firefox keeps automatically changing default search engine

neil95 · 06-20-2009, 05:29 PM

Ok, for some reason, whenever I type something into the address bar and hit enter (for example "wikipedia"), instead of going to google which will try to guess the domain and then automatically redirecting to wikipedia.com, my searches get redirected to google.co.in. It's very annoying. I went to about:config a million times and reset the keyword.url value to the original

http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-...ient&gfns=1&q=

but whenever I exit out of firefox, this value is reset to

http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&q=

Please help

keithy397 · 06-26-2009, 03:27 AM

When Firefox exits, if the pref isn't saved it'll revert to the previous setting. For whatever reason, your changes in about:config don't seem to be saving.

Try resetting the pref from the prefs.js file in your profile folder:-

Close Firefox.

Go to your profile folder (windows) Documents and Settings > *Your User Name* > Application Data > Mozilla > Firefox > Profiles > *Your Profile Name* > prefs.js

Open the file with Notepad, look for the pref and change the default url to the one you want. Exit and save the file.

Restart Firefox.

Hopefully, that should do it.

neil95 · 06-27-2009, 11:58 AM

nope, that didn't work. firefox IS saving the about:config changes in the prefs.js. I know because after I went to about:config and reset the keyword.url valute to the default

http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-...ient&gfns=1&q=

This change showed up in the prefs.js

Firefox is automatically changing this to google.co.in whenever I restart firefox.

keithy397 · 06-27-2009, 06:20 PM

Have a look in your about:config entries again and look at these prefs:

browser.search.defaultenginename

and

browser.search.order.1

Any sign of google.co.in?

aniceguy · 06-28-2009, 05:41 AM

I suspect you have AVG installed. Visit here or view the thread I'm about to post in this section of the forum :)

http://www.avg.com/special-toolbar-h...tlbrf.tpl-mcr1

irahat · 06-28-2009, 04:13 PM

I think you should always clear the private data before exiting and if the problem continues try uninstall and then install it again I think you might got your problem solved.

neil95 · 06-29-2009, 10:13 AM

no sign of google.co.in in browserserachorder. and i don't have avg. clearing private data does nothing. i'll try reinstall.

06-20-2009, 05:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
neil95 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 12 OS: vista sp2	firefox keeps automatically changing default search engine Ok, for some reason, whenever I type something into the address bar and hit enter (for example "wikipedia"), instead of going to google which will try to guess the domain and then automatically redirecting to wikipedia.com, my searches get redirected to google.co.in. It's very annoying. I went to about:config a million times and reset the keyword.url value to the original http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-...ient&gfns=1&q= but whenever I exit out of firefox, this value is reset to http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&q= Please help

06-26-2009, 03:27 AM	#2 (permalink)
keithy397 Alternative Computing Team Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Anglesey, North Wales Posts: 480 OS: w2k pro	Re: firefox keeps automatically changing default search engine When Firefox exits, if the pref isn't saved it'll revert to the previous setting. For whatever reason, your changes in about:config don't seem to be saving. Try resetting the pref from the prefs.js file in your profile folder:- Close Firefox. Go to your profile folder (windows) Documents and Settings > Your User Name > Application Data > Mozilla > Firefox > Profiles > Your Profile Name > prefs.js Open the file with Notepad, look for the pref and change the default url to the one you want. Exit and save the file. Restart Firefox. Hopefully, that should do it. __________________ Cheers, Remember to clear Firefox cache regularly Tools > Options > Advanced > Network > Offline Storage > Clear Now Last edited by keithy397; 06-26-2009 at 03:28 AM.

06-27-2009, 11:58 AM	#3 (permalink)
neil95 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 12 OS: vista sp2	Re: firefox keeps automatically changing default search engine nope, that didn't work. firefox IS saving the about:config changes in the prefs.js. I know because after I went to about:config and reset the keyword.url valute to the default http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-...ient&gfns=1&q= This change showed up in the prefs.js Firefox is automatically changing this to google.co.in whenever I restart firefox.

06-27-2009, 06:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
keithy397 Alternative Computing Team Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Anglesey, North Wales Posts: 480 OS: w2k pro	Re: firefox keeps automatically changing default search engine Have a look in your about:config entries again and look at these prefs: browser.search.defaultenginename and browser.search.order.1 Any sign of google.co.in? __________________ Cheers, Remember to clear Firefox cache regularly Tools > Options > Advanced > Network > Offline Storage > Clear Now

06-28-2009, 05:41 AM	#5 (permalink)
aniceguy Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: UK Posts: 36 OS: Windows XP Pro	Re: firefox keeps automatically changing default search engine I suspect you have AVG installed. Visit here or view the thread I'm about to post in this section of the forum :) http://www.avg.com/special-toolbar-h...tlbrf.tpl-mcr1 __________________ Pete Facing Fears Album (charity fund raiser)

06-28-2009, 04:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
irahat Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 10 OS: xp	Re: firefox keeps automatically changing default search engine I think you should always clear the private data before exiting and if the problem continues try uninstall and then install it again I think you might got your problem solved.

06-29-2009, 10:13 AM	#7 (permalink)
neil95 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 12 OS: vista sp2	Re: firefox keeps automatically changing default search engine no sign of google.co.in in browserserachorder. and i don't have avg. clearing private data does nothing. i'll try reinstall.