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Firefox address bar search engine keep resetting to fileserve home

  • 10 replies
  • 64 have this problem
  • 5 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

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I downloaded the Fileserve Manager (http://www.fileservemanager.com/) a couple months ago and used it briefly before uninstalling it. The program installed a toolbar by default, and I made sure to quickly remove this too. The problem I'm having is that the search engine for my URL bar keeps getting reset to fileservehome.com every time I start up Firefox. I can reset the keyword.URL in about:config, but every time I start up FF it changes back. I've tried searching for "fileserve" in the about:config search bar but nothing comes up. I've deleted every file on my computer with the word fileserve in it and I've run malware bytes multiple times. I've restarted firefox with no extensions running and it still happens. I'm running Firefox 4 and can't figure out how to fix this damn thing. I don't want to switch over to Chrome but it might be my only option if I can't figure this out... If you've got an idea about how to fix this please let me know!

I downloaded the Fileserve Manager (http://www.fileservemanager.com/) a couple months ago and used it briefly before uninstalling it. The program installed a toolbar by default, and I made sure to quickly remove this too. The problem I'm having is that the search engine for my URL bar keeps getting reset to fileservehome.com every time I start up Firefox. I can reset the keyword.URL in about:config, but every time I start up FF it changes back. I've tried searching for "fileserve" in the about:config search bar but nothing comes up. I've deleted every file on my computer with the word fileserve in it and I've run malware bytes multiple times. I've restarted firefox with no extensions running and it still happens. I'm running Firefox 4 and can't figure out how to fix this damn thing. I don't want to switch over to Chrome but it might be my only option if I can't figure this out... If you've got an idea about how to fix this please let me know!

Chosen solution

had the same problem and found a good solution what i did was

this is on a windows 7

go to My Computer -> C: -> Users -> (your computer name) -> AppData(hidden folder) -> Roaming -> Mozilla -> Firefox -> Profile -> (random alphanumeric combination).default

ex. C:\Users\Elli\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\89rnmjg8.default

this is mine, Elli and 89rnmjg8.default will be different

in here find user.js open it with a notepad or some other advance text editor(notepad++ or ultraedit) inside you will see the annoying url of fileservetoolbar change it to your desired url and save it mine was

http://www.google.com/search?btnG=Google+Search&q=

(generic google query search, not the feeling lucky thing)

note that you must change it there the next time you want to change it, you can't change it from about:config, if i found out how to change it i'll tell you, maybe you can uninstall firefox and delete every firefox related file there is like all the profiles and stuff and start anew.

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All Replies (10)

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Followed everything described on that page, but when it generates a new profile the search engine is still this fileserve thing.

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1-Type about:config in your Firefox address bar.

2-You’ll be returned by a warning message stating, “THIS MIGHT VOID YOUR WARRANTY”

3-Click on “I’ll be careful, I Promise!”

4-Then in the top search bar Type “KEYWORD.URL“

5-Firefoxsearchfromaddressbar How to configure Firefox address bar Search Engine

Then Click on “KEYWORD.URL” to change its value.

6-You are done!!

Various Search Engines:

Google Search: http://www.google.co.in/search?btnG=Google+Search&q=

Google Search with I’m Feeling Lucky: http://www.google.co.in/search?btnI=I%27m+Feeling+Lucky&q=

Yahoo! Search: http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=

Bing(Live) Search: http://www.bing.com/search?q=

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?fulltext=Search&search=

Modified by mondopowers

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i thought mondo had the answer but it keeps reverting back so here's what I did.

I did a search in the filter bar for "keyword"...which got me 2 results. Then I clicked on the keyword.enabled line and toggled it to false. The fileserve keyword url is still listed but this seemed to turn it off.

So now when you type in "apple" in the address bar it takes you to apple.com instead of the filesearch page. BASTARDS!

Modified by purpleheadedwarrior

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Thanks man, that's a lot better. It's a shame I can't get the google search there but no search is better than that fileserve crap.

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Chosen Solution

had the same problem and found a good solution what i did was

this is on a windows 7

go to My Computer -> C: -> Users -> (your computer name) -> AppData(hidden folder) -> Roaming -> Mozilla -> Firefox -> Profile -> (random alphanumeric combination).default

ex. C:\Users\Elli\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\89rnmjg8.default

this is mine, Elli and 89rnmjg8.default will be different

in here find user.js open it with a notepad or some other advance text editor(notepad++ or ultraedit) inside you will see the annoying url of fileservetoolbar change it to your desired url and save it mine was

http://www.google.com/search?btnG=Google+Search&q=

(generic google query search, not the feeling lucky thing)

note that you must change it there the next time you want to change it, you can't change it from about:config, if i found out how to change it i'll tell you, maybe you can uninstall firefox and delete every firefox related file there is like all the profiles and stuff and start anew.

Modified by ventehxieteh

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YOU ALL ARE GENII!!!

Modified by sirgentleman

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Thank you!!!

Modified by sirgentleman

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I have the same problem, but using Windows XP. I tried to change the keyword.url in about:config to google, but after restart the firefox or the machine the value always returns to fileservehome... Who can help me, please ?

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See:


Start Firefox in Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode to check if one of the extensions or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox (Tools) > Add-ons > Appearance/Themes).