Chrome Desktop Shortcut Issue

[abusse]

Hi!

We are trying to install Chrome during OSD and are facing an issue with the desktop shortcut creation. Even though we checked the "delete desktop shortcuts" option in the PMPC publisher a shortcut gets created.
We also tried getting rid of the shortcut by putting a modified initial_preferences file under "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application" which didn't help either.

The file has the following content:

Code Select Expand


{
"distribution": {
"do_not_create_any_shortcuts" : true,
"do_not_create_desktop_shortcut": true,
"do_not_create_quick_launch_shortcut": true,
"do_not_launch_chrome": true,
"suppress_first_run_default_browser_prompt": true,
"system_level": true,
"msi": true,
"verbose_logging": true
}
}


The desktop shortcut gets created under the user that logs in to the freshly imaged machine, it's not living on the public desktop.

Does anyone have any idea what can be done here to prevent Chrome from creating a desktop shortcut?

[Wes Mitchell]

Unfortunately, we install and then run commands to delete the desktop icon but when the fist user logs on Google Chrome will default to creating a desktop shortcut to the users desktop if one isnt in the public users desktop.

[abusse]

So you are saying there is no way to prevent that?

[rlgura]

We copy a master_preferences file to Chrome\Application folder using a post-install script.
Obviously, there's probably a lot we're doing that you won't need, but you'll see the  "do_not_create_desktop_shortcut": true in there

Copy-File -Path "$(Get-ScriptDirectory)\master_preferences" -Destination "$($ENV:ProgramFiles)\Google\Chrome\Application"

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{
  "homepage" : "https://yourcompany.com",
  "homepage_is_newtabpage" : true,
  "browser" : {
    "show_home_button" : true,
    "check_default_browser" : false
  },
  "session" : {
    "restore_on_startup" : 4,
    "urls_to_restore_on_startup" : [
      "https://yourcompany.com"
    ]
  },
  "bookmark_bar" : {
    "show_on_all_tabs" : false
  },
  "sync_promo" : {
    "show_on_first_run_allowed": false
  },
  "distribution" : {
    "alternate_shortcut_text": "",
    "auto_launch_chrome": false,
    "chrome": true,
    "app_host": true,
    "chrome_frame": true,
    "ready_mode": true,
    "chrome_shortcut_icon_index": 0,
    "disable_logging": true,
    "import_bookmarks": false,
    "import_bookmarks_from_file": "",
    "import_history": false,
    "import_home_page": false,
    "import_search_engine": false,
    "ping_delay": 60,
    "show_welcome_page": false,
    "skip_first_run_ui": true,
    "suppress_first_run_bubble": false,
    "do_not_create_any_shortcuts": true,
    "do_not_create_desktop_shortcut": true,
    "do_not_create_quick_launch_shortcut": true,
    "do_not_launch_chrome": true,
    "do_not_register_for_update_launch": true,
    "log_file": "log.txt",
    "suppress_first_run_default_browser_prompt": true,
    "msi": true,
    "multi_install": true,
    "require_eula": false,
    "system_level": true,
    "verbose_logging": true
  },
  "first_run_tabs" : [
    "https://yourcompany.com"
  ]
}

[swoonhusker]

I tried making my own version of your master_preferences file but it still didn't work. It looks like Google changed the name to intial_preferences but the old name should still work. I'm not having any luck finding a way to prevent a chrome desktop shortcut for new users.

I'm really surprised this can't be done with an install switch or with group policy either.