Why would user.js keep getting created on PC boot-up?
My user.js file simply will not die. Every morning I start my computer to have the about:config setting 'general.useragent.override' and a user.js file which contains:
user_pref("general.useragent.override", "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:2.0.1) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/4.0.0; xs-16Qc283ciRs;CiSxfh;");
So every morning I delete and/or edit user.js and reset 'general.useragent.override' in about:config, if I don't I'm constantly badgered about having an out-of-date browser by everyone including Mozilla. Even this posting miss identified my Firefox version because I hadn't yet cleared out this setting.
I have determined that user.js is definitely being created/overwritten on start-up but I can't tell what's doing it.
Modified by boredtotears
Chosen solution
"Something" got installed on that PC in the past that is reinstalling that user.js file, probably when your PC is turned on and Windows is booted up.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:2.0.1) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/4.0.0; xs-16Qc283ciRs;CiSxfh;
Reading what is incorrect with that User Agent string; rv:2.0.1 = Gecko version of Firefox 2.0 from like 2006 - 2009 4.0.0 = from 2011 and either of those "tell" websites that you are using an old version xs-16Qc283ciRs;CiSxfh; = probably used to track users who inadvertently installed that Malware
You need to locate and remove whatever installed that garbage. View the Windows Control Panel > Add / Remove Programs to see what got installed that you don't need or don't use. Then uninstall the likely culprits.
Or do a search of the Windows Registry for that xs-16Qc283ciRs;CiSxfh; If you find it, remove it from the Registry.
Another solution would be to lock the 'user.js file after removing that line of code. With an empty & locked user.js file it can't be edited or reinstalled. IMO, that might be the most expedient and/or best solution for your problem.
Reinstalling Firefox or creating a new Profile won't do anything as ling as that crap is still hiding in Windows and the Registry. So don't even think of doing that; waste of time, IMO.
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Chosen Solution
"Something" got installed on that PC in the past that is reinstalling that user.js file, probably when your PC is turned on and Windows is booted up.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:2.0.1) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/4.0.0; xs-16Qc283ciRs;CiSxfh;
Reading what is incorrect with that User Agent string; rv:2.0.1 = Gecko version of Firefox 2.0 from like 2006 - 2009 4.0.0 = from 2011 and either of those "tell" websites that you are using an old version xs-16Qc283ciRs;CiSxfh; = probably used to track users who inadvertently installed that Malware
You need to locate and remove whatever installed that garbage. View the Windows Control Panel > Add / Remove Programs to see what got installed that you don't need or don't use. Then uninstall the likely culprits.
Or do a search of the Windows Registry for that xs-16Qc283ciRs;CiSxfh; If you find it, remove it from the Registry.
Another solution would be to lock the 'user.js file after removing that line of code. With an empty & locked user.js file it can't be edited or reinstalled. IMO, that might be the most expedient and/or best solution for your problem.
Reinstalling Firefox or creating a new Profile won't do anything as ling as that crap is still hiding in Windows and the Registry. So don't even think of doing that; waste of time, IMO.
In addition to the built-in msconfig, Microsoft offers another tool for discovering (and turning off) what runs at startup: