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MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature where we answer questions e-mailed to us by readers. This week, we have questions on only enabling specific fonts with Font Book, a iPhone migration or upgrade question about current apps, and a specific question on an article we wrote regarding "Fast Browser Search" being used as the search engine in Safari.

Topher Kessler MacFixIt Editor
Topher, an avid Mac user for the past 15 years, has been a contributing author to MacFixIt since the spring of 2008. One of his passions is troubleshooting Mac problems and making the best use of Macs and Apple hardware at home and in the workplace.
Topher Kessler
3 min read

MacFixIt Answers is a feature where we answer questions e-mailed to us by readers. This week, we have questions on only enabling specific fonts with Font Book, a iPhone migration or upgrade question about current apps, and a specific question on an article we wrote regarding "Fast Browser Search" being used as the search engine in Safari.

Question: Only enable specific fonts with Font Book

MacFixIt reader "Matthew" asks:

Every time there is a Mac OS update, I loose all of my Selected Fonts in FONT BOOK, with ALL fonts reverting to the ENABLED state. Since I have about 3,600 fonts, this is getting old. Does anyone know how I can backup Font Book font selections? Backing-up the com.apple.FontBook.plist does nothing.

Answer:

The easiest way to do this is to create a library for all of your desired fonts in FontBook's sidebar. Then create another library for all of your fonts (separate from the built in "All fonts" library). When this is done, just go to the library with all of your fonts, right-click it and select "Disable". Then go to the second library with your desired fonts, right-click it and choose "Enable". After this is done, only your desired fonts will be enabled.


Question: iPhone migration question about apps

MacFixIt reader "Jay" asks:

I have an iPhone 3Gs, and will probably give it to a coworker and upgrade to an iPhone 4. Will all the apps I've downloaded sync automatically with my new iPhone 4, or are they somehow wedded to my 3Gs?

Answer:

You should be able to keep your apps, but be sure to fully unpair the old phone from your computer and App store account before giving it away. The applications you purchased should be on your computer and you should be able to transfer them directly to your new phone.


Question: Specific question on clearing "Fast Browser Search"

We wrote a recent article on Fast Browser Search being used as the defaut search engine, where remvoing a folder called "MTWB" along with a Launch Agent proerty list was recommended. In response to this article, MacFixIt reader "Jim" asks:

I was unable to locate the MTWB folder that he suggests removing from the /username/Library/ directory. I tried a search and manually tried to find the folder but no luck. Do you have any further suggestions as to where this elusive folder can be.

Answer:

Do you have a file called "com.MTWB.Product.plist" that is located in the /username/Library/LaunchAgents/ directory or in the /Macintosh HD/Library/LaunchAgents/ directory? If so then remove that file since it being in that folder is what will launch the Fast Browser Search processes all the time. You can optionally open the file up and check the path to the binary file being launched, and then remove both that binary and its enclosing folders as well. Regardless of if you modify this plist file, its relevant binary files, or just remove it, upon restart the Fast Browser Search feature should no longer be working. The launch agent is the key for how and why this "feature" is being launched, and it is loaded at startup if present in one of the LaunchAgent folders.



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