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Why does the msn homepage keep appearing in my browser it can open numerous tabs when I leave it for a while

  • 13 cavab
  • 1 has this problem
  • 6 views
  • Last reply by FredMcD

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I open Firefox, everything is okay, it opens on the home page I have set. Whilst I'm using the browser another tab opens of its own accord and the MSN home page appears. Its really annoying. It has only started happening in the last couple of days. Can anyone help me please? Since I started writing this question it has happened 3 times.

I open Firefox, everything is okay, it opens on the home page I have set. Whilst I'm using the browser another tab opens of its own accord and the MSN home page appears. Its really annoying. It has only started happening in the last couple of days. Can anyone help me please? Since I started writing this question it has happened 3 times.
Attached screenshots

All Replies (13)

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Firefox supports multiple home pages separated by '|' (pipe) symbols.

You can check the home page setting:


You can check for recently installed suspicious or unknown extensions.

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem.

  • Switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance
  • Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window
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Thanks for your help, but unfortunately after going through all of your suggestions it still is doing the same. I will try a system restore

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Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web Link} by holding down the <Shift>
(Mac Options)
key, and then starting Firefox. Is the problem still there?

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Yes Fred the problem is still there.

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It sounds like a virus to me. I would shut everything down, including your internet connections and run your anti-virus and even, if you are running windows, then run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal tool manually. After you have done that, I would also download and run the Panda Cloud cleaner - a deep and thorough online virus checker.

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Type about:support in the address bar and press Enter. Under the main banner, press the button; Copy Text To Clipboard.. Then in the reply box at the bottom of this page, do a right click in the box and select Paste. This will show us your system details. No Personal Information Is Collected.

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Dingeroo

MSN is normally not associated as ad-ware, but the advice is good.

Further information can be found in the Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware article.

Run most or all of the listed malware scanners. Each works differently. If one program misses something, another may pick it up.

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Application Basics


Name: Firefox Version: 39.0 Build ID: 20150630154324 Update Channel: release User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.3; WOW64; rv:39.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/39.0 Multiprocess Windows: 0/1 (default: false)

Crash Reports for the Last 3 Days


All Crash Reports

Extensions


Name: McAfee SafeKey Version: 2.2.3 Enabled: true ID: {072844D3-7DEE-45F6-A406-E87F76302E4B}

Name: McAfee Security Scan Plus Version: 1.0 Enabled: true ID: {e4f94d1e-2f53-401e-8885-681602c0ddd8}

Name: McAfee WebAdvisor Version: 4.0.0 Enabled: true ID: {4ED1F68A-5463-4931-9384-8FFF5ED91D92}

Graphics


Adapter Description: AMD Radeon (TM) HD 8670A Adapter Drivers: aticfx64 aticfx64 aticfx64 aticfx32 aticfx32 aticfx32 atiumd64 atidxx64 atidxx64 atiumdag atidxx32 atidxx32 atiumdva atiumd6a atitmm64 Adapter RAM: 1024 Asynchronous Pan/Zoom: none Device ID: 0x6600 Direct2D Enabled: true DirectWrite Enabled: true (6.3.9600.17795) Driver Date: 10-21-2013 Driver Version: 13.152.1.1700 GPU #2 Active: false GPU Accelerated Windows: 1/1 Direct3D 11 (OMTC) Subsys ID: 2af6103c Vendor ID: 0x1002 WebGL Renderer: Google Inc. -- ANGLE (AMD Radeon (TM) HD 8670A Direct3D11 vs_5_0 ps_5_0) windowLayerManagerRemote: true AzureCanvasBackend: direct2d 1.1 AzureContentBackend: direct2d 1.1 AzureFallbackCanvasBackend: cairo AzureSkiaAccelerated: 0

Important Modified Preferences


browser.cache.disk.capacity: 358400 browser.cache.disk.filesystem_reported: 1 browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max: false browser.cache.frecency_experiment: 3 browser.download.importedFromSqlite: true browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion: 7 browser.sessionstore.upgradeBackup.latestBuildID: 20150630154324 browser.startup.homepage_override.buildID: 20150630154324 browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone: 39.0 dom.mozApps.used: true extensions.lastAppVersion: 39.0 gfx.direct3d.last_used_feature_level_idx: 0 media.gmp-eme-adobe.lastUpdate: 1437180712 media.gmp-eme-adobe.version: 11 media.gmp-gmpopenh264.lastUpdate: 1437180712 media.gmp-gmpopenh264.version: 1.4 media.gmp-manager.buildID: 20150630154324 media.gmp-manager.lastCheck: 1437383506 network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true network.predictor.cleaned-up: true places.database.lastMaintenance: 1437269569 places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 104858 plugin.disable_full_page_plugin_for_types: application/pdf plugin.importedState: true privacy.sanitize.migrateFx3Prefs: true storage.vacuum.last.index: 1 storage.vacuum.last.places.sqlite: 1437269569

Important Locked Preferences


JavaScript


Incremental GC: true

Accessibility


Activated: false Prevent Accessibility: 0

Library Versions


NSPR Expected minimum version: 4.10.8 Version in use: 4.10.8

NSS Expected minimum version: 3.19.2 Basic ECC Version in use: 3.19.2 Basic ECC

NSSSMIME Expected minimum version: 3.19.2 Basic ECC Version in use: 3.19.2 Basic ECC

NSSSSL Expected minimum version: 3.19.2 Basic ECC Version in use: 3.19.2 Basic ECC

NSSUTIL Expected minimum version: 3.19.2 Version in use: 3.19.2

Experimental Features


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Did you run the anti-viruses as suggested? I really think you need to do this first up and then follow the steps suggested by the professional Mozilla Support. Note it mentions also that malware can cause this problem in conjunction with the session restore feature.

Modified by Dingeroo

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I have run a couple. I am running the microsoft one now which takes ages. It is 7.50 am here in Australia and I have to go to work so I will continue tonight. Thanks for help

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I have run all of the anti-virus, each one fixed something, but unfortunately not the one I wanted fixed. I think that I am going to have to reset my computer back to factory. Thanks anyway for trying to assist me

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You can either do a Factory Default or try a Start a New Firefox Session, although the malware could be in the profile files of the latter and so achieve nothing.

If you elect to do the Factory Default you could save your profile (tabs, bookmarks, etc.), to import these later into the new settings, but again the problem is the malware could be embedded deep in your profile, (usually is), so you might end up importing the adware again. On that basis, probably best to do a complete new profile with a Factory Default.

After that I would run your anti-virus again, with Firefox closed. Make sure your anti-virus engine is up to date - not just the virus library up to date.

Previously did you do the deep scan with Panda? Anything less may not find this. After you run your Anti-virus again, I would also run the Panda Cloud again.

Modified by Dingeroo

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Issues have been previously linked to the McAfee Site Advisor extension. Try to disable it and see if the problem persists.

http://service.mcafee.com/faqdocument.aspx?id=TS100162 How to uninstall SiteAdvisor

To disable it: Type "about:addons" in the Location bar Find the extension and click on its "Disable" button