# Bing has invaded my Firefox!



## Guest (Sep 19, 2010)

I downloaded and installed an app that is supposed to let you put smileys in your facebook posts. I didn't know it came with Bing. 

Bing made itself my default search in both IE and FF. It also made itself my home page in both browsers.

I was able to get rid of it in IE, but not in FF. I finally uninstalled the app to see if that would do it. That did not get rid of it in FF.

I have looked at all the options I can find in FF to change my default search and home page in FF. I keep manually changing my home page but Bing puts itself back as the homepage! And I can't find anywhere at all to change the default search.

I looked in add/remove programs but Bing isn't there.

How do I get rid of it?!


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

In a new FF window, clear the url search area and type in "about:config" without the quotes.

Click past the warning message and in the filter field, enter in "bing" without the quotes.

This will display where any instances of bing is configured in FF. 

The option (most likely) is the browser.search.defaultenginename. If this shows Bing, double click on it and change it google (or yahoo etc).

Restart FF and let us know if that worked.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

What he said. If THAT doesn't work, I'd probably 'completely' remove Firefox. To do that, just Google (or Bing - hardee har har) "Completely remove Firefox." Just make sure you backup bookmarks before you do.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Actually, Bing has really made itself an issue. I'm a little surprised that Microsoft would traffic in tactics like that. They should know by now that it turns people off.


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## Guest (Sep 19, 2010)

Kari said:


> In a new FF window, clear the url search area and type in "about:config" without the quotes.
> 
> Click past the warning message and in the filter field, enter in "bing" without the quotes.
> 
> ...


That worked, thanks!


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## Guest (Sep 19, 2010)

Nevada said:


> Actually, Bing has really made itself an issue. I'm a little surprised that Microsoft would traffic in tactics like that. They should know by now that it turns people off.


It surprised me too. That's a low trick.

When I uninstalled the smiley app, I was taken to a page where they wanted me to explain why I uninstalled it. So I told them I did so because it put Bing on my system.


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

ladycat said:


> It surprised me too. That's a low trick.
> 
> When I uninstalled the smiley app, I was taken to a page where they wanted me to explain why I uninstalled it. So I told them I did so because it put Bing on my system.



I very highly doubt that Microsoft had anything to do with this. Any programmer can have the installer or the program upon startup, make any number of changes to your pc without you knowing about it or asking you first. Good example is any malware program that hijacks your pc. 

Just be glad that the program only changed your home page settings (that you know of anyway)...it could of been much worse.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

What he said. I've installed and uninstalled Bing any number of times; and it's about as low-key as Google is - which is part of Bing's point, I think.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Al of the times that I have downloaded things there is a BOX you uncheck if you do not want say a google toolbar etc., are you sure there was no place to uncheck the download Bing before you did it.
I have never gotten things I did not want because I watch out for those boxes where it says to uncheck if you do not want those added programs.


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

arabian knight said:


> Al of the times that I have downloaded things there is a BOX you uncheck if you do not want say a google toolbar etc., are you sure there was no place to uncheck the download Bing before you did it.
> I have never gotten things I did not want because I watch out for those boxes where it says to uncheck if you do not want those added programs.


Yes and no. There was a study done a few years back that found that about 40% of "free" programs installed other apps and altered user settings such as home pages without visually notifying the user via a GUI. The consent was actually given in the EULA, however less then 2% of users read these or bother reading any privacy policies.

Ironically, we just evaluated a very popular software program that has great techincal potential, however it was ultimately rejected due to it changing some user settings without visually telling the user via the GUI...however it was denoted in the EULA.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

At the start of me getting a computer at home I downloaded "free" Weather Bug.
It "took Over my computer so badly I had to put the computer back in time before I downloaded it.
Since then NO free not one thing free Have I downloaded into my computer.
Says something about stuff that is free. No more getting free smiieys, no more getting free screen savers. No more getting free stuff period.
OR if I do, which is very very seldom, I will use only sites that say no unwanted downloads will be added. Like some free spell checking ones etc.
I tried my best to keep my PC's 100% as much as I could Microsoft. Or programs that worked well with MS.
Now though I have a Mac so very few things out there now are free, and it doesn't bother me one bit.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

If you download NOTHING free, you're missing out on a lot of things. Suffice to say that part of the reason that I was recommended as a moderator of this very subforum (long before becoming a backup tech admin to this site) is because I proved myself with my suggestions/intuition. One of the things I did was to suggest that users could install an 'untested piece of software with no EULA' on their computers to their benefit. I was lambasted for it @ the time.

That piece of software? CCleaner. I think it's proved itself over time, by and large.  Same goes with Malwarebytes and a host of other software programs, which were all 'beta' or some even 'alpha' when I recommended them...and are now either being sold, or have both free and paid offerings, and are VERY popular.

Not saying that everything I suggest should be followed...just that there IS a lot of high-quality free stuff out there.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

....however, in my extremely limited malware experience... there's no such thing as "free smileys"... I've gotten to where if I dl any new software, I set a restore point, just in case I get some satan ware. I hate with a passion anything that changes my settings, especially when you uncheck the appropriate boxes.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

texican it sounds like we kind of agree on "free smileys". To me they are like a boil on the butt of mankind. Play heck and really slow up forums or whatever for those still on dial up Net. 

Close behind are some of the free greeting card sites. Used to be some really good ones until so many wound up with viruses being attached to them. Never did get one and always try to keep malware and anti-virus programs updated and running.

Happy 99 was the only thing I've ever had problems with and it was a very easy fix.


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