How to remove Ask search

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nzguy
Posts: 33
Joined: November 7th, 2005, 9:39 pm

How to remove Ask search

Post by nzguy »

In Firefox 2, I somehow (unintentionally) managed to download and install the Ask Toolbar. I removed it by going to tools -> add-ons -> uninstall. But still, if I search for a non-existent URL, I am taken to Ask. How do I stop that happening and revert to the standard "page not available" message?

Is there anyway to remove the Google, etc., search box from the navigation toolbar in Firefox 2?
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ekmon1582
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Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by ekmon1582 »

nzguy wrote:In Firefox 2, I somehow (unintentionally) managed to download and install the Ask Toolbar. I removed it by going to tools -> add-ons -> uninstall. But still, if I search for a non-existent URL, I am taken to Ask. How do I stop that happening and revert to the standard "page not available" message?

Is there anyway to remove the Google, etc., search box from the navigation toolbar in Firefox 2?


Menu View>Toolbars>Customize , and from there you can drag that search bar off of the navigation bar.
"You need to hide your money. So do what I do. I take my money and put it in the stock market... The next day it's gone, and no one knows where it is." - David Letterman
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UNOwen
Posts: 32
Joined: June 7th, 2006, 12:09 pm

Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by UNOwen »

Take a look at this topic. viewtopic.php?f=38&t=627084&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Evidently when you install the Ask toolbar it changes some fundamental settings and doesn't change them back if you decide to get rid of it. Not very nice in my opinion. Anyway, check out page 2 of the above topic as there is some helpful advice given there.

Hope this helps.

UN
Guest
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Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by Guest »

Many thanks UNOwen - now sorted.

And now I also know how I got the dratted Ask toolbar - it came in unannounced with a Firefox update. I think that somebody at Firefox ought to tell Ask their fortune - I'll certainly not have anything to do with them.
nzguy
Posts: 33
Joined: November 7th, 2005, 9:39 pm

Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by nzguy »

Sorry, I wasn't logged in for the last post.

Many thanks UNOwen - now sorted.

And now I also know how I got the dratted Ask toolbar - it came in unannounced with a Firefox update. I think that somebody at Firefox ought to tell Ask their fortune - I'll certainly not have anything to do with them.
Last edited by James on March 26th, 2011, 12:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: No version of Firefox from Mozilla ever came with such Extensions ( including the above mentioned ASK toolbar), just in case people see this post.
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steviex
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Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by steviex »

Um, Ask Toolbar was not supplied with Firefox, if you initially downloaded it from HERE http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/
Firefox does NOT come with any Third Party Toolbars if you Install it from the Official Mozilla site.
If you downloaded Firefox from anywhere else, it may have anything bundled with it....

Firefox updates will not install a toolbar onto your system....

Are you sure the Toolbar was not included with another Application you Downloaded or updated ??
(Was there a checkbox you neglected to uncheck, perhaps)
Ask might be included in the Search Engine list.... but only as a Search Engine, not as a Toolbar.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -Albert Einstein

Please DO NOT PM me for support... Lets keep it on the board, so we can all learn.
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UNOwen
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Joined: June 7th, 2006, 12:09 pm

Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by UNOwen »

As stevex said above Firefox does not come with any third party toolbars preinstalled so it wasn't anything included in the update from Mozilla. (It is probably coincidence that it showed up right after an Firefox update.)

As to where it came from that is a good question. Unfortunately, it is one that I am unable to answer for you. :(

Just keep in mind that any programs you install (or potentially update) can install this kind of garbage with little or no notice to you that they are doing so. It's easy to miss that little prechecked checkbox if you aren't paying attention.

Anyway, I'm glad I could help you. :)

UNOwen
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Scorzonera
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Joined: May 14th, 2004, 1:31 am

Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by Scorzonera »

nzguy wrote:And now I also know how I got the dratted Ask toolbar - it came in unannounced with a Firefox update.

Unlikely.

Do you use Foxit PDF Reader, by any chance? I noticed with the latest releases, you need to be careful during the install. Amongst a Foxit toolbar, I saw the 'Add Ask as the default search engine' come by.

These items need to be unchecked during install, if you do not want to use or add them. Of course, other programs could use the same tactics, during install.
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steviex
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Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by steviex »

Ah... That's where I saw it.... :)
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -Albert Einstein

Please DO NOT PM me for support... Lets keep it on the board, so we can all learn.
danimal1980
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Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by danimal1980 »

Mozilla doesn't allow the user to change the address bar default search settings...they want to keep the Google money rolling in

I tried this:
http://about.ask.com/en/toolbar/toolbarv/faq.html#na26
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steviex
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Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by steviex »

Um, you can change your Search Engines to the ones of your choice, or disable it totally....

You can even remove Google from Firefox completely.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -Albert Einstein

Please DO NOT PM me for support... Lets keep it on the board, so we can all learn.
CogariToThaFullest
Posts: 1
Joined: January 7th, 2009, 1:13 pm

Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by CogariToThaFullest »

You don't have to reinstall Firefox. There is a much simpler way to get your address bar to work correctly again:

1. type about:config into the web address bar

2. press enter on your keyboard

3. in the filter search bar type Keyword.URL

4 double click on Keyword.URL

5. copy and paste this address into the box
http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe...

6. close the Firefox tab



You're done.
Jon Juan
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Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by Jon Juan »

Thanks a lot. That Ask search was REALLY getting on my nerves. I got it from a third party application, trying to install Nero, but tried to do it too fast without reading first (as I always do). By the time that I realized that I clicked "Yes" when asked if I wanted to install the toolbar, the damage was done. Thanks to this forum, I can search and browse the net as normal.
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makaiguy
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Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by makaiguy »

Yeah - I use a couple of utilities that want to install Ask with each update. Have to watch those installation dialogs very carefully ...
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marcus808
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Re: How to remove Ask search

Post by marcus808 »

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
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