Note: Firefox comes in three or more folders on all computers. They are;

Maintenance: (Programs Folder) <Windows Only>
Firefox itself: (Programs Folder)
And two folders in the profile of each user on the computer for each Firefox profile for that user.

If you remove the Firefox folder, the user profiles would not be affected.

Use these links to create a new profile. Use this new profile as is. Is the problem still there?

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-run-firefox-when-profile-missing-inaccessible

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox#Navigating_to_the_profile_folder

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-firefox-profiles

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/back-and-restore-information-firefox-profiles

Type about:profiles<enter> in the address bar.

Hi Mark, when you say this part --

I pressed the Finish icon which also said open Firefox now and the same "My backup" website came up.

Is this a web page displayed in Firefox? What is the address -- you should be able to copy/paste it from the address bar.

If you launch a new window using Ctrl+n does that same page come up or Firefox's built-in home page?

Thank-you jscher2000 and thank-you also Arman Khan and Fred McD.

I am 62 years old and relatively new to computers so please forgive my slow understanding of your sound advice.

Jscher........So yes, yesterday I took your advice and downloaded the "full" or offline installer through the link that you gave me. It certainly was different and more successful to my previous attempt because I actually got to the finished icon having gone through all the "next" icons. Therefore in the blue part at the bottom of my screen there is now a Firefox icon.

Each time I press on the icon I get the website which is called "MyPCBackup: Online Backup". It suggests that I get their free backup support.

When I then open a new tab on this same page.....I think that I am on the Firefox browser.....because it says " New Tab" and there is a Firefox icon at the top left of the page. Popular things are highlighted such as Amazon, Ebay, You Tube etc. So is does this mean that the download has been successful?? It says "Google" in the enter box , but presumably that is what it is meant to say?

Therefore every time I press the Firefox icon at the bottom of my screen I still always get the "MyPCBackup" website. If I also go onto a new tab on that page that appears and press Ctrl + n as you suggested, I get the same "MyPCBackup" website.

Arman Khan....I have not uninstalled completely Firefox at this stage because there was other advice not to and I am not sure exactly whether I would be doing harm?

Fred McD.....thank-you also for your input.....it says "user continued here" with a number 1291095 after it ....I am not sure what to do with this....also you say Firefox comes in 3 or more folders....and that if I remove Firefox the user profiles would not be effected ....with some links underneath to use.....again I am not sure what this means ....please forgive my lack of understanding.

Regards Mark

McCoy said

Re :   https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1291095
Could it have anything to do with this (?):
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/mypc-backup-virus-removal/
Also see   these search results .....

Each time I press on the icon I get the website which is called "MyPCBackup: Online Backup". It suggests that I get their free backup support.

When I then open a new tab on this same page.....I think that I am on the Firefox browser.....because it says " New Tab" and there is a Firefox icon at the top left of the page. Popular things are highlighted such as Amazon, Ebay, You Tube etc. So is does this mean that the download has been successful?? It says "Google" in the enter box , but presumably that is what it is meant to say?

Therefore every time I press the Firefox icon at the bottom of my screen I still always get the "MyPCBackup" website. If I also go onto a new tab on that page that appears and press Ctrl + n as you suggested, I get the same "MyPCBackup" website.

Thanks, Mark. Sounds like: startup page and new window page => bad, new tab => good.

Could you check your Firefox "home page" setting -- that's the page Firefox shows in a new window or at startup (assuming you don't have Firefox set to restore your previous session automatically). It seems somehow to be tied to that advertising page instead of the built-in page. I don't know where Firefox picked that up, but try fixing the setting first and see whether that helps. This article should get you to the correct part of the Options page:

How to set the home page

One possible culprit would be an extension. Normally a new installation doesn't have any extensions, so it's not likely you'll find anything here, but when anything strange is going on, it's worth a look. You can view, disable, and often remove unwanted or unknown extensions on the Add-ons page. Either:

• Ctrl+Shift+a (Mac: Command+Shift+a)
• "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons
• type or paste about:addons in the address bar and press Enter/Return

In the left column of the Add-ons page, click Extensions. On the right side, find the "Manage Your Extensions" heading.

Then cast a critical eye over the list below that heading. Any extensions Firefox installs for built-in features are hidden from this page, so everything listed here is your choice (and your responsibility) to manage. Anything suspicious or that you just do not remember installing or why? If in doubt, disable (or remove). For your privacy and security, don't let mystery programs linger here.

Any improvement?

Thanks Jscher........

Yes I think that you are correct.....startup page and new windows page =bad.....new tab=good

When I press the house icon which represents the Home Page, the same "MyPCBackup" web page comes up.

So I used the 3rd option that you suggested and I typed about:addons and got a search list so I pressed addons.mozilla.org and I got the Firefox Browser Addons Page. I then clicked on "Extensions" and it is is a generic page that lists the categories of extensions. It give the "Recommended extensions" , "Top rated extensions" and "Trending extensions". It is a generic Mozilla page and not personal to my download? None of the extensions listed on this generic page is anything that I have installed (I would not know how to).......Am I interpreting what you have told me correctly ?? or am I looking for extensions that are personal to the download?

Hello Mark,

Did you take a look at FredMcD's last post ?

Sorry, before looking at any new extensions, let's go back to fixing your home page setting. If the steps in the article --

How to set the home page

-- didn't get you to the proper location, here's how I suggest finding it:

Open the Options page using:

• Windows: "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Options
• Mac: "3-bar" menu button (or Firefox menu) > Preferences
• Linux: "3-bar" menu button (or Edit menu) > Preferences
• Any system: type or paste about:preferences into the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it

In the left column, click Home

Then on the right side, you should see this area:

I suspect your home page is set to some advertising page. Try clicking the Restore Defaults button and see whether:

(A) That works immediately for new windows (Ctrl+n)

(B) That sticks after the next time you exit out of Firefox and start it up again

If it doesn't work or doesn't stick, please see the earlier suggestion to investigate malware on your system that is hijacking your browser home pages.

Also: Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware

Wow ....this is such great feedback from all of you...

McCoy......Yes this the MyPC Back virus removal issue talked about in the Malwaretips.com blog.....so I could go through this procedure.....

Jscher....thanks again......so shall I do what you have just suggested above first.....I would think so.....I could do that in a while......or shall I do first what McCoy suggested and go through the steps to remove the MyPCback up (it doesn't seem to be a virus from what the blog said but an advertising attempt to get you to pay for their services)

Just not sure what to do first guys!

Mark

Hi Mark, I suspect you'll need to do both and you could start with either.

I think that has solved it jscher.....I did what you said and click on home having typed in about:preferences in the menu and "MyPCBackUp was there so I clicked on Restore Defaults and when I now open up Firefox it shows the correct Home Page. Well done. I am still searching "Google" ...is that correct? ie I am now searching Google but instaed of using Google Chrome I am using Firefox? Shall I delete the previous unsuccessful downloads in my Downloads file or just leave everything as it is? thank-you

Hi Mark, when you first install Firefox, it sends your searches to Google by default. Google pays Mozilla to do that, and this makes it possible to build Firefox. If you want to try a different search engine, you can experiment using the row of buttons at the bottom of the drop-down below the suggestions. Perhaps you'll find one you like better??

You can delete the Setup files from your Downloads folder any time. Those are no longer needed. (Firefox updates at least monthly, so those files will become obsolete in a few weeks.)

Finally, it's weird that this unwanted home page could be pushed into your Firefox so quickly in the first place. If the problem comes back after doing a regular shut down and restart of Windows, of course you can fix the Firefox setting again, but it would make sense to research whether there is malware on your system at that point.

Thanks again jscher.

".....try a different search engine, you can experiment using the row of buttons at the bottom of the dropdown below the suggestions......"

where are these row of buttons at the bottom of the dropdown below the suggestions? I couldn't see anything on the home page? I would like to experiment with different search engines .....

Secondly my reason for installing Firefox, is because I own a Dell Latitude 131 laptop which runs on Windows 7 and I have decided to keep running it on Windows 7 because the laptop is not compatible with Windows 10 and also I did not really want to spend £700-00 or so on a new laptop. A site called SecureBlitz has written a good article on how to stay on Windows 7.

I need also to install a good anti virus system and get a back up facility......any ideas on that? Also to dis install Windows 10 updates but I don't think that these will be coming through if my computer is not compatible with Windows 10 although my computer does still install updates (normally 3) each time I turn it off.

Advice gratefully accepted on the malware issue....at the moment everything is good thank-you.

".....try a different search engine, you can experiment using the row of buttons at the bottom of the dropdown below the suggestions......"
where are these row of buttons at the bottom of the dropdown below the suggestions? I couldn't see anything on the home page? I would like to experiment with different search engines .....

You should see a row of "one-click" or "this time" buttons appearing as you start typing your query.

I don't know what security software is best for Windows 7, but I'm sure there is a lot of info on that online still.