Who the hell is Firefox/Mozilla?

[webbcraft2150]

I will admit I am more comfortable with a rachet in my hand than a keyboard so I am soliciting some help. With no input from myself, FirefoxMozillia has shown up on my PC and I cannot seem to get rid of it. It has slowed my PC to a crawl. I get a gillion screens that pop up (blocker on) before i can get to where I want to be. My Norton 'scription expires soon also. I need some help here. I hafta fix this before the daughter come home for Christmas break and she gives me the " geez, dad all you have to is........"

[Varnae]

Have you tried going to the add/remove programs area in your control panel and removing it that way? If that doesn't work, you could probably do a quick search on google on "how to remove firefox" that will give you exact step by step instructions on how to do it. It doesn't sound to me like you have a problem with firefox though, it sounds to me like somehow you've acquired some spyware on your computer. Just my two cents...

C²

[planedick]

Spy bug

I think you will find that the problem is much more than "Geez dad, you only have to.." Sounds like a bug has taken over and your computer is being used to send spam among other things and will require low level format and reloading. When You get that done get rid of Norton (it don't work) and get Avast. Its free and it really does work. You can get it online, just search.

[egleaves]

Not sure exactly what may be going on with your machine, but Firefox itself is not a bad thing. Firefox is simply a web browser made by Mozilla, just as Internet Explorer is made by Microsoft. I've been using Firefox for about six months now and I will never go back to Internet Explorer.

If you could post a screen shot it would be easier for someone to recognize the problem and help you fix it. By holding down the Ctrl key and pressing Print Screen (usually on the upper right side of the keyboard) you will create an image of exactly what is on your screen. It will appear as if nothing has happened, but the image will be copied to the clipboard just as if you used the "copy" command with text. You will need to "paste" the image into your favorite editing program so that you can save it as a jpeg and post it to the board.

It's not the simplest process, but if you do it a few times it's not hard.

As a side note, Firefox is able to simplify this multi-step process into just a few clicks, which is just one reason I love it.

[CatatonicBug]

I concur. Firefox is not your problem. You can remove it if you like, but having it on there will not affect the speed of your PC. You are infected with spyware (the only reason you would ever get pop-ups). There are many free, online scanners that you can use to get that junk off of your PC. My favorite is located here. It's called Housecall from TrendMicro (the makers of PCcillin). It takes a while (over an hour), but it works pretty well. We use it here in the office when needed.

I also agree that Norton is a waste. You should never have to pay for spyware/virus protection. There are plenty of free options out there.

[ccogswel]

Well Firefox to me is bad. I wouldn't have it. I have seen a few computers that had popups and adware from Firefox. Found out it depends on where you down load it from. Read the fine print. It speaks for it self before you download. If you get a legit copy then it may be alright but I'd still not have it for myself.

Do A Google search for SpyBot S&D. Download it. It's free. Before you use it check for any upgrades for it. Keep doing it until it has no more upgrades to be found. Then scan your computer. It will take up to a few hours. Depending on how much stuff you have on it. Then it will restart when it's done. When your computer starts back up it will again scan once more. You will notice that you have no icons on your screen when it starts the second scan. If after that you have any troubles. Look back at the website from SpyBot. Look for the forums section. Go in there and ask for some help and give a brief description of what you still are having. Someone there will reply with directions on what they want you to do. You will be asked to download some other progams which are all free. You will be posting alot back to the forum with what the programs had found. But when you get done your computer will be free and they help you fix any registry problems as well. So it will be nice and fast. I use Spybot all the time. It finds stuff none other program I used ever found. But the programs they will have you use will be more advanced then spybot and they will have you delete them when you get done as if your not carefull you can by accident screw up your own computer. So just make sure you follow their advice. If you have to ask for their help plan on a good day or two of work. Just depends on your internet connection and your time. It takes me 3 days as I'm on dial-up so my downloads take a while.

If you go this way. Good Luck!

[webbcraft2150]

I am gonna 86 Norton and try Avast. I gonna follow the other suggestions also. How hard can it be? Can't be no harder than a bank of carbs or a shorted wire somewhere.

[Ivan]

I would say you got some malware going on there.

Spybot S&D found here: http://www.safer-networking.org/index2.html

Spyware Blaster found here: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

And Avast! antivirus found here: http://www.avast.com/

Are all you should, as a casual user, need. Install and use them. Keep them updated and you should have no problems.

If you have Microsoft internet exploiter, you may need this: Hijack This! to reclaim your web browser.

As for firefox, it is a great browser, generally more secure and costomizable than microshaft stuff.

In the beginning, there was Netscape, and God said "It was good". Since God was on vacation after creating the universe and motorcycles, he decided that he would leave web browser development to computer geeks everywhere, and call it "open source" so that everyone could contribute. The resulting browser, the open source form of Netscape, was called "Mozilla" which was named after a terrible youtube video compilation in which Godzilla replaced one of the three stooges. Mozilla was a cross platform browser that worked so well, the masses cried out for a clean interface and an interoperable email client and free car washes. Thus was born Firefox (named after an equally spectacular Clint Eastwood move) and Thunderbird (named after the best car ever bestowed with a "-bird" name).

For more relevant information on the history of the internet look here: Keep your parents off the internet

And here: Every OS sucks

[madmax-im]

The best way to get rid of this crap is to do a system restore.Go back to the last restoration date before this stuff appeared on your computer...BTDT this will take some time but it should work...it will wipe out anything new after the last restoration date.Good luck...System restore can be found in the DOS when booting up your computer.On mine when you see the boot up page I hit F11 for system restore. Then get AVG I have it and it protects my computer..there is a free version but i is limited but will still work...I opted for a more complete protection,but I paid for it...its works quite well and i am fully protected.

[Shuriken]

My favorite is located here. It's called Housecall from TrendMicro (the makers of PCcillin). It takes a while (over an hour), but it works pretty well. We use it here in the office when needed.

+1 on TrendMicro Housecall.

[MrOzz]

Opera is a good web browser also. dump norton is a mem hog. Advast is great. I have used it for quite awhile and have not had any problems with it.

[Axel]

Try this

Maintain your comp with Cleanup by Steven Gould and CCleaner by Piriform which overlaps Cleanup a bit but has a registry cleaner, Startup help and its own Add/Remove program screen.There is a screen for cookies that you want to keep as well but most cookies loaded on with out your permission are not good. I use them both all the time . They are free .

[MrOzz]

Maintain your comp with Cleanup by Steven Gould and CCleaner by Piriform...

Two Great progams. I also use them. Great recomendation Axel.