Links open in new tab as default search engine page
Hi, when I click on links they sometimes open in a new tab as my default search engine page. For example, if I have google set as my default search engine, if I click on a link it opens a new tab, the correct link address appears in the address bar, it starts to load then suddenly it switches to the google search engine home page:
Example 1: https://www.google.com.au/webhp?ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=tfTPVtKzBsG7mgX-k4DQAw
Example 2: https://www.google.com.au/webhp?ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=tPjPVs75H4PlmAXL-rfQCQ
Example 3: https://www.google.com.au/webhp?ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=g_nPVsnkMuPMmAXU6bnoAg
Notice how in each example, after .com.au there is a huge string of data. The only part that always changes is after the cr&ei=
I've tried everything I can think of, system restores, downgrading, reinstalling flash, starting in safe mode, uninstalling and removing all firefox folders from PC, nothing fixes it and I can't find any mention of this issue on the web.
Is there anyone here who understands the mechanism of what is occurring that redirects the link to my default search engine? How would this be happening? It seams that this would have to be an issue with firefox because if I change the default search engine in the firefox settings then the issue starts happening with the new default search engine.
How do I troubleshoot this? How do I work out what is redirecting the links? I'd appreciate it so much if someone would help.
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What are the links that are doing this? All of them?
Type about:addons<enter> in the address bar to open your Add-ons Manager. Hot key; <Control>(Mac=<Command>)<Shift> A)
In the Add-ons Manager, on the left, select Extensions. Remove Google Anything. Now do the same in the computers Programs Folder.
Windows: Start > Control Panel > Uninstall Programs. Mac: Open the "Applications" folder. Linux: Check your user manual.
You may have ad / mal-ware. Further information can be found in the Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware article.
Run most or all of the listed malware scanners. Each works differently. If one program misses something, another may pick it up.
Any link at all, the following are some links that the issue has occurred with:
http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?wdc_lang=en&fid=wdsfMyBook_Essential
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/182035247076
It occurs randomly. For example, suddenly when I click on a link in an email the issue will occur but the rest of the time there's no issue with email links. Then I'll click on the link again and sometimes it gets redirected again, sometimes it doesn't. Once the link is working then I can go back and click on it and it will always work. Other times I'll click on links in a search result and suddenly one link gets redirected. There is no pattern that I can determine to this issue, it happens randomly with any link. Even links on webpages.
I have no Google extensions. But as mentioned if I change my default search engine in the firefox settings then the issue starts redirecting to the newly selected search engine, for example:
https://au.yahoo.com/###############################
Next I'll give the malware programs a try.
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http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?wdc_lang=en&fid=wdsfMyBook_Essential takes me to; http://support.wdc.com/downloads.aspx?DL
Both pages loaded fine.
Those links are examples of links that the issue has occurred with, the rest of the time the links work fine and are not redirected to the default search engine page (as set in the firefox settings). This issue happens randomly, most of the time all links work fine but then out of the blue, for no reason that I can figure out, a link is suddenly redirected. If it was some kind of malware then you would think it would redirect me to a website but the fact that it redirects me to the default search engine page; and that can be set in the firefox settings then it seems like it's something to do with firefox. If I set it to Yahoo, it redirects me to Yahoo, if I set it to Google, it redirects me to Google etc.