Waterfox infected by search.findwide virus, how to reset waterfox?
My Waterfox, latest version, running on Windows 7, got infected by the highly irritating Search.Findwide virus. Solutions to this recommended for Firefox include (a) uninstalling the virus (done!) and b) resetting Firefox.
However the screenshots showing the reset function in Firefox are not paralleled in Waterfox. How to reset Waterfox, and thus stop Findwide hijacking my screen?
All Replies (4)
Hi Mathew,
I do not use Waterfox myself, I do run multiple installs of Mozilla64 & 32bit Firefox though.
The Firefox Reset feature in Firefox is multi function and basically creates a new profile and migrates some data whilst retaining a copy of the old profile. All of that may be achieved manually. Instead of initially trying to explain that there is a much simpler procedure that may solve your problem.
Download and use the search reset addon.
- It is a restartless addon, it installs resets some search related etc. settings to default,and then unistalls itself.
- From https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/searchreset/
Postback with how you get on. I can provide further instructions if required for other manual resets.
I didn't find that it worked. I installed it and got the message: "Firefox Reset has been successfully installed". I closed Firefox and restarted. Search.Findwide was still there.
Waterfox is a third-party build (i.e. not made by Mozilla). Head over to the Waterfox site if you need help with it.
You can also try creating a new profile manually and recovering essential data from it (discard all add-ons and preferences to be safe).
Maybe you did not remove the rogue software. It seems it is a toolbar hijack rather than a virus, and it may also create a user.jsfile It may modify the registry, but that is probably not a problem if the rogue software is removed or safely quarantined, and anyhow adwCleaner may deal with that. it is important to use multiple and up to date tools as no single one finds everything. So my advice is
- Scan with multiple tools
- Find and quarantine or delete the user.js file (Unless you created it yourself in which case examine and edit it.)
- Try search reset again. Remember it uninstalls itself.
Maybe you would like to try the above before resorting to removing & modifying profiles.
Useful links
- https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/searchreset/
- http://kb.mozillazine.org/User.js_file
- Remove a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page (Note no need to use the Firefox Reset option)
- Confirming standard advice but also mentioning other browsers
http://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-findwide-search-virus/
Tools to use
- Microsoft Safety Scanner
- MalwareBytes' Anti-Malware
- TDSSKiller - AntiRootkit Utility
- Hitman Pro
- ESET Online Scanner
- AdwCleaner: (for adware)
- Kaspersky Free security scan
Other threads
- Findwide /questions/941366
- Can't change homepage from Findwide /questions/941855
- Browser has been hi-jacked and only opens with Findwide.com/questions/955622
- How do I get rid of findwide.com .... /questions/977306
- How do I get rid of findwide /questions/977333
- This one is solved/questions/964844#answer-456389
- Another mentioning findwide and the user.js file/questions/972836
Not entirely sure why Google finds post but not our search. Maybe the standard search has been tweaked to make it simpler but even less helpful than it usually is.