several different: crashes, add-ons, & settings
settings: is this "my quick links" thing part of firefox? If so, how do I get rid of it? Thanks.
add-ons & crashes: I had downloaded the [I JUST in the middle of typing this, had firefox crashed] i had just downloaded the one click youtube downloaded for about the 3rd or 4th time (it kept stopping working). I downloaded a couple of videos and then the third one just wouldn't work.
I kept trying and all of a sudden firefox started acting really strangely: the labels on the tabs all changed to "new tab" even though they were still the pages they had been. When I'd click on a tab it would not turn lighter like normal, but stay the darked-out shade of the not-in-use tabs, even though that tab's window did open up.
I thought, this is not cool, and closed down everything and restarted the computer. And for the first time in the year I have had this computer I tried logging in the way I had every time, with my picture password, and for the first time... the password was "incorrect." (It wasn't but the computer thought it was.)
The main user, who was the administrator, had been wiped out. The files were still there. The administrator was not. "He" has disappeared. (The folks at the Microsoft store agreed.)
Any thoughts? (PS. I am not on the machine on which this happened -- it's at the Microsoft store. But most of what was on it is on this (it was transferred) and this is an identical machine. I'll click the "automatically add" button below, but wanted you to know this in case it makes any differ.)ence
Vybrané riešenie
Do a malware check with some malware scanning programs on the Windows computer.
Please scan with all programs because each program detects different malware.
All these programs have free versions.
Make sure that you update each program to get the latest version of their databases before doing a scan.
- Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php - AdwCleaner:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivirus/Removal-Tools/AdwCleaner.shtml - SuperAntispyware:
http://www.superantispyware.com/ - Microsoft Safety Scanner:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-us/default.aspx - Windows Defender: Home Page:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx - Spybot Search & Destroy:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html - Kasperky Free Security Scan:
http://www.kaspersky.com/security-scan
You can also do a check for a rootkit infection with TDSSKiller.
- Anti-rootkit utility TDSSKiller:
http://support.kaspersky.com/5350?el=88446
See also:
- "Spyware on Windows": http://kb.mozillazine.org/Popups_not_blocked
Všetky odpovede (9)
Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance).
- Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window.
Hi again, cor-el (does this mean you're related to superman?)
1. On the machine where this happened, there is no administrator so no changes can be made. That machine is now in the shop.
2. The machine I'm on now is not where the problem happened....
Regarding the "switch to default" thing -- is that regarding the "MY quick link" thing? If I switch to default, will any info be lost?
Thanks again.
Switching to the default theme is probably not required for this issue, but it is always best to follow some generic steps when troubleshooting how to fix issues (you might need it for other problems).
In Firefox Safe mode these changes are effective:
- all extensions are disabled (about:addons)
- default theme is used (no persona)
- userChrome.css and userContent.css are ignored (chrome folder)
- default toolbar layout is used (file: localstore-safe.rdf)
- Javascript JIT compilers are disabled (prefs: javascript.options.*jit)
- hardware acceleration is disabled (Options > Advanced > General)
- plugins are not affected
- preferences are not affected
I'm sorry. I asked too many questions at one time, so I'll do them one at a time -- I'm just getting confused this way!
So:
Is this "my quick links" thing part of firefox? If so, how do I get rid of it? Thanks.
Can you give more details how this quick link manifests itself?
If this with opening a specific page?
Does anything come up if you open the about:config page via the location bar and search for this website?
If that is the case then try to reset those prefs via the right-click context menu to the default value.
If you do not keep changes after a restart or otherwise have problems with preferences, see:
Well, it sounds from your questions that this is not a part of firefox. I've asked Adblock Plus if they're aware of it -- I'm beginning to think it's some kind of malware.
I'll come back to my other questions later, one at a time.
Should I put them in this topic or start new ones?
Thanks.
PS I also suspect that this row of smileys popping up in response boxes in many apps is related.
Vybrané riešenie
Do a malware check with some malware scanning programs on the Windows computer.
Please scan with all programs because each program detects different malware.
All these programs have free versions.
Make sure that you update each program to get the latest version of their databases before doing a scan.
- Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php - AdwCleaner:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivirus/Removal-Tools/AdwCleaner.shtml - SuperAntispyware:
http://www.superantispyware.com/ - Microsoft Safety Scanner:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-us/default.aspx - Windows Defender: Home Page:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx - Spybot Search & Destroy:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html - Kasperky Free Security Scan:
http://www.kaspersky.com/security-scan
You can also do a check for a rootkit infection with TDSSKiller.
- Anti-rootkit utility TDSSKiller:
http://support.kaspersky.com/5350?el=88446
See also:
- "Spyware on Windows": http://kb.mozillazine.org/Popups_not_blocked
Well... It's taken me about 4-5 hours so far but I think this has done it, and I appreciate your help immensely. I'll come back with my other questions later -- one at a time! So thanks again.
By the way-- the Kasperky Free Security Scan wouldn't completely unload.