How to get rid of Babylon search for ever?
Hi, Somehow, Babylon toolbar and search provider got installed. And now I want to get rid of it. So, 1) I uninstalled it from "add or remove programs" in the control panel 2) cleared out the "add-ons" from all the browsers and even 3) searched the registry for "Babylon" and deleted all the traces of it 4) searched C: drive for the keyword "Babylon" and deleted all the folders
But still to my surprise, the search results of about:home in Firefox 11.0 came out of "Babylon"
Réiteach roghnaithe
For those of you who are infected By Babylon, these steps should help you remove it fully:
- Click Start, then Control Panel, then Uninstall a Program. Remove anything related to Babylon.
- Open Firefox. Type about:addons into your address bar, press Enter. Click on Extensions, then Remove any Babylon or other unwanted toolbars and extensions. Restart Firefox.
- Install https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/searchreset/
- Download and Install MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, run a full Scan. http://www.malwarebytes.org/. This helps check that there are no viruses on your computer causing issues. You can uninstall this program after you clean off any infections.
This should help fully remove Babylon. Another technique that you can do is to do a Full Firefox Reset. Refresh Firefox - reset add-ons and settings
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I don't have a browsemngr.dll file anywhere on my system either. It's a real 'ghost in the machine' scenario.
The webpage you quoted only supplies their current paid for version. The last free version required googling to find. I guess I must have picked a bad download site. Or else one of those with so many buttons that you think your downloading the file but in fact it's something else.
Ah well, as I said, it seems successfully deactivated. It's just really annoying knowing that somewhere, somehow, it can keep reinstating those FF configuration settings.
Neale,
somehow, it can keep reinstating those FF configuration settings
If preferences reset it is likely either
- you still have Babylon related software installed that is able to modify things, unfortunately filenames may not be obvious
If problems persist consider starting your own thread by using /questions/new and maybe we will get to the bottom of the problem. (Post again in this thread if you do and we can find and cross reference the new thread)
- a user.js file is overriding settings when you restart Firefox
see http://kb.mozillazine.org/User.js_file
Good job John99 - as you indicated Babylon had created a user.js file. I found the folder using Help> Troubleshooting Information' - it was tucked away in:
C:\Users\Neale\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\owen8ecc.default.
I renamed the user.js file that Babylon had created and the Babylon entries no longer appear under 'about:config'.
I have no idea how a profile 'owen8ecc' got created. Nothing I recall consciously doing and I don't know any Owens.
Either way - Babylon seems to have gone for ever! ... until the next time ;-)
Glad you fixed it.
I have no idea how a profile 'owen8ecc' got created. Nothing I recall consciously doing and I don't know any Owens.
Firefox creates profile folder names with some leading pseudo random characters. If for instance you ever use the new reset feature you will see that in action. Alternativley other software may have cloned and modified the profile.
See also
Another thing that might help would be to enter "about:config" in the address bar, and check the entry for "keyword:url". If a keyword search is entered in the address bar, the search is sent to the search engine the character string points to. It's a Firefox preference that could still be aimed at Babylon, even if you have expunged the toolbar and other app and plugin items.
Be careful when you tinker in there, though. Just like in the antique store, things can get broken.
If for instance you ever use the new reset feature you will see that in action.
That will be it then. Reset was one of the suggestions for getting rid of Babylon.
check the entry for "keyword:url".
That's fine, it's an empty string.
This thread is rather long and dificult to read and is already solved for the origianl thread owner so I am going to lock it.
Note there will be a header reminding you to start your own thread if you have problems ( use link /questions/new )
I will sumarise some of the thread content.
- There is a chosen solution that we would expect that to work in almost all cases.
- Babylon may install with different bundles and file names and exact installs are likely to differ, that is one reason why it is a good idea to start new threads with full details
- once software is removed settings will almost certainly need resetting
- cor-el recomends trying extension https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/searchreset/
- sometimes a user.js file may have been created, and renaming or deleting that may prevent the problem of settings changing back when you restart firefox (see)
- browsemngr.dll is known to be involved in some Babylon uninstal problems
- a link to a babylon Support centre was given in a comment by kischmir along with a reminder that Babylon is likely to change any other browsers behaviour, not just Firefox
If anyone has information considered very important send me a PM (I am sure cor-el or TylerDowner would also help) and I will consider adding it to the locked thread. By important I am thinking of links to other solved posts, or names of files and software involved with this issue.