Shoutbox

I had recently updated to the latest version of plus and discovered the smart bar when I started my browser. (Firefox) Its presence annoyed me from the start so I disabled it right away as an add on. That was a few days ago but upon performing  quick search a quick search int he browser address bar and was redirected to the plus network search engine. My browser still shows google as my default despite this. Ive tried several more searches and nothing but the same result occurs. I goggled a solution and found another topic on here regarding solution via the browsers about:config. However my config.enabled setting is already set to true so that is not the issue.
I do not want to be redirected to network plus's search engine when trying to quick search via the address bar as I perform very frequent quick searches and this is an extreme inconvenience. Id appreciate any assistance that can be offered. As it stand right now it wont redirect me to anything but the network plus search page even if I type in a website name example: youtube, ebay etc.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

You have installed the sponsor program. That is the browser toolbar and changing the search to the Plus! search network. Both are two different things! The browser toolbar and the search are independant. So, by disabling the toolbar you haven't changed the search!

Aka, nothing got hijacked, since you agreed in the Plus! setup to install both the toolbar and change the search.

To also change the search back to what it was you indeed need to change your browser's search configuration manually.

I don't use Firefox myself so I can't verify the exact instructions; but it must be done in the browser itself:
- In the browser url bar type about:config.
- Then enter 'keyword' into the filter search bar and change the next keys:
   Keyword.URL  to  http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=
   Keyword.enabled  to  True
That will reset the search back.
Remember to also disable the toolbar in your browser addons and to uninstall it via 'add/remove programs'.

I have the same problem but with Chrome. How can I fix it ?
Like it was said it is an extreme inconvenience.

quote:

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Originally posted by Youenn
I have the same problem but with Chrome. How can I fix it ?
Like it was said it is an extreme inconvenience.

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Like with any other browser: change the (keyword) search engine into what you want it to be in the browser's options/settings.

Ok now I am convinced its being hijacked. The issue resolved before by resetting my keyword search however even after uninstalling the smart bar and sponsor program it continues to give me the shoot off to the plus network search from time to time. Not only that but occasionally the smart bar seems to reinstall itself when Firefox opens. I don't know how this is happening since no update notifications or anything is popping up.
Anyone have an idea?

Shinku_Tsume, it's not enough to disable the toolbar.  You want to remove it in Firefox.  (Right click on the toolbar in the list of add-ons and then click "Remove").  That should solve the problem.

Youenn, to remove the "Smartbar" from your Chrome browser, remove the toolbar the same way you would any program.  Click on "Start\Control Panel" and select "Add/Remove Programs" (Windows XP) or "Programs and Features" (Windows Vista/Windows 7). In the list that will be displayed, select the sponsor program, click on "Remove" or "Uninstall" and follow the instructions.

quote:

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Originally posted by Nathalie
Shinku_Tsume, it's not enough to disable the toolbar.  You want to remove it in Firefox.  (Right click on the toolbar in the list of add-ons and then click "Remove").  That should solve the problem.

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Ive done that several times. Ive made sure the sponsor program is uninstalled to. Even after being uninstalled from firefox a few days later it will reinstall itself. And when it does it rerouts my keyword search from the google to plus network. Im completely baffled at how it could be reinstalling itself unless there was something attached to the sponsor program when it was installed.