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Renaming firefox.exe to iexplore.exe?

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Anonymous (not verified)
Renaming firefox.exe to iexplore.exe?

Is there anyway of getting portable firefox to run firefox called iexplore.exe? I have looked in the config files called PortableFirefox.ini and PortableFirefox.nsi but I got a Firefox.exe not found error... please help me out, cheers.

Bruce Pascoe
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Instructions

First, move PortableFirefox.ini from PortableFirefoxCode into the same folder as PortableFirefox.exe. Then change the line FirefoxExecutable=firefox.exe to FirefoxExecutable=iexplore.exe.

I honestly don't get why you'd do this, though. Okay, it makes it look like IE, even in the task list. But anybody who gets enough access to the computer to see the list of processes (i.e. sitting at the keyboard) is going to be able to figure out that you're not actually running IE. For one thing, Firefox's menu structure is far too different. Besides, that person can just go to Help::About and it's right there. "Firefox and the Firefox logos are trademarks... [blah blah blah]"

John T. Haller
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See Readme.txt

It's in the PortableFirefoxCode directory.

As to why (as Bruce asked), the system may be set not to allow firefox.exe to run... that's the reason I added that INI option so you could rename it.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

Bruce Pascoe
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...

Well, that's stupidity on the administrator's part. You'd block out a safer browser, but let a more unsafe one (IE) run just because it's the organization's browser of choice? I can see blocking all software from a removable device (to prevent viruses from getting in that way), but blocking firefox.exe specifically? That's pure arrogance; Firefox has less known security issues than IE ever will.

I'm not a Firefox/FOSS/anti-Microsoft zealot (far from it), but it still bothers me that there are system administrators out there that are this arrogant.

John T. Haller
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There are a few

I've had reports of this from folks on college campuses in particular where they block execution of firefox.exe at the system level because some enterprising students were getting Firefox onto the machines. I added in the INI option as a result.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

Bruce Pascoe
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I didn't doubt you.

I never doubted you. I'm just saying that that's stupid on the administrators' parts.

I can understand blocking something like KaZaA or AIM, but Firefox? I just don't see the point. I mean, who cares what browser your students are using? It doesn't matter whether they use IE or Firefox; they still have to go through the proxy (if there is one) to get online, so there's no real reason to block a specific browser.

TomP (not verified)
Thanks!

Yeah you guys read me like a book Blum I'm on college comps and basically I need it to be called iexplore.exe to bypass the software restriction policy Smile i've also developed a vb program which stop it from being traced (hard to explain really but it deletes certain things thats left on the network.)

The proxy wont pick up as firefox either due to the user agent hack i've added! Basically the techys cant trace me as most things are on my removable hard drive Smile

- Thanks!

mpatc (not verified)
Question on VB app you mention

Tom,

Can you elaborate on what your VB app does and what you changed in the user agent? I would like to know what you have done and try them in places where Mozilla/Firefox is frowned upon.

Thanks,

Matt

APiratesLifeForMe
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Sneakin' in under the radar

I am in a somewhat similar predicament. I'm a high school student and the tech guy has installed some "rogue process" thingamajigger which seems to just kill anything named firefox. I can still use it in some areas where this program has not been installed, but I would like to be able to use it where-ever, and there's no telling when he'll put it on all the computers. Thanks for the hack. >;)

Alien23
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Can't find iexplore.exe?

I followed the instructions and moved the ini file to the same directory as the executable, edited the ini to read FireFoxExecutable=iexplore.exe and then renamed the actual executable to iexplore.exe. However, when I double click on it, I get the result of iexplore not found, check your configuration. Am I missing something obvious here? Apologies if I am. Please help

Ryan McCue
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Did

you rename FirefoxPortable.exe or App\Firefox\firefox.exe as the latter must be changed.
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Alien23
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Umm, yes. As I stated

Umm, yes. As I stated previously, I renamed the executable (PortableFirefox.exe) to iexplore.exe. Then when double clicking it, it says iexplore not found, please check your configuration.

Simeon
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but

you have to rename the firefox.exe in the /App dir.

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Alien23
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That did it!

Thank you and apologies to all who put up with my ignorance.

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