Hi, please try working through How to remove iStartSurf.com virus by Malware Tips to see if you've missed anything, and don't overlook your shortcuts in step 3!

Note that not all removal programs will detect all malware, so you may need to run several or all of them.

After removal you may need to reset your home page and search, which you can do by running the add-on SearchReset.

If your question is resolved by this or another answer, please take a minute to let us know. Thank you.

Just to update to my problem.

I also uninstall and reinstall firefox and i startsurf still my homepage. I also try booting pc to safe mode, scan and delete istartsurf files, problem still there. I also try reseting firefox and firefox in safe mode, but problem still there.

BTW I currently using window 7. Pls help thank

What prefs show as modified it you search the about:config page for istartsurf?

You can open the about:config page via the location/address bar and search for prefs that refer to istartsurf. You can open the about:config page via the location/address bar. You can accept the warning and click "I'll be careful" to continue.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/about:config

If you do not keep changes after a restart or otherwise have problems with preferences, see:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Preferences_not_saved

There are other things that need attention.

Your System Details List shows multiple Flash plugins.

1. Shockwave Flash 16.0 r0
2. Shockwave Flash 19.0 r0

You can find the installation path of all plugins on the about:plugins page.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Issues_related_to_plugins#Identifying_installed_plugins

You can check the Flash player installation folder for multiple Flash player plugins and remove older version(s) of the plugin (NPSWF32) and possibly (re)install the latest Flash player.

• (32 bit Windows) C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash\
• (64 bit Windows) C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash\

Hi, i solved my problem just by uninstall and delete the installation directory folder, then i reinstall firefox again and my homepage no more istartsurf site, yeah!! :D

Thank for both of Scribe and cor-el advices too :D

kuyon said

Hi, My homepage always revert back to istartsurf page, i already tried alot of methods and still can't change my homepage. I already delete all the istartsurf files and content from my desktop pc, also delete the files in regedit and use few of the anti-malware program like adwcleaner, malwarebytes anti-malware, advancesystem care and etc, but the homepage still stay as istartsurf. I also try change the option in firefox, like change the homepage to yahoo or google, after i change the homepage to yahoo.com and i click the new tab and click home, it show the yahoo.com website as my homepage but when i exit the firefox and open again, the homepage will revert back to istartsurf page... Please help me, really need advice here. Thank you :)

Sounds like you got spyware on your browser. There are malicious spyware programs that install without your permission, like Ask.com which is a classic highjack software system. It changes your configurations and installs itself on your browser. Prevents you from making changes after it installs and damn near impossible to get rid of. So download Avast Browser Cleanup at www.avast.com and this will scrub your browsers clean, all of them. Make sure after that is done to avoid sites you know are malicious spyware sites like Ask.com because they will insidiously alter your settings to what they want them to be for the purpose of monitoring your internet usage so they can track you. For the purpose of selling their clients' wares and services to you even when you don't ask for them. I hope this information is useful.

the "istartsurf" problem came back after i restart my desktop pc :( what the heck is istartsurf, so annoying :(

Delete or rename the prefs.js file method also not working, i also try the link http://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-istartsurf-virus/ and it also not working, my avast browser cleaner also detect nothing...

funny thing is my IE or chrome doesn't have this problem, only firefox homepage keep revert back to istartsurf and also when i click new tab, it not showing the istartsurf page..

kuyon said

the "istartsurf" problem came back after i restart my desktop pc :( what the heck is istartsurf, so annoying :( Delete or rename the prefs.js file method also not working, i also try the link http://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-istartsurf-virus/ and it also not working, my avast browser cleaner also detect nothing... funny thing is my IE or chrome doesn't have this problem, only firefox homepage keep revert back to istartsurf and also when i click new tab, it not showing the istartsurf page..

Use avast browser cleanup like I mentioned in my post. That should work for you.

nope, my avast browser cleanup detect nothing.

currently i uninstall firefox and run my malwarebytes anit-malware.

In case other users may need help on removing istartsurf.

A step-by-step removal guide can be seen here: http://virusremovalstation.blogspot.com/2014/08/efficient-removal-guide-remove_18.html

all the solution from other users or from mozilla forum don't work at all, I already use quite a few anti malware and virus scan programs, not sure what thing keep override my homepage, uninstall and reinstall firefox many times, getting tired of this shit "istartsurf", guess i will stop using firefox...  :(

my google chrome and IE still the best i guess, they don't have this kind of problem so far.

Hi kuyon, if you're happy switching, I understand, but if you prefer to use Firefox, could you break this down a bit for me?

You said you were able to remove the problem once, but it came when you restarted Windows. That suggests you having some software running at startup which is modifying Firefox. Yet your cleaning software wasn't able to find and remove it. In order to track it down, I need you to do a little detective work and pinpoint the source of the bad behavior.

If your Firefox settings change when you close and re-open Firefox, these are common causes for that problem:

(1) a user.js file (2) utility/privacy/security software that protects against settings changes

For #1: user.js is an optional settings file. If found in your profile folder (personal settings folder) at startup, Firefox uses the settings in that file to override your saved preferences from the previous session. Unless you created that file yourself, it may contains settings from an add-on or external software. You can check and remove the file using the steps in this article: How to fix preferences that won't save. For best results, set Windows to show all file extensions. This Microsoft support article has the steps: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/wi.../show-hide-file-name-extensions.

For #2: Advanced SystemCare is one example of a program that keeps a copy of your settings file and uses it to override changes when you exit Firefox. There may be other that have a "home page protection", "browsing protection" or similar feature. This should be disabled until everything is working properly again.

If your Firefox settings change at Windows startup, one way that could happen is software re-establishing or updating a user.js file. Or the software might be directly editing your prefs.js file. Windows has some built-in "auditing" features to record which processes are touching which files, but these can produce copious amounts of data, so that could be creating a huge haystack to look for a needle.

It might be more efficient to sweep for malware manually in the following pages:

(1) Windows Control Panel, Uninstall a Program (2) Startup settings

For #1: After the list loads, click the "Installed on" column heading to group the infections, I mean, additions, by date. This can help surface unnoticed bundle items that snuck in with some software you agreed to install. Take out as much trash as possible here.

For #2: Microsoft has a useful program named Autoruns which shows you what is set to run at startup in the various places Windows allows that, including the registry. You also can turn things off if they look suspicious, or even if they simply look like a waste of processing cycles. You can download that program here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx