Why does Google show up as the search engine - when I have Firefox installed?
I installed firefox as my browser, because Google is having more and more problems and I do not want them as a search engine. But when I opened Firefox there was Google in the search bar????? It does not work. when I go to an initial website it is ok, but when I try to re-direct to another site - it hangs up and will not connect.
All Replies (2)
Google pays Mozilla to be the default search engine, but of course you can change it. The search bar is simplest: you just use the drop-down to choose a different search service. If your preferred site isn't available, let us know what it is. The address bar is next simplest, but you need to paste a new preference in through a slightly obscure method. Changing the search box on the built-in Firefox homepage is the hardest. The search box on the built-in Firefox homepage can be changed as described in the next post.
There is some malware going around that redirects Google results to random sites. Usually the pattern is that using the back button to return to the results and clicking again will take you to the correct site. If you think you might have this problem, check out this thread: Google Redirect Virus Removal.
As with many security issues, choose any new software tools with a degree of skepticism because some of the purported cures promoted on blogs and fixit sites may be worse than the disease.
Modified by jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
The search bar on the default about:home page uses the default search engine (pref: browser.search.defaultenginename)