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General discussion

Firefox and IE6: irreconcilable differences?

Sep 10, 2004 11:40PM PDT

I just downloaded Firefox, and then just removed it. When I had it going, I couldn't open websites. I found that I could click my Launch IE button, get the Dell homepage I have been wanting to get rid of and then type a URL in the Address Box, and sometimes get to the URL, sometimes not. But if I then tried to get to another website, I would again have to go to the Dell homepage, which would come up in IE, and again use the Address Bar.

So has do I get Firefox to let me use it to browse the internet? And how do I switch back and forth between IE and Firefox? I don't find any kind of close or quit button for either browser.

I recognize that there are books and websites somewhere that contain the answer to this, and I am hoping that this is one of them.

thanks, grandpaw

Thanks, grandpaw

Discussion is locked

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Re: Firefox and IE6: irreconcilable differences?
Sep 11, 2004 1:33AM PDT

The goal of Firefox and Mozilla is not to duplicate all of IE's features or for that matter exploitable holes.

You may never find a duplicate of IE since to duplicate IE would be to leave the same holes.

Bob

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Bob, I'm not trying to duplicate IE
Sep 11, 2004 4:27AM PDT

I'm just trying to get Firefox to browse for me. grandpaw

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Re: Firefox and IE6: irreconcilable differences?
Sep 11, 2004 3:45AM PDT

all i do is type where i want in addy bar hit enter, also theres a red circle thats the stop, and upper right hand corner is the x to leave ff i use both browsers .

and in ff if you go to file and click on import you will be able to import faverits and shortcuts

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Retry
Sep 11, 2004 4:25AM PDT

So, I install Firefox again. I get the Default Browser window and make Firefox my default, and click OK. I get the Firefox blank window. It has an address bar at the top but no GO button to activate it. I type in the hotmail address and nothing happens. I close it and click Hotmail on my desktop. I get a message that Windows cannot find it. Same thing with any other website. I enter the Hotmail address in the address bar at the bottom and get the same message. I click on my IE icon on my desktop and get the ATT ISP welcome screen. I enter hotmail in the top address bar and get Hotmail.

So, I don't know how to get Firefox to respond by giving me the websites I click on when presumably it is doing the browsing for me.

Perhaps someone can help. grandpaw

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Re: Retry
Sep 11, 2004 4:37AM PDT

Your ISP should be contacted since I feel that it's too much for you at this time to dive into with NSLOOKUP, IPCONFIG outputs so we can troubleshoot this.

What I usually find is either pest damage or a firewall. But given your prior posts, my best advice is to seek one on one help from your ISP.

Bob

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Good advice
Sep 11, 2004 7:32AM PDT

No, I'm not up to anything complicated since I'm up to my elbows in different things. I've first of all put my question to Firefox's support forum. I'll see what comes of that. grandpaw

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Re: Retry
Sep 11, 2004 9:56AM PDT

after i type i click the enter button on key board

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I give up for now
Sep 14, 2004 8:59AM PDT

I reinstalled Firefox after exiting McAfee. Still doesn't work. I contacted ATT and Firefox via its support forum, but no help there. I haven't paid Firefox the $40 they charge for phone support, whether or not they fix the problem. So I'll wait till I hav fewer irons in the fire. Every once in a while I run across something in computers and computer support that works like it is supposed to. It gives me goose bumps. grandpaw

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type an address in the space provided then hit enter on your
Sep 14, 2004 9:32AM PDT

keyboard. Or you could go to the top of Firefox where it says view>toolbars>customize, then a big box pops up and you can drag the go button to where ever you want it on the tool bars. Just left click and hold down and drag the icon to where you want it and let go. You can do that with almost everything on the toolbars. You can also drag stuff like the google bar off there.

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trytohelp, I've done that
Sep 14, 2004 10:57AM PDT

I've gone to customize and dragged the Go button into the address bar. Then I type www.google.com in the address bar and hit Enter. Nothing happens. Or I hit that Go button. Nothing happens. Well, something does happen. I get a lttle closer to the looney bin. One time I saw the computer work right and it was quite a sight to see, but that was a long time ago. granpaw

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Re: I give up for now|.| YES, with that worm, who knows.
Sep 14, 2004 10:59AM PDT

It takes a while for all the facts to be collected but if I pull together the last months posts by you then I see an unstable machine with possible worms, trojans or other damage.

You don't want to add anything new until those pests are found and removed. Even when removed, its possible that your machine will have issues for quite some time.

Sorry to not have checked your other posts sooner.

Bob

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What to do now?
Sep 15, 2004 6:36AM PDT

Bob, I've run Adaware and Spybot and they gotten rid of a pretty good number of things. It seems like you have mentioned other programs to run to get rid of things in addition to these two. If so, would you please repeat them?

What would be the possibiltiy of someone looking over a hijack log if it posted it?

grandpaw

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Re: What to do now? Keep going in the Security Forum
Sep 15, 2004 7:27AM PDT

I'm sorry to read such posts.

Your poor machine's OS was damaged and it's unclear where the damage is. Sometimes you have to pack it in and start over.

I ignore any unsolicited Hijackthis logs because... it means someone didn't read the instructions.

Bob

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you're right, Bob
Sep 15, 2004 9:20PM PDT

If I had retired from the main parts of my life and devoted myself to learning about computers, I probably wouldn't need the CNET forums. But I got the computer to help me with the important things in my life, not to replace them. As it has turned out, I have spent a ridiculous amount of time paying homage to this piece of machinery. I came here to be helped, not judged.

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No judgement call there...
Sep 15, 2004 11:34PM PDT

I wrote: "

I'm sorry to read such posts.

Your poor machine's OS was damaged and it's unclear where the damage is. Sometimes you have to pack it in and start over.

I ignore any unsolicited Hijackthis logs because... it means someone didn't read the instructions."

Just for me, can you tell me what I wrote that was judgemental in that reply?

Just FYI, its not uncommon for some ownere to just start over when the OS gets damaged.

Bob

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RE: No judgement call there....
Sep 16, 2004 1:09AM PDT

Bob, in view of the considerable help you have provided me in the past, it sure wouldn't seem that you are now being judgmental, but your statement "I ignore any unsolicited Hijackthis logs because... it means someone didn't read the instructions" sounded to me like "if you had educated yourself, you wouldn't be having this problem". Certainly, this is a fitting time for a person to seek a review of a hijackthis log. Packing it in and starting over" has all sorts of possible meanings, and thus is not very helpful. I would rather you had responded to my request for sources other than Spybot and Adaware for trying to get rid of the pest. But, anyhow, thanks for the past help you have given me. grandpaw

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Here's why it is so....
Sep 16, 2004 4:09AM PDT

The instructions with Hijackthis also include how to create the log proper and also what forums offer support for log interpetation. While I use HJT with great success, some of these forums just tell you not to post here. For example...

http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-6132-0.html?forumID=32&threadID=35799&messageID=416132&tag=

The member there followed the directions and for reasons that we can only guess at, the log was requested.

This is why I asked that you continue the bug hunt in the Virus and Security Forum.

Hope you find a pest since pest damage is harder to deal with.

Bob

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Here's the instructions (link) and your SPAM!
Sep 16, 2004 6:09AM PDT
http://www.tomcoyote.org/hjt/

It's far too much for me to write in this small space. And the forum policies is that we don't copy other site content here.

The instructions are there plus what forums otther HJT log interpetation.

---------------------

These web forums are crawlable and any posted email will soon be sent hundreds of offers (AKA SPAM). If you wish I can delete your message with that email address on your request.

Bob
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Yes, please delete my message
Sep 16, 2004 8:25AM PDT

grandpaw

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Per your request...
Sep 16, 2004 8:35AM PDT

Done.

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Re: Per your request...
Sep 17, 2004 7:30AM PDT

Thanks. After all you have done for me, I apologize for not treating you with the proper respect. This has been a trying time for me and oversensitivity has often been a problem. grandpaw

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I understand...
Sep 17, 2004 9:40AM PDT

Boy, do I understand. I have had to deal with 50 people screaming the first day we installed a firewall before all these worms and pests became commonplace. I have a very thick skin, so don't give it a second thought.

If you follow my posts, I hope you see that I try to not only guide the member to a solution, but hope along the way they learn how we got there or some other lesson.

I get shot up and at a lot over that approach, but my goal is not to provide too many fish. I enjoy fishing lessons, but feel sorrow over the current state of the industry.

Hope you understand the platitudes of what I write from time to time...

Bob

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Re: Firefox and IE6: irreconcilable differences?
Nov 3, 2004 11:42PM PST

I am aware that websites that are built for IE have problems with "open source" browsers, which is what Firefox, and Mozilla are. I use both FF and Mozilla and I love Mozilla for my dail up, and I use Firefox for my highspeed connection. However when I need to edit the newspaper that I sit on the board of, I need to use a IE based browser so I also use Flashpeak Slimbrowser which an excellent shell for IE, and faster and more stable too. What I would do is to download the program to my desktop, then install from there.