earthqueen
join:2006-03-03
Kansas City, MO
1 edit | FF3.5 hijack issue with search and bookmarks toolbar
What is this? I installed FF3.5 from the update link in my FFhelp menu and when FireFox opens, I have two new bookmarks at the beginning of the bar: Virtus Designs and Ringtones. The page on virtus designs admits to changing my default search engine to Ask.com but doesn't give me a way to opt out. [edit after some investigation: it did in the install process, but I missed it.]
I dont' want Ask.dot com and I don't want a Ringtones URL on my bookmarks tool bar. Deleting them does nothing, they come back up when FireFox restarts.
I think this might have happened when I tried out the Aerofox theme for FF. I didn't like it and uninstalled it. But it appears it moved in somehow.
How do I get rid of this stuff? I tried using about:config but the default engine is already listed as google (which I want back)....but its' been taken over somehow. |
|
La Luna
Surviving Ashraful
Premium
join:2001-07-12
Warwick, NY
clubs: | I didn't get anything like that when I updated. Can you not change the search engine from the drop down menu by the search bar? |
|
Grail Knight
Who Dares Wins
Premium
join:2003-05-31
 ·Verizon Online DSL
1 edit | reply to earthqueen
Well just delete the bookmarks and as for the unwanted search engine did you use the searchbox dropdown to Manage Search Engines then remove the one you do not want?
Also in the Fx searchplugins folder located in the Profile Folder you can delete the Ask.com search plugin.
Edit* You should have a backup or two of your bookmarks in your Profile Folder bookmarksbackup folder.
Use the Bookmark Manager to restore one of those backups dated before this happened.
--
"Facts not FUD!" |
|
La Luna
Surviving Ashraful
Premium
join:2001-07-12
Warwick, NY
clubs: | He/she said she/he tried to delete them off the bookmark toolbar but they came back when FF was restarted? |
|
Grail Knight
Who Dares Wins
Premium
join:2003-05-31
·Verizon Online DSL
| I see that but the OP did not say if they tried deleting them using the Bookmark Manager not just right-click delete from the Bookmark Toolbar.
Have not heard of a theme doing this before although I believe Ask.com is included in Fx full install updates.
Areofox is a 5 star theme and there is no mention of additional junk included.
I have to wonder if the OP installed some software that put their junk in Fx by clicking through an install.
--
"Facts not FUD!" |
|
La Luna
Surviving Ashraful
Premium
join:2001-07-12
Warwick, NY
clubs:
 ·Optimum Online
 ·Vonage
| Ahh, ok.
This is very odd, I installed the upgrade the same way as the OP and had none of this happen. If it was across the board, I'm sure there would be a lot of people here complaining about it.
I too wonder about other installed software or maybe some hijacking?
--
You can chain my body to the earth, but still my spirit flies!
13,525 DEADLY TERROR ATTACKS SINCE 9/11 |
|
earthqueen
join:2006-03-03
Kansas City, MO
3 edits | reply to earthqueen
OK..I was able to reset the default search engine and remove ask.com. Thanks....I had forgotten about that dropdown option.
And with book marks manager, I restored a previous bookmarks backup from several days ago. But the two bookmarks still reappear each time I restart FireFox.
I don't remember clicking past any extra installation questions in my install wizard. I"m usually pretty careful about that stuff.
[Edit: OK....I found it. Both the Ask.com and the Virtus bookmark had been installed as an extension somehow.
»img199.imageshack.us/img199/4594···5240.png
I uninstalled them there and that seems to have take care of it. I still think something was piggybacked onto the Aerofox theme install since it is from Virtus Designs. I definitely did not choose to install that or the Ringtones site.] |
|
Grail Knight
Who Dares Wins
Premium
join:2003-05-31
·Verizon Online DSL
| Contact the developer of the theme and let him know what happened. It is possible someone messed with the theme or he/she added something with it but did not let anyone know which would be a violation of the Addons Site.
Themes are tested before release and then the tester emails the developer(s) and lets them know if they are good to go or not. I would be surprised if a tester missed a theme adding unwanted items.
I still think a 3rd party program you or someone else installed on your computer or an update (not Fx) added those entries without your knowledge seeing how you said you did not click through anything.
--
"Facts not FUD!" |
|
ZPurpleHippo
join:2009-05-28 | reply to earthqueen
read the first paragraph: »www.virtusdesigns.net/ |
|
earthqueen
join:2006-03-03
Kansas City, MO
| reply to earthqueen
yeah...so apparently when I installed the Aerofox theme, these two other extensions were piggy backed onto it.
I apparently missed the part in the agreement about Ask.com being added. And since I was installing a theme, it didn't occur to me that extensions were involved.
However, there is no mention there that I can find about the Ringtone thing. You are informed about that with a splash screen that comes up after FireFox is restarted, so that is completely deceptive.
I will take your advice to write to the developer about it. |
|
strange_69
join:2001-08-07
Ridgecrest, CA | reply to earthqueen
I got hit when I updated Aero Fox theme. Guess I will not update it again. I'm kinda miffed that the update made these changes without asking for permission.
--
Vonage user since Mar 2004. |
|
Grail Knight
Who Dares Wins
Premium
join:2003-05-31 | reply to earthqueen
You are welcome.
That is a theme I will never use.
--
"Facts not FUD!" |
|
danajohnson0
join:2009-08-10
united state
| reply to earthqueen
Only slightly related, w/ differing sources, I built this machine this week, installed XPP x64, FF3.5.2, and AVG A/V(free), over an ATT-Yahoo DSL line.
The AVG toolbar I installed as a accessory, has now tried on many occassions to pre-select a click hi-jacking to Yahoo search, and Yahoo homepage, with a periodic re-setting of the pre-selected checked boxes upon each occasion I find my machine DSL domain name service disrupted, and my pages unresolved. Dozens of occurances now in two days, only just after installing the AVG toolbar item. I never use Yahoo for a homepage, nor Yahoo search, and have to type in a 'att.yahoo.com address in a new browser startup to get back to DNS resolution of addresses.
The WEB and DSL is no finer than the free commercial TV services we suffer in the U.S. The ads are blaringly loud schreechy noise, with no auto-muting opportunities to reduce the volume or silence the ads(commercials).
Pre-selecting a selection box should be required as a colored highlighted item or disallowed by law. The WEB is getting aged now, and regulation of damaging aggression costs us plenty internally.
I removed the AVG 'security' filtration of sites, denied all association of AVG toolbar to my other routine IE8,FF3.5.2,& Chrome browsers, and the problem has ceased to cut me off the DNS resolution, w/ normal access now.
Was the problem, the FF3.5 built-in content, or the unregulated pre-selected check boxes?
It seems the WEB is still the 'wild west' for smaller share groups seeking market-share in harsh ways. |
|
