zzr Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 After uninstalling Firefox I can't get it removed from the Common file directory. It's in the Mozilla shared folder and no matter how many times I delete it it still comes back. The main file in "Programs" gets deleted when removing using remove programs in control panel and there is nothing else in the program listing. My firewall keeps telling me it has stopped Firefox from connecting to the internet but it's now getting to be a pain. Mozilla just refer me to the windows removal system which I've already done.I'm running XP SP2. Anyone else had a problem with this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 Did you follow the "approved" procedure to remove the program?http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Uninstalling+Firefox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 You could now try running C Cleaner. http://www.ccleaner.com/If it is still there try Search/Firefox and delete all folders that it finds. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick1 Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 I recently needed to remove all races of Firefox because of conflicts when I installed FF3. I found this guide to be easy to follow and it did completely remove firefox.1. Backup your bookmarks as a Bookmarks.html file. In Firefox 2 go to the Bookmarks menu, select 'Organize Bookmarks', then select File>Export. In Firefox 3, go to the Bookmarks menu, select 'Organize Bookmarks', then select 'Import and Backup'>Export HTML. Note the difference between .HTML and .JSON Bookmark files is explained in more detail in the Advanced Tweaking section of the guide.2. Go to Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs in Windows XP; or Control Panel>Programs & Features in Windows Vista, and if a 'Mozilla Firefox' entry (or similar) exists, select it and click Change/Remove and uninstall it. During uninstallation, tick the 'Remove my Firefox personal data and customizations' box as well.3. Go to your \Program Files\Mozilla Firefox directory and delete it and all of its contents if it still exists.4. Delete the following directories if they exist:In Windows XP -\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Mozilla\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Application Data\MozillaIn Windows Vista -\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Note that this will delete all of your bookmarks and saved settings, so make sure you've backed up your bookmarks as covered in step 1. You might also want to note down any passwords which you might otherwise forget.5. Find and remove all Firefox/Mozilla-related entries in the Windows Registry. Using the Windows Registry Editor (Start>Run>Regedit), delete the following keys - that is, right click on their name in the left pane of Registry Editor and select Delete:[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FirefoxHTML][HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FirefoxURL\][HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Applications\firefox.exe][HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mozilla][HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\MozillaPlugins][HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla][HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\mozilla.org][HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MozillaPlugins]Note: If you also have Mozilla Thunderbird or any other Mozilla products installed, make sure to only uninstall entries under the keys above which relate directly to Firefox by name.Source Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 Rick1, that look like a very helpful guide, for anyone who should need it. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web host guys Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 Make sure to do the reboot after each step.Removal of firefox using add/remove*rebootCleaner*reboot( i removed the mozilla folders in my local documents and settings/mywindowsusername/ folder as well)then just reinstall of latest firefox and it worked for me when I had a similar issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted August 12, 2008 Report Share Posted August 12, 2008 Why bother to reinstall it?? :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rong Posted August 12, 2008 Report Share Posted August 12, 2008 Why bother to reinstall it?? :lol: :lol: :lol:Because it's so much better than the rubbish supplied with windows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted August 12, 2008 Report Share Posted August 12, 2008 It doesn't appear so from the initial posting. :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzr Posted August 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2008 I've tried all of the above but to no avail. To be honest I don't know where Firefox came from, I've never used it can't remember downloading or installing it unless it was on the back of another program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Have you ever used Thunderbird? A Mozilla shared folder is used for mail, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Can you be a little bit more precise in what exact folder you find what?Firefox does not behave that way; it doesn't install itself, it doesn't reinstall itself after removal, and it certainly doesn't run itself.I think you may have some malware disguised as Firefox. Have you run any malware scans recently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzr Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Can you be a little bit more precise in what exact folder you find what?Firefox does not behave that way; it doesn't install itself, it doesn't reinstall itself after removal, and it certainly doesn't run itself.I think you may have some malware disguised as Firefox. Have you run any malware scans recently?The folder in question which keeps appearing is found in "Programs/common files/Mozilla shared". I've scanned for malware etc but nothing is reported and I've never used Thunderbird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 After updating myself with this earlier, I tried deleting Firefox from one of my machines. It came away without any problem at all by following the method offered by the Firefox forum (which I pointed to in a previous post).Like Pat Willener, I am thinking that you have acquired something undesirable on your machine especially as you say you did not install Firefox.Have you tried re-installing Firefox and then deleting according to one of the "approved" methods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dencandy Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 The article here: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firefox.exe_always_open from MozillaZine might be relevant to your problem. It describes similar symptoms to those you describe (due to the presence of a trojan) and a suggested method for removal at the end. If re-installing then uninstalling (as -pops- suggests) doesn't solve the problem I suggest you do what it says in the article.If that doesn't work do a search on "Firefox removal problems" & you'll get some more ideas.Alternatively, save all your data files & do a fresh install, remembering to scan all your data files for viruses & malware before re-installing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzr Posted August 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2008 The article here: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firefox.exe_always_open from MozillaZine might be relevant to your problem. It describes similar symptoms to those you describe (due to the presence of a trojan) and a suggested method for removal at the end. If re-installing then uninstalling (as -pops- suggests) doesn't solve the problem I suggest you do what it says in the article.If that doesn't work do a search on "Firefox removal problems" & you'll get some more ideas.Alternatively, save all your data files & do a fresh install, remembering to scan all your data files for viruses & malware before re-installing them.Found I had the Poison Ivy virus as described in the Mozilla forum. Once that was delted from the registry I could delete the Mozilla shared file. Thanks for all your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason.b.c Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 It doesn't appear so from the initial posting. :lol: :lol: :lol:but it is.... LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invoker Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Umm I was about to post a lengthy post and see that Rick1 has already covered it all and more. Nice post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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