I can't reset the about:home search engine back to Google.
I downloaded the YoutubeDownloader which came with a toolbar. Ever since I downloaded it, the search engine on about:home became "Baidu" instead of Google. I tried to remove that by uninstalling the toolbar, changing to keyword.URL into "http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&q=" without the quotes, and also tried the solution on "https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/920396#answer-313248", but none of that worked with me. Please help. Thanks.
All Replies (5)
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.
- Open the about:config page via the location bar
- Type in the Filter bar: mstone
- Right-click the browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone line and select: Reset
- 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.
Nope. that didn't work for me
This should reset the search engine that is used on the about:home page too the default.
If it didn't work then you may still have an extension installed that overrides the search engine.
You can inspect the current search engine via this code in the Scratchpad (Web Developer > Scratchpad;Shift+F4) with the about:home page on display.
prompt(T="localStorage[\"search-engine\"] = \n\""+JSON.stringify(localStorage["search-engine"]),T);
Copy the value via Ctrl+A and Ctrl+C to the clipboard and paste it here.
This code in the Scratchpad should restore the Google search engine.
SearchEngines = {Google:{"name":"Google","searchUrl":"http://www.google.com/search?q=_searchTerms_&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a","image": "data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAEYAAAAcCAYAAADcO8kVAAAAGXRFWHRTb2Z0d2FyZQBBZG9iZSBJbWFnZVJlYWR5ccllPAAADHdJREFUeNrsWQl0VNUZvve9NzNJJpnsIkuEJMoqAVJAodCKoFUsAUFQqhig0npaRUE8Viv1FFtQWxSwLXVhEawbhOWobOICFCGiEIIQRGIgCSFjMslsb9567+1/Z+7gmIYKVivt6Ztzz5y5b+7yf//3f/9/38PoW7gYY+i7uDDG39heJfT/q91LGTiTIcWJkCxzxDmCCBGCkBEOFDCm5CPs+CGWYvcliRxEzDwgu9I/IzZClonQgT/jC9Eu3GFTz6sdKc57kIzHWKaFjIA2wz++ZhknyblMIDkAFIcDDFcQ+vtjGJuaOlKPkB2G4V4U9kcu8zfWlPtPVX/g9zZ7QwE03jDTqzWVndBUc57aUp91gToce0cf3R05El5u6gYyNQ0BKK/x/nNmjKwwxBmx8/eSNHiWsVLXlBJ/7UdTazcN3gn3bYEwFmG3pvOobRuScoc+ibEyF6GsUugrgEYuMGD4nqltmJjqFBkt+gcJ/ed0SZIA5crZ+gumrpQ0H319ogBFh6aJFoGmQguf2n7tu62HnvgJ1cPBcN3m6dAnX4CM4QAQigmxdQthm9EEJ58bY3bOl/CQ2YE5pu24LdBwZE7De+M+4gBAs/IntETphOHD4FOzNoNPbjuzBkn+48/9qKXywWPcM99Edvh2siPfHeycnH8mU/pM2pJLsfshI0KCNRv7viiYYXW7sRnmxTFQhCp3G9/CTqzLsht3jtkrmGJdgGF0xmYpQx5GKBEInWdWSs4pnm6bLD3i95WJsDG7jmtiXFYwlmF2WXATmCPROE05IGa3G33sxPrsL014tGRMVo5DuVdirD/8zJBluQgC9qSF2JKcV9cuPwudsbq1YLqCydjYGOkSngYtKq36vJUs6jqhuqXtgCvurstyuHOnSZIMWROnc/dR2J5pYAZO3tF0rOwvAXI/jvKZ/vN6zVNuHQGWjYNx/SWGiohtH9R1Y17HDRvf4XtUCEoaQwyGbEOr5QZ3HeeLbRwrosnRNB5lHNwpuBn+HK2KWFsLcd34scWpGJd5g6Ener61faoQbOXk6OsWpycnP98yYdzMrLINxYks+3h1fvZlHfE6M6LXu0oa4mPko8s7TL70kuSnOmVIMxvW5n2v00111fF1htzXWiwpnrJAw8FbD60qXtHn9o9LUrJ6r2CUBoOnDpQeKxu0ncPhntgRwKLRcErUVd9tk1falinlvLLmLr7WHfndsh/t0WOdg9Dt1cOHTyrctWutRGzH5ZbNjcQ0FpEce+lMQwCnpMRqnSQ3Qu50hFIzMXJnSsjt+aI+fG/kiOwUStcFQuG9AMor0GUI0da6btoyKxIKnWKaXlR/zajFCYWlXNBBWslMKz+tpOEezkIxJtJzuvfl5ia1DCiQnuki6+MiXzRlR47s9Lwdaa1bCKAc4uscXnX5mwFvzdO6JnlQSv8lgiOUERZ1QYLG4PqJE+ZItl2y4MDB3wjma8/XnGiuavSuUMNhKNOshdyZkmViD7EAGBrXK9gzA1CYqPZEfEoAEK91eN3jTELIlRT7jnuhm9M5mxrmJZVNvjUio0VEC3Exr2ryLTbVCJI0/ZfLe/TI5ZusfbXbKAcjP2706msTQRHiH3pxa2ghgIlkU+9b91zqRA6OK6MIQh+nG8HP6wT4PPzD3n3zlxoRiohl5eVd/1G/qC2Ug8LBOcMYh5PYd6mqemTRJ8d88axb3r//NTkYT2tQ1e27W3yzo+aamh0kNoWIcfeJ1Ss8A2EU0xgqflEkYQBGBuYAe3hByAHiNVBcqyRdLzEjYLhpEGFk/CaHXFtZX79RD4WRBl4plOWR3MhkbI0DMOHfFhNjaEK6Neas1D9Rg3qVHQFwLHIV9DkN01miaxD6LNUjQpKPMQLHl522jWAVtQxELTM7agBN+AdcGwYNvJREtDwjrOL5hQWpVf36TTtcVFRhGMaAlxsbpw+prCwt/fRTHoZEMVS1Sna5r5CUpKExisc0RVFix4BoKEFHlDES78dIcYjdf0FRhapqH5tQxAyTtiOwZHVTk3dWdnaVzFgv27a5RzfKlt6PAiOZFQWmrUTy2Y3WFntPdgruhXVWxIFRA2ZIBq9QqeP18PvlBPAtRq0gHGNQuHbN4ej+qJDDmMZIaaZZYASC/MzTe1RScmmdqlZce/z4CLFfW7RoppWsSP1Wy7R5NeTpfMNnU+s2pGIZ2KC4oEGoOOCb/7aNpkKbWKsswhhoUrQZBmPdp/hXcWDUQCjIGZFByLB2Su9ogaUaRhAa8hsGDxXFCmlB8CBKleyhZynXiWkwv6VRpEVYkBtnBGq28bMPZcmjC0rKCxPLFqy4GDWbVwSOPemLGhvPSMJNlc2+es0fQGYo5HnH59sCoMQLWVU0LV4ISqHjf/obtbQQxCbMnPngRcM25MbCB5giDo+Hl6XgqtVd6yqWeu7e91RyR++Rd28OthAUaLZRa+0Rrg+SNxQqD0dDyRx9lmqY6brOVDi7HFHV9/mWvV5zr63aSCF0yDOlcla7NZrFmA3AeH2E1052/ebi1ZZ6ej3oh8eZ2fe1vtPqOTi495SaHygOOc1/dOFjQnsYhdMw44lFaMysU6dOBCBvRcCB35fl+0X4am3COCaakdoVjVaoZgW1dESJnSd5hiz/7NU02Qbd4dpDYdLL7wizOLW5OGoRTAM+G0VCBrg0yDOMXRGJPB8GNpim2efF7Ozi9hgA4Hfxm0b53NbW/Zyyi7bQlyJBFjIjDF1ViKe29xhEJizP0Flw6S76klhfrX+j8C7dt/8BPRxpsGnGyqKfGRQ7O20OVr80NVT9bIMIBwhrygMsLr7RcKvT9bUq1zXLumVtdvaAs56V+GK+3UMXEK15HzU1jvANHa47/YIGJ2cTDmAWSIZtUdT9tiDpNjEQpZ1pJpumqiKih0AfSHTB2X7/2w2GsT4CNM8k5NlnPJ7Eyg+vT0+faVqWZ2tEu1cYaC3fQxsPnaS/swAYN2K/qnhQHpgAKC6/Xx6Qgtmkilo2Z9WHrFHQnO/Bf/rtoctPlOVMaz35/pKIyhCAh6SUQre4H/M+L7lAqJl+RvKsVeHw0pBlntJME2VQunVzRsaERCfuyMzMfyszMzN+ak52XTQ2333prxdJzuyRXGSw7KjFEnlUwYF1zrROLbxO4umwcVOWkjV0z51YyXqaEQsR9djYQMX4TTwVQst8NiVlPqS+Upj0EAyZB9+tcB4ZByJ71V5C7ntcj550Q4KBTl7pvjFVmtbnYvSQ7ACcEZoDfTUwbgDE490fN6B5o5fRjdAXiDNBGKLwNVMLZnTJLPrDh1hypAFHAkTzXnNqc+GHfG75oYxVYN0kYEwQXPEAcuF9ZIH/01ku1/ChivJHkNCeMk8sCNXChCdhQr7+6uvC4RU4d8RJ1PRuV64JKdDSU3suHuHMuKJUcuWMhMU4QHwflWBHgFEb4tXuSs3gEaLV7bdDlXvU6rm7hKH8SobmmawohUNkeSDUghdD0vfXMrbnYdOoSij6Eg108TFje6EOMwbjwZ0zUHeXA5GGANoz6jm2VwCotikBcN7YpvHEtvrDnoqht58kuzpDJcoPhQDO6YGn3+pTK/007QYUoClgOUHpWAUuldPV4VYYn8rXfMDpHN4NS4McOBpsJ7fZ9utrbNvLWYdzrq5H3PO+Hfmy8GCKaI7U7o/3wq6ObklOIkhykcD+sbuFMeKAcKYos8RvSczhEgLMEioJknDoTEznWLDNJb5RO2POPBfqf2frdFN3LAz6Im+agU9e+Xzn8HLod+dcueXnDk/vX2DZlQaK/ebpLV0miPmcCXs1xZySWC9JMA/Fz3/CeXZbgcTCIEVMqiSAkFguxQ0mX06IX9KueIuPpV/xPCS+ttQGnDMs6Tej8SaseF4LN9c9cnxNj6VxI8Q+3em9Hx+c3PmW1UDztMZtXVLEfdymbGAJ60kJGZQmtH99bE8YGN/wd/mgxdG7NFDb8/ZohryYA5HguHhI5uYO27vyoqtrmAiXr31JX/V48CuY8R8FJhxEeeEAQWk9HnYlFmMJoRKG03QLtUJ7/93FvpXXJ7wM/6Za4l71UEu5pWkoucv0Be0tm95vmUdy5t5ktpbPbe8B2vmsi7+rl2Nf4yVaUlLHSQXu7r8tw1JyT+ivhQBaAhZUxBSC5EPpPtMKVDzi3z/+HZHJ7K/7IvC/CRhZ6Ep6evGGyXJS3kAsp3SGcgLKc7uSktBhrW7ZFq32r/HHCVbb0P9fBSYOTpIoJ5SE7GUnpHbrbG8EzsfWfwgwAEfC/ToQIhkhAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC"}}
localStorage["search-engine"] = JSON.stringify(SearchEngines["Google"]);
document.location.reload();
It didn't work again. Copied the code and inspected the search engine like u said, and it showed:
localStorage["search-engine"] = ""{\"name\":\"Google\",\"searchUrl\":\"http://www.google.com/search?q=_searchTerms_&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a\",\"image\":\"data:image/png;base64,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\"}"
Checked with the extensions, the only extensions I have is the RealPlayer Record Plugin and the Thunder Extension.
That looks correct and should make Firefox use Google on the about:home page.
Did you try to close and restart Firefox to check if the change stays?
Try to create a new profile as a test to check if your current profile is causing the problems.
See "Basic Troubleshooting: Make a new profile":
There may be extensions and plugins installed by default in a new profile, so check that in "Tools > Add-ons > Extensions & Plugins" in case there are still problems.
If the new profile works then you can transfer some files from the old profile to that new profile, but be careful not to copy corrupted files.
See: