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How to stop Firefox redirect to Qbyrd.com and search-results.com

joesmoe3
joesmoe3
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I installed Hotspot Shield at the request of Magic Jack tech support (some ISPs - including mine - block Magic Jack and Magic Jack tech support response is to have the customer download Hotspot Shield). Come to find out, something installed with Hotspot Shield has apparently hijacked Firefox, routing some -- though not most -- searches away from the intended page. For some urls, the typed URL is replaced with a new one starting with either qbyrd.com or search-results.com and the intended URL embedded in a seeming search string -- but the results are totally nonsensical.

I installed Hotspot Shield at the request of Magic Jack tech support (some ISPs - including mine - block Magic Jack and Magic Jack tech support response is to have the customer download Hotspot Shield). Come to find out, something installed with Hotspot Shield has apparently hijacked Firefox, routing some -- though not most -- searches away from the intended page. For some urls, the typed URL is replaced with a new one starting with either qbyrd.com or search-results.com and the intended URL embedded in a seeming search string -- but the results are totally nonsensical.

Modified by joesmoe3

All Replies (3)

Estevis
Estevis
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Hello, I've been having the same problem, solved by following these steps: 1 - I went into about: config 2 - at about the location bar, enter Qbyrd.com 3 - 4 results Qbyrd appeared to me: -browser.search.defaultengine - change Qbyrd => Google -browser.search.defaultenginename - change Qbyrd => Google -browser.search.order.1 - change Qbyrd => Google -keyword.URL - left as follows: http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&source=hp&biw=&bih=&q=

Edmundblackadder
Edmundblackadder
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I have started having a similar problem with a site called www.goo-get-it.com, who know what it is as thankfully McAfee blocks it. I have tried doing the above but there was no sign of the site on the lines mentioned above. All of the lines still have google on them, the browser I want to be using. I have run SpyBot, Malwarebytes and I have an up to date McAfee. None have them have picked anything up. Can anyone help as I can find nothing on general internet sites regarding this particular site/problem.

Brother_Hood
Brother_Hood
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@Edmundbackadder:

You could the following:

In "about:config", enter associated search tags like "goo", "get", "it" or "McAfee". If strings appear, right click on each one and choose "reset". Now if the string is changed to something other than "Google", I suggest you to delete it. To do so, you need to look into your user profile.

If using Windows 7 or Vista, go to "C:\Users\Your Username\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\Profile folder . If using Windows XP, go to "C:\Documents and Settings\Your Username\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\Profile folder.

Open the file "prefs.js" with Notepad and search (Ctrl+F) for the string names (or parts of it) you want to delete. Then simply mark the lines and delete them. Save changes and you should be done.


Another option is to create a new user profile or looking inside the user profile of another computer, which has not been modified by third party programs. Just search for "Google" in "about:config" and compare and adjust the regarding lines.

Modified by Brother_Hood