How to remove Ask search

[peejay 69]

thanks a lot for helping me wipe my ASK

[hadihizlan121]

type "about:config" in the address search bar, then filer for "ask". problem resolved.

[hadihizlan121]

then reset all. now problem resolved.

[samurai_k]

The keyword.url posted above does not work. Here is a link to a blog posting that has instructions to do the fix

http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/arch ... searching/

here is the url for the keyword.url string if the blog listing above does not resolve.

http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&o ... &gfns=1&q=

[Guest]

or simply uninstall firefox and then reinstall it ) it takes 2 mins

[BLESSED]

TO REMOVE IT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS....
ON THE ADDRESS BAR JUST TYPE 'about:config:
THEN CLICK 'I'll Be Careful, I Promise'
THEN SEARCH 'keyword'
THEN YOU WILL SEE TWO RESULTS 'keyword.URL' AND 'keyword.enabled'
IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR TOOLBAR TO SOMETHING ELSE THEN DOUBLE CLICK THE 'keyword.URL, value' AND CHANGE IT TO SOMETHING ELSE
BUT IF YOU WANT TO DISABLE IT ALL AND HAVE NO!! TOOLBAR THEN DOUBLE CLICK 'keyword.enabled' TILL THE VALUE TURNS FALSE

GLAD I COULD HELP

[Bman6952]

If the way above doesn't work do this
close FireFox
open your %AppData%

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\THISWILLBEDIFFERENT.default\searchplugins\

Delete the file Ask.xml

Bam problem solved

[jdixsign]

the best and easy way to do this is first go to tools on your toolbar press options,then you will see at the top main,tabs ,content etc.press main,from there you will start up,now just press restore to default.bingo

My problem with ASK is that there is nothing on the screen but the ASK search bar... no" TOOLS" to open no tabs etc.

[bama444]

Thanks Ekmon.... I had uninstalled the ASK toolbar (don't know how I got it in the first place) but the the ASK search window was left behind. I used your instructions and the ASK search window is no longer visible. I have been working on my computer since yesterday trying to remove ASK GADGETS, running chkdsk, defragging, and have even considered downloading an "UNINSTALLER" program to help remove junk left behind from other programs .

[mewgirl]

Um first of all Firefox does NOT prevent you from changing search engines. The option is right at the bottom of the search drop-down, to add, delete, and change default, search engines.

I installed FoxIt Reader, and (and this was only done in the last few months, as the last time I installed it was about 4 months ago), and I did NOT check any boxes for "Ask Search". I unchecked ALL boxes except for the ones that say, "Create a desktop shortcut" and ~"Create a shortcut in program files."~ However, there is a little magnifying glass on the left side of my tabs, which a search bar. The "uninstaller" that comes with this (it is listed as "Ask Add-On" in add/remove) does NOT have an option to remove it; it is either "repair" or "modify". REVO Uninstaller STILL did not get rid of this thing! This is another "search abr," NOT a toolbar (which means it can't be removed by "customize toolbars", for some reason), and NOT something that was added to the "search engine list" (there is no XML file and it is not a "search plugin"... or rather if there is an XML file, it is somewhere else. In addition, the "default search engine" from URL, on my Firefox, has NOT been changed, and for users for whom it has been changed, changing it back to Google will not fix the problem. After all what kind of moron types a search term into the address bar... only computer-illiterate people.

As an alternative to FoxIt Reader, you can use Nitro PDF. FoxIt is better, but I don't know who would still support them in the tiniest!

[GTryder]

If you were to open the Foxit reader: > Tools > Preferences > Internet Search > [X] "Hide Ask.com Search Button"; that first issue would likely "go away".
And, no, I did not notice any way of being completely rid of "Ask" upon installation of Foxit, either.
If you keep Foxit Reader 'out' of Firefox [set in ...> "Applications" > Content Type > ".PDF" > to "Always ask"]; and do not use their plugin, things will be a lot smoother, any how.

For the second: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Uninstalling_toolbars , may help in removing "search abr".

I am not clear on that third problem; but both second and third issues could be caused by malware.

Install and run these free programs.
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
SuperAntispyware
AdAware
Spybot Search & Destroy

If these don't find it or can't clear it, post in one of these forums for specialized malware removal help:
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/index.php
http://forum.aumha.org/
http://www.spywareinfoforum.com/
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum79.html

[mightyglydd]

I unchecked ALL boxes !

You have to uncheck the Ask boxes AND Decline.
@After that the eBay one too.

[GTryder]

@mightyglydd
I went to Foxit's "More Download" link and selected the "Zip" d/l, as research indicated that 'it' did not contain the "Ask" nonsense.
The only thing that I did find, in that regard was the "Hide Ask.com Search Button", as indicated above.
I do not recall with being presented with any other 'choices'. as such, upon install.

Perhaps the '.exe package' would have given the option to "decline" altogether??

[Edit] "eBay" thankfully absent from the Zip d/l, too, AFAIR.

[bdandy1]

The only way that I have been able to remove the ask search taking place on the address bar is to a small software file given to another forum by the manager of ask. He had the cheek to apologise for his search engine appearing without our permission on the Firefox address bar.
The link to the file is at http media.ask.com/media/toolbar/tools/AskSearchUtility.exe
I tried all other solutions in vain. The other forum blog is at http://www.paperstreet.com/blog/582

[kaiserdr]

Easy, I found the hard way. With Ask in the toolbar, right click and say "remove."