Firefox starting on computer startup

[John Priestley]

Hi there!

 

Every time I start my computer Firefox starts with a site somebody is promoting. I don't have Firefox in the register with the other things that start when I switch on my computer. Anyone know how this is happening?

 

Best regards and looking forward to hearing from you soon, John.

[mlksjr74]

Did you set it to open a specific page every time your opening firefox?

 

Or

 

Did you set it to open the last page you were on when you last log out?

 

 

Check your "Options" >>> "General"

Under General is your Start Up for your web browser

 

When Firefox Start: You have 3 options to choose from

 

1) Show my home page

2) Show a blank page

3) Show my windows and tab from last time

 

Home Page: This is set at this logo that looks like a House on your browser.

 

If you haven't change it, may be your family member changed it. It should not be doing that on it's own, some one may have changed your settings.

 

Stated above, these are the most common reasons why your browser is opening a certain page.

 

Firefox is a great web browser, as well as Google Chrome. You may also set Firefox, Chrome or Internet Explorer as your default web browser. I personally never use Internet Explorer.

[John Priestley]

Hi there and thanks for your reply.

 

Maybe I didn't explain myself very well. I will try again...

 

The problem is that I am not opening Firefox myself - it opens up all by itself shortly after I start up the PC. I can click it away, but I really want to find out how I can stop it starting up without me.

 

Any ideas?

 

Best regards and looking forward to hearing from you soon, John.

[John Priestley]

Well, it is still happening and getting quite annoying (smile). Has anyone out there got any idea of what might cause it?

 

Best regards and looking forward to hearing from you soon, John.

[Darren Olander]

What operating system are you using John? If you go the start menu go to all programs and look for a Startup folder and see if it is in there?

[John Priestley]

Hi Darren,

 

I am using Vista and I can't see Firefox in the startup folder. I suppose some clever-clogs has hidden it where I can't see it. I must have clicked on a link or something to allow him/her to do it. Bother...

 

Any idea where I can look or how I can see hidden files? I am not very good at this (smile).

 

Best regards and looking forward to hearing from you soon, John.

[John Priestley]

Ah, I think I have found it. It appear to be a pop-under that starts when I close Chrome and, as my standard browser is Firefox, it pops up there.

 

Strange...

[Darren Olander]

Ah, I think I have found it. It appear to be a pop-under that starts when I close Chrome and, as my standard browser is Firefox, it pops up there.

 

Strange...

 

aha, yea that is strange. Maybe all you need to do is change your default browser to Chrome? Is Chrome the browser you want to use anyway?

[Matt Koshko]

John, another option is to scan your computer for malware. You can use a service called Spybot to help clear your computer from harmful injections that you likely don't realize are infecting your computer and potentially tracking the websites you visit (among other more sensitive data).

[Garrett Hutsko]

Hi there and thanks for your reply.

 

Maybe I didn't explain myself very well. I will try again...

 

The problem is that I am not opening Firefox myself - it opens up all by itself shortly after I start up the PC. I can click it away, but I really want to find out how I can stop it starting up without me.

 

Any ideas?

 

Best regards and looking forward to hearing from you soon, John.

I have had this type of problem from time to time. This is not something FireFox is doing or has done, Someone launched something on one of the sites you visited and put this on your PC. I have a tech support with the Geek Squad and they have been able to remove these every time I get them. It can be done by you but will mean you will need to do research to ID whatg was put on your machine so you can remove it. I think this is something that should be criminal and wish it were possible to find where it came from but that is where the problem is. My recommendation would be to get with your Anti-Virus provider and see if they can find it on your machine and help you remove it. I use Kasparsky from the Geek Squad and they do a great job.

Hope this helps, believe me it is a big pain and I have been there myself

Garrett

[mlksjr74]

Hay John, glad that you found your problem. I haven't used Windows Vesta for a vary long time, that was the first computer system I used. Today I'm using Windows 7 and Puppy Linux systems in one computer. There both vary good systems but I'd choose Win. 7 over Linux system.

 

Merry Christmas to everyone reading this message.

 

Mike Savage Jr.

[John Priestley]

Ah, I have just found this thread after searching for it for a long time. Windows 7 is where I want to go. But I am not sure that my old PC is up to it. I have a birthday coming up. Maybe someone will buy me a new machine and I can get more up-to-date (smile).

 

Have a good one, john.

[Margot Lawrence]

Not sure why you'd want to go to Windows 7 - Windows 8 has been around for a while, and Windows 10 is going to be available at the end of July. If you're in a hurry to get a new computer, get one with Windows 8 and make sure it is capable of running Windows 10 as you should be able to get a free upgrade to 10 when it is released.

 

Although (as you might deduce from my picture!) I personally wouldn't use Windows at all for running a business - as you've found, it is too vulnerable to infections. All the computers on my network run Mageia 4 Linux (soon to be upgraded to Mageia 5) except for our tablet which runs Android.

[market101]

I have Win7 on all 3 of my computers and am very happy with it.  I see no reason to change just because a new version is available.  Win7 does more than I need it to do.

BTW, I just put in a new Samsung SSD 850 Pro (solid state drive) in this computer.   Very fast!  It works with bubbles ???   I do not understand this concept.  Speed definitely makes a difference for those of you who spend a lot of time on the 'net'.

[John Priestley]

Bubbles? Sound interesting. Can anyone tell me in a couple of words what it is all about?

As for Windows 7, 8 or even 42. I think I will take a while and let it all settle down. Not keen on being an early adopter. I need the things to have proven itself themselves (smile).

 

Have a grand day, John.

[John Priestley]

On the subject of Windows. Has anyone taken a good look at Windows 10? It has got some good press over here in Germany, but much of it looks like it has been written my Microsoft and the papers have just published whatever they have received from the marketing department.

Best regards and looking forward to hearing from you soon, John.

[Garrett Hutsko]

I use 3 PC 1 a laptop, 1 a desktop, and 1 a 10" tablet and am in the process of putting 10 on the desktop. Will let you know how it behaves in a few days. I sort of have certain process I do on each of these machines daily and the desktop is my primary surfing PC using TE's. The last to update will be my Win 7 laptop machine at least at this time. I will probably do my wife's laptop next whild she is at work. I hope to give a good test of what Win 10 can do in the iNet environment.

[John Priestley]

Hey, that sounds like it keeps you busy. I have heard only good things from my friends around here, although I am still a bit reluctant to go ahead and do it myself after the motto: if it ain't bust, don't fix it (smile).

 

I am looking forward to your feedback, John.

[ckoch]

go to bleepingcomputer.com and tell them you problem they are free volunteers who help people clean up their computers.  you have an advertising virus im pretty sure

[John Priestley]

Hey, thanks for that. I will pop right on over there and ask them.

 

Have a grand day, John.

[John Priestley]

Got lots of nice input from bleeping computer. I am not really sure where to start. I will give it a thorough going over. Thanks for pointing me at the site. Have a grand day, John.

[John Priestley]

Well, I tried everything that was suggested and then it was time to renew my Norton subscription. Their new version (Norton Security) sorted it. I had been using Norton 360 and, for some reason, that hadn't found the problem. However, the next challenge is that my PDF editor now no longer works... 

 

Stay in touch, John.

[ckoch]

glad you got it sorted keep bleepingcomputer.com in your rolodex

[ckoch]

i took adobe off and went with foxit.  then foxit acted up was back on adobe now back tofoxit lol.  what editor are you using?

[John Priestley]

Oh, bleepingcomputer.com, is not only in my Rolodex, I have it saved away in other safe places, too.

 

Have a grand day, John.