How to use Group Policy to disable the EU Browser Choice

In case you had not already heard Microsoft have had to release an update for all European users to prompt display a ballot screen about what version of browser they want to use (see below). This is one of the actions Microsoft had to do to comply with the EU anti-trust case.

Microsoft have released article KB2019411 explaining how IT administrators can disable a Browser Choice screen for their users using a simple registry key.
Key: HKLM\Software\BrowserChoice
Value: Enable
Data: 1 (REG_DWORD) = Enabled
Data: 0 = Disabled
Now of course you can deploy registry key using Group Policy Preferences which will make it much easier for IT administrators disable this screen.
Step 1. Edit a Group Policy Object that is applied to all the workstation you want this Browser Ballot disabled.
Step 2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Preferences > Windows Settings > Registry and create a “New Registry Item”
Step 3. Type “Software\BrowserChoice” in the Key Path then type “Enable” in the Value name, then select REG_DWORD as the value type “0” in the value data and then click “OK”.

If all that is to much hassle to do all that below is a link to the Group Policy Preference XML file you can just copy into the policy.
Links:

• More information on the Brower Choice http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976002
• More information on the Disable registry key http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2019411
• Also check out Aaron Parkers blog here for more information http://blog.stealthpuppy.com/windows/disable-the-browser-choice-screen

Posted in: Domino Serv,Group Policy Preferences,Policy Windowns