_preferences file, but IIRC these are the key settings.

 

{
"homepage": "https://www.google.co.uk",
"homepage_is_newtabpage": false,
"browser": {
	"check_default_browser": false
},
"session": {
	"restore_on_startup": 4,
	"restore_on_startup_migrated": true,
	"urls_to_restore_on_startup": ["https://www.google.co.uk"]
},
"countryid_at_install": 18242,
"distribution": {
	"create_all_shortcuts": false,
	"do_not_create_desktop_shortcut": true,
	"do_not_create_quick_launch_shortcut": true,
	"do_not_launch_chrome": true,
	"import_bookmarks": false,
	"import_history": false,
	"import_search_engine": false,
	"make_chrome_default": true,
	"make_chrome_default_for_user": true,
	"msi": true,
	"require_eula": false,
	"show_welcome_page": false,
	"skip_first_run_ui": true,
	"suppress_first_run_bubble": true,
	"suppress_first_run_default_browser_prompt": true,
	"system_level": true,
	"verbose_logging": true
},
"first_run_tabs": ["https://www.google.co.uk"],
"sync_promo": {
	"user_skipped": true
}
}

[FN-GM]

I don't really want to configure anything else at would rather leave group policy to handle it. Thats why I stripped it all out.

 

Will do some more playing tomorrow.

 

Thanks

[Arthur]

would rather leave group policy to handle it.

Almost all of my Chrome settings are configured in Group Policy too. GP takes precedence over master_preferences anyway (see link below) so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

www.chromium.org/administrators/configuring-other-preferences

 

Policies take precedence to preferences. If "homepage" is specified in both the policies, and in the "master_preferences" file, policies will always override.

[FN-GM]

Ok thanks.

 

The above works and opens Google the first time you open the browser. But staff and students (and different schools to mix it all up) have different home pages so i can't really hard code an address. I am wondering if you can use one of these Chrome urls to point to the homage, maybe Chrome://homepage or something?

[Arthur]

I am wondering if you can use one of these Chrome urls to point to the homage, maybe Chrome://homepage or something?

chrome://newtab perhaps?

[FN-GM]

Thought about that, but it doesn't display the homepage still. I might as well stick with the getting started window.

 

Its annoying you can't configure first_run_tabs in group policy, then I could do it on a per user basis.

[arh1a]

Here's the one I use...

 

{
  "homepage": "https://www.google.co.uk",
  "homepage_is_newtabpage": false,
  "browser": {
  "check_default_browser": false,
  "clear_lso_data_enabled": true,
  "show_home_button": true,
  "window_placement": { "maximized": true }
  },
  "bookmark_bar": { 
  "show_on_all_tabs": true 
  },
  "session": {
  "restore_on_startup": 4,
  "restore_on_startup_migrated": true,
  "urls_to_restore_on_startup": [ "https://www.google.co.uk", "http://www.edugeek.net" ]
  },
  "autofill": {
  "enabled": false
  },
  "countryid_at_install": 18242,
  "distribution": {
  "create_all_shortcuts": false,
  "do_not_create_desktop_shortcut": true,
  "do_not_create_quick_launch_shortcut": true,
  "do_not_launch_chrome": true,
  "import_bookmarks": false,
  "import_history": false,
  "import_search_engine": false,
  "make_chrome_default": true,
  "make_chrome_default_for_user": true,
  "msi": true,
  "require_eula": false,
  "show_welcome_page": false,
  "skip_first_run_ui": true,
  "suppress_first_run_bubble": true,
  "suppress_first_run_default_browser_prompt": true,
  "system_level": true,
  "verbose_logging": true
  },
  "first_run_tabs": [ "https://www.google.co.uk", "http://www.edugeek.net" ],
  "instant": {
  "confirm_dialog_shown": true,
  "enabled": true,
  "enabled_once": true,
  "enabled_time": "12983895238037000"
  },
  "intl": {
  "accept_languages": "en-GB,en-US,en"
  },
  "network_profile": {
  "last_warning_time": "1363797548",
  "warnings_left": 0
  },
  "spellcheck": {
  "dictionary": "en-GB",
  "use_spelling_service": true
  },
  "sync_promo": {
  "user_skipped": true
  }
}

 

Whats the best way to deploy this file in GPO? As a Computer Configuration or User Configuration? I have tried to set it to update the file once the MSI has been deploy by GPO but it doesn't seem to apply, especially the "do_not_create_desktop_shortcut": true which is the main thing I want as it still creates the Desktop shortcut.