For Firefox users, Windows Update usually becomes the only time we are forced to run Internet Explorer. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Since Windows Update requires an ActiveX control in order to run, it’s impossible to exclude Internet Explorer completely, so you will need to install IETab first, the magical Firefox extension that lets you open a web page with Internet Explorer within Firefox in a couple of clicks.

Once it is installed, you will need to replace the Windows Update shortcut in the All Programs menu. To do this:

• Press Start. Select All Programs.
• Right-click on Windows Update menu item and select Properties.
• In the properties window, enter “C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe” http://update.microsoft.com in the Target field. Make sure you enter the correct path for your Firefox install and if the path contains any blank space, enclose the path in double quotes.

Since IE Tab includes update.microsoft.com in its list of sites to render using IE, the next time you select Windows Update from the All Programs menu, it will launch in a Firefox tab.

Yet another alternative that doesn’t require IE or even IETab is WindizUpdate, an independent site that provides a Firefox plugin to detect and download patches your computer is missing. I haven’t tried it but according to comments I’ve read around it seems to be even smarter than Windows Update as it identifies what Windows components you have installed and only offers relevant patches.

Read More @  Update Windows within Firefox

Update Scanner :: Firefox Add-ons

Everybody’s favorite open-source browser, Firefox, is great right out of the box. And by adding some of the awesome extensions available out there, the browser just gets better and better. But look under the hood, and there are a bunch of hidden (and some not-so-secret) tips and tricks available that will crank Firefox up and pimp your browser. Make it faster, cooler, more efficient. Get to be a Jedi master with the following cool Firefox tricks.

Read More @ lifehack.org

UserChrome.css

You can use these hacks to change the appearance of Firefox by hiding menus, hiding the separator bars, removing menus or even move the tabbar to the bottom.

This file does not exist by default, so you will have to create it yourself the first time. If you can’t find the location in the chart I give you, make sure you are able to view your hidden folders/files, since I know XP for sure hides them.

To create the userChrome.css file in windows: Open a text editor (notepad or wordpad) and save the file as "userChrome.css" into a directory listed below according to the OS your using. To edit userChrome.css after it’s created just right click on the file and select ‘Edit’, then edit the file using wordpad or notepad.

Locations to create the userChrome.css file:
95/98/ME — c:\windows\Application Data\Phoenix\Profiles\[profile-name]\[#s].slt\chrome\
NT — %UserProfile%\Application Data\Phoenix\Profiles\[profile-name]\[#s].slt\chrome\
2000/XP — C:\Documents and Settings\[USER]\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\default.tea\chrome\
*NIX — ~/.phoenix/[profile-name]/[#s].slt/chrome/

Now that thats out of the way it’s time to customize Firefox behind the scenes. All you have to do is copy and paste these settings on a new line in the userChrome.css file and save the file. Next time you open up Firefox the settings will be applied until you delete the setting out of the userChrome.css file.

Read More @ Firefox - Tips & Tricks