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The webpage auto directs to a site 'Hotstar'. I set the options to 'Warn me when websites try to redirect or reload the page'. This worked for a day only.

  • 5 odgovori
  • 1 ima ovaj problem
  • 15 views
  • Posljednji odgovor poslao IvyJoseph

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I notice that you have stated that this is only an accessibility option. Then kindly show me how to solve the issue otherwise. The javascript answer provided in the forum went over my head.

I notice that you have stated that this is only an accessibility option. Then kindly show me how to solve the issue otherwise. The javascript answer provided in the forum went over my head.

All Replies (5)

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What is the current setting in "Options/Preferences > Advanced"?

  • Firefox > Options/Preferences > Advanced > General : Accessibility : [ ] "Warn me when web sites try to redirect or reload the page"

Note that a website can redirect via other ways that are not covered by this accessibility setting.

Can you post a link to a publicly accessible page (i.e. no authentication or signing on required)?

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Type about:config in the address bar, press Enter, accept the warning and search the line accessibility.blockautorefresh.

Its value should be true when Warn me when websites try to redirect or reload the page is activated on about:preferences#advanced page.

Check again after restarting your computer. If value is back to false, we will consider other solution.

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This sounds like a malware infection, and you can't really paper over it with a checkbox. Here's my suggested procedure for tracking down and cleaning up bad add-ons. I know it seems long, but it's really not that bad.

(1) Open the Windows Control Panel, Uninstall a Program (XP: Add/Remove Programs). After the list loads, click the "Installed on" column heading to group the infections, I mean, additions, by date. (XP may not have this column, try sorting by Last Used) This can help in smoking out undisclosed bundle items that snuck in with some software you agreed to install. Be suspicious of everything you do not recognize/remember, as malware often uses important or innocent sounding names to discourage you from removing it. Take out as much trash as possible here.

(2) Open Firefox's Add-ons page using either:

  • Ctrl+Shift+a
  • "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons
  • in the Windows "Run" dialog, type or paste
    firefox.exe "about:addons"

In the left column, click Plugins. Set nonessential and unrecognized plugins to "Never Activate".

In the left column, click Extensions. Then, if in doubt, disable (or Remove, if possible) unrecognized and unwanted extensions. All extensions are optional; none come with Firefox.

Often a link will appear above at least one disabled extension to restart Firefox. You can complete your work on the tab and click one of the links as the last step.

Any improvement?

(3) You can search for remaining issues with the scanning/cleaning tools listed in our support article: Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware. These on-demand scanners are free and take considerable time to run. If they finish quickly and especially if they require payment, you may have a serious infection. I suggest the specialized forums listed in the article in that case.

Success?

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Also, if the unwanted site is HotStart (with a t on the end), you probably will need to reset your home page after cleaning up. These articles have the steps:

If you have an unwanted search engine, please see this article for how to remove it and select your preferred default: Use the Search bar in Firefox and manage search engines.

Finally, if your new tab page was changed, here's how you can change it back:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button promising to be careful.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste newtab and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the browser.newtab.url preference and enter your preferred page:

  • Page thumbnails (default) => about:newtab
  • Blank tab => about:blank
  • Built-in Firefox home page => about:home
  • Any other page => full URL to the page

Press Ctrl+t to open a new tab and verify that it worked. Fixed?

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I have opted for 'Warn me when web sites try to redirect or reload the page' in Firefox > Options/Preferences > Advanced > General : Accessibility.

And the value is true when i check it in 'about:config' which does not revert to false on restart.

Removing unwanted programs through Control Panel is how i try to keep the computer clean. However right now, i cannot trace any unwanted programs.

All plugins are at 'Ask to Activate' and Extensions are all disabled.

Also it is not 'Hotstart' that is troubling me, it is 'Hotstar'. No issues with homepage or new tab or unwanted search engines.

Will try the link given for cleaning malware.