Deploy AdBlock Plus to Chrome domain wide and suppress startup page

If you want to block ads in Chrome Adblock Plus is a good option. It can be deployed to PCs via group policy in the same way as any other extension. However, once installed it opens up its own startup page that you may not want. There are good instructions here on how to remove the startup page. But if you want a little more explanation see below:

First, add the app to your list of force install extensions. You need to add:
ldcecbkkoecffmfljeihcmifjjdoepkn;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx

Next add a registry key:

You find these in Group policy preferences.

So set the Hive to HKLM

Key path to: Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\3rdparty\extensions\ldcecbkkoecffmfljeihcmifjjdoepkn\policy

Value name: suppress_first_run_page

Value type: REG_DWORD

Value Data: 1

Base: Decimal

Apply the policy to the appropriate users.

Adblock Plus will now silently install the next time a user logons on and fires up Chrome.

You might want to block ads to save bandwidth and some ads, even on fairly innocent sites can be deemed inappropriate for school.

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