This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Reset "about:home" search engine?

Lace.N.Whisky
Lace.N.Whisky
more options

When I search from the home page it used to give me Google results, but that somehow got changed by AVG Anti Virus and now it goes to an AVG Safe Search results page. I've since switched to a different anti virus and completely uninstalled AVG, including any Add-Ons I could find. I've scoured the "about:config" page for anything related to AVG. I did find a few elements that seemed related, but resetting them to default hasn't changed anything. Any help would be appreciated.

When I search from the home page it used to give me Google results, but that somehow got changed by AVG Anti Virus and now it goes to an AVG Safe Search results page. I've since switched to a different anti virus and completely uninstalled AVG, including any Add-Ons I could find. I've scoured the "about:config" page for anything related to AVG. I did find a few elements that seemed related, but resetting them to default hasn't changed anything. Any help would be appreciated.

Chosen solution

Reset the browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone pref via the right-click context menu to the default on the about:config page and close and restart Firefox to restore the about:home page to its default.

  1. Open the about:config page via the location bar
  2. Type in the Filter bar: mstone
  3. Right-click the browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone line and select: Reset
  4. Close and restart Firefox

If this didn't help then delete the delete the chromeappsstore.sqlite file in the Firefox Profile Folder and repeat the above.

Read this answer in context 👍 5

All Replies (6)

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Chosen Solution

Reset the browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone pref via the right-click context menu to the default on the about:config page and close and restart Firefox to restore the about:home page to its default.

  1. Open the about:config page via the location bar
  2. Type in the Filter bar: mstone
  3. Right-click the browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone line and select: Reset
  4. Close and restart Firefox

If this didn't help then delete the delete the chromeappsstore.sqlite file in the Firefox Profile Folder and repeat the above.

Lace.N.Whisky
Lace.N.Whisky Question owner
more options

Great Sin, thank you! It worked! I would never have found that element.

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

You're welcome.

babasime
babasime
more options

did that, after i restart the setting turned back to "user set".

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Do you have a mozilla.cfg file in the Firefox program folder?

  • (32 bit Windows) C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\
  • (64 bit Windows) C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\

If you do not keep changes after a restart then see:

Lace.N.Whisky
Lace.N.Whisky Question owner
more options

I shouldn't be allowed near torrents when I'm drunk... Now when I try to search from the home page, it doesn't search. I can type in something to search for and click the "search" button or press "Enter" and nothing happens. I expect this is another about:config element, but I haven't the first clue what it would be called.