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Reset "about:home" search engine?

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When I search from the home page it used to give me Google results, but that somehow got changed by AVG Anti Virus and now it goes to an AVG Safe Search results page. I've since switched to a different anti virus and completely uninstalled AVG, including any Add-Ons I could find. I've scoured the "about:config" page for anything related to AVG. I did find a few elements that seemed related, but resetting them to default hasn't changed anything. Any help would be appreciated.

When I search from the home page it used to give me Google results, but that somehow got changed by AVG Anti Virus and now it goes to an AVG Safe Search results page. I've since switched to a different anti virus and completely uninstalled AVG, including any Add-Ons I could find. I've scoured the "about:config" page for anything related to AVG. I did find a few elements that seemed related, but resetting them to default hasn't changed anything. Any help would be appreciated.

Chosen solution

Reset the browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone pref via the right-click context menu to the default on the about:config page and close and restart Firefox to restore the about:home page to its default.

  1. Open the about:config page via the location bar
  2. Type in the Filter bar: mstone
  3. Right-click the browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone line and select: Reset
  4. Close and restart Firefox

If this didn't help then delete the delete the chromeappsstore.sqlite file in the Firefox Profile Folder and repeat the above.

Read this answer in context 👍 5

All Replies (6)

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Chosen Solution

Reset the browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone pref via the right-click context menu to the default on the about:config page and close and restart Firefox to restore the about:home page to its default.

  1. Open the about:config page via the location bar
  2. Type in the Filter bar: mstone
  3. Right-click the browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone line and select: Reset
  4. Close and restart Firefox

If this didn't help then delete the delete the chromeappsstore.sqlite file in the Firefox Profile Folder and repeat the above.

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Great Sin, thank you! It worked! I would never have found that element.

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You're welcome.

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did that, after i restart the setting turned back to "user set".

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Do you have a mozilla.cfg file in the Firefox program folder?

  • (32 bit Windows) C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\
  • (64 bit Windows) C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\

If you do not keep changes after a restart then see:

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I shouldn't be allowed near torrents when I'm drunk... Now when I try to search from the home page, it doesn't search. I can type in something to search for and click the "search" button or press "Enter" and nothing happens. I expect this is another about:config element, but I haven't the first clue what it would be called.