Install and setup Firefox
Below are the instructions for installing and setting up the Firefox browser for Blackboard Vista users running the Windows operating system. We recommend using Firefox to access Blackboard Vista as we have consistently found that Firefox users encounter fewer issues with Blackboard Vista than those who use other browsers.
Three steps to installing and setting up Firefox
- Download and install Firefox
- Configure Firefox options
- Install the Flash Player plugin
Step #1: Download and install Firefox
- Save the Firefox 3.0 setup file to your computer's desktop.
- Double-click the Firefox Setup 3.0.11.exe file. Click the Run button to begin the installation.
- You will see the window below while the Firefox files are extracted.
- Windows Vista students may be prompted by the Windows User Account Control security program, asking them to allow the Firefox Installer to continue. If so, click the Continue button.
- When the files have been extracted, click the Next button to start the wizard.
- Choose the Standard installation radio button. Uncheck the check box labeled Use Firefox as my default web browser and click the Next button.
- Click the Install button.
- You will see the window below while the files are being installed on your computer.
- When the installation completes, click the Finish button.
- After the installation is complete, Firefox will prompt you to import data from your Internet Explorer browser. Select the Don't import anything radio button and then click the Next button to continue.
- You will then be prompted to make Firefox your default browser. Uncheck the Always perform this check when starting Firefox and then click the No button.
- Firefox will launch and you will have two tabs open ("Welcome to Firefox" and "Mozilla Firefox Start Page"). Click the "X" on the right side of the Welcome to Firefox tab to close out this tab.
Step #2: Configure Firefox options
- You will now see the Mozilla Firefox Start Page. Setting up the Firefox browser for use with Blackboard Vista is the next step in the process. Click Tools and then Options....
- This will open the Firefox Options window. Click the Content icon.
- Click the Exceptions button which is situated to the right of the Block pop-up windows check box.
- In the Address of web site text box type vista.bu.edu and click the Allow button.
- In the Address of web site text box type 128.197.215.238 and click the Allow button.
- Click the Close button to close this window.
- In the Firefox Options window, click the Privacy icon.
- In the Private Data section towards the bottom, click the Settings... button.
- Ensure that at least the following check boxes are checked: Cache, Cookies, Offline Website Data, Saved Passwords and Authenticated Sessions. Click the OK button to close this window.
- In the Firefox Options window, click the Security icon.
- In the Passwords section, un check the check box labeled Remember passwords for sites.
- Click the Advanced icon.
- Click the Update tab. We recommend selecting the radio button labeled Ask me what I want to do as this will give you the option to install or not install future Firefox updates.
- Click the OK button to close out the Firefox Options window.
Step #3: Install the Flash player plugin
- With your Firefox browser go to Adobe's home page and click on the Get Adobe FLASH PLAYER icon.
- On the next page, uncheck the check box labeled Free McAfee Security Scan (optional) and then click the Agree and install now button.
- Firefox will block the installation and will ask you to allow it to proceed with a yellow bar across the top of the screen. Click the Allow button to allow the installation to begin.
- In the Software Installation window that appears next you should see the window below for installing Adobe DLM (Adobe's Download Manager). Click the Install Now button.
- The Adobe Download Manager will install before downloading and installing the Flash Player for Firefox.
- When the installation is complete, click the Restart Firefox button to restart Firefox.
- Window Vista students may be prompted by the Windows User Account Control security program, asking them to allow the Adobe DLM and getPlus(R) Helper programs to continue. If so, click the Continue button.
- After Firefox has restarted, close the Firefox Add-ons and Adobe Download Manager windows.
- Close and reopen your Firefox browser.
- Delete the Firefox Setup 3.0.11.exe file and Adobe Download Manager short cut from your desktop.
- You will see a Mozilla Firefox short cut on your computer's desktop which you can use to launch your Firefox web browser.
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