where did my favorite list of search options gone too?
Prior to version 54, I liked the choices one had near the location bar some of the search choices one had...ie Bing, google, yahoo and etc. I mainly chose Google, but its no longer available in my version 64. I've tried about:Config without success, and a few other options i came across, but most of them are for the missing search box, not the choice one that i am asking about. I have FF set as my default browser, but Yahoo seems to hijack it and i cannot get rid of it. The more the browser gets updated, some of the favorites are gone.
All Replies (4)
Let's start here:
Korevette said
I have FF set as my default browser, but Yahoo seems to hijack it and i cannot get rid of it.
So by default, Firefox will show a built-in home page, built-in new tab page, and send searches to Google. Where are you seeing Yahoo? For example:
- home page and/or new tab page
- searches from the address bar give results on Yahoo
Bad Add-ons
One possible culprit would be an extension. You can view, disable, and often remove unwanted or unknown extensions on the Add-ons page. Either:
- Ctrl+Shift+a (Mac: Command+Shift+a)
- "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons
- type or paste about:addons in the address bar and press Enter/Return
In the left column of the Add-ons page, click Extensions.
Then cast a critical eye over the list on the right side. Any extensions Firefox installs for built-in features are hidden from this page, so everything listed here is your choice (and your responsibility) to manage. Anything that mentions Yahoo or search, or that you just do not remember installing or why? If in doubt, disable (or remove).
Any improvement?
Default Search Setting
On the Options page, Search panel, what is the exact name of your default search engine? This article will get you to that panel:
Change your default search settings in Firefox
Note that some third parties use Yahoo results, such as McAfee.
Any progress so far?
One-click Search Engines
If you prefer to use the optional short search bar, that's still an option. Check out this article: Search with the Firefox Address Bar.
Are your preferred search sites missing from the drop-down list?
I wish FF did not make it so complicated to solve a simple problem. I have tried all suggestions and Yahoo still appears as i open FF. I really can't tell the differences as far as weather its a home page or a tab. To me it looks like its FF home page, cause I see all the icons that was shown on FF, before the invasion. I removed ALL search engines, but Google, set it as my default. My extensions only have 2 shown and one of them is disabled...the other no problem. If there are hidden extensions I do not see any or know how to reveal them. A couple of box's recommended to provide search engines back to the tool bar and not functioning at all..the button is greyed out.
This could be an issue caused by AdAware or Web Companion from Lavasoft. If you have installed these programs uninstall them.
You can look for a file named dsengine.js in these locations. You should only find channel-prefs.js in the "defaults\pref" location. Any file found here apart from channel-prefs.js is suspicious. You can check the content of the file in a text editor (use open with and do not double-click the file).
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\pref\ C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\pref\
You can look for a file named dsengine.cfg in the main Firefox program folder.
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\ C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\
Delete the dsengine.js and dsengine.cfg files when present.
Once have done the above please give yourself a scan :
Save your Report and google each before deleting anything as do not want to delete something you need, If need help :
Post in only 1 forum, then wait.
Please let us know if this solved your issue or if need further assistance.
I didn't want to click on "Solved" until i was sure that it was. The reason is because all those files that were recommended by you, do not exist in any of folders that i opened. As I was checking, somehow, I was side tracked to the suggestion to go to options/Home and choose Firefox as my default home page. I had previously done so in the past, but somehow it was not saved. When i did open Firefox, to my surprise, there was FF as my home page. Why it worked this time, is weird. Now, in the past it did work, but somehow along the way, Yahoo manages to sneak in. I did not do the Malware scan because its working now. Thanks
Modified by Anthony