I need to block Firefox from accessing my computer

J

Janice

Please read the title of this thread as "I need to block Mozilla....." instead of "Firefox"

I sometimes use Firefox 52.9.0 portable version. Recently I got a popup from Mozilla asking me to upgrade my OS. I would have liked to tell them where they can shove their suggestion but unfrortunately there was no option to reply! This was about 2 weeks ago. Since then my personal settings in FF 'Options' have been changed to default setting twice without my knowledge. I know that FF is not as lily white about our privacy as they claim. How can I continue to use FF but block Mozilla from connecting to my computer? Any settings that I can change in 'about:config'? There are no more updates from them and it will be a great pleasure to completely block them off. There is no reason at all to allow them to sneak in to our computers :mad:
 
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I would scan for virus' as no settings should be changed automatically.

also you can go to firewall, exceptions and delete the firefox line item to block pc access
 
Janice said:
Please read the title of this thread as "I need to block Mozilla....." instead of "Firefox"

I sometimes use Firefox 52.9.0 portable version. Recently I got a popup from Mozilla asking me to upgrade my OS. I would have liked to tell them where they can shove their suggestion but unfrortunately there was no option to reply! This was about 2 weeks ago. Since then my personal settings in FF 'Options' have been changed to default setting twice without my knowledge. I know that FF is not as lily white about our privacy as they claim. How can I continue to use FF but block Mozilla from connecting to my computer? Any settings that I can change in 'about:config'? There are no more updates from them and it will be a great pleasure to completely block them off. There is no reason at all to allow them to sneak in to our computers :mad:
Click to expand...
Anyways there is a 52.9.1 version of firefox that was released 1 day after they ended support for xp and the 52.9.1 version DOES work on xp and its pretty much final for xp
 
Janice said:
I sometimes use Firefox 52.9.0 portable version. Recently I got a popup from Mozilla asking me to upgrade my OS. I would have liked to tell them where they can shove their suggestion but unfrortunately there was no option to reply! This was about 2 weeks ago. Since then my personal settings in FF 'Options' have been changed to default setting twice without my knowledge. I know that FF is not as lily white about our privacy as they claim. How can I continue to use FF but block Mozilla from connecting to my computer? Any settings that I can change in 'about:config'? There are no more updates from them and it will be a great pleasure to completely block them off. There is no reason at all to allow them to sneak in to our computers
Click to expand...
First off - Do you have any OTHER versions of Firefox on your system? The standard, non-portable FF will always try to update itself and may be conflicting with your portable install.

Check your options in FF portable to make sure it's not set to auto-update itself and make sure 'Use a background service to install updates' is unchecked.

ff.png


I always recommend against FF due to the telemetry and bloat. Unless there are some must-have Firefox features you need (Pocket, WEBRTC) then I would suggest an alternative like Centaury.

Try it with your favorite websites against FF. Like me, you may find yourself seldom if ever launching Firefox again.
 
ClippyBeer said:
First off - Do you have any OTHER versions of Firefox on your system? The standard, non-portable FF will always try to update itself and may be conflicting with your portable install.
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There is no other FF version.
ClippyBeer said:
Check your options in FF portable to make sure it's not set to auto-update
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I had already set it for 'Never Update'.
ClippyBeer said:
'Use a background service to install updates' is unchecked.
Click to expand...
This entry is not found in my Firefox
ClippyBeer said:
Unless there are some must-have Firefox features you need
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That's the very reason. In fact the only reason I am using Firefox is that I am very fond of Self-Destructing cookies, Ghostery, Privacy Badger and No Script. Have been using them for a very long time. Does Centaury have similar add ons?
 
I have FF52.9.0 and 29.?.?, both portable versions. I have never recieved popups from ff/mozilla to upgrade my os. Get 'em from web sites tho!

(ff 52 cannot handle lots 'o' multiple tabs, 29 can, dont ask me why)
 
Janice said:
Recently I got a popup from Mozilla asking me to upgrade my OS.
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Thats GEEK talk for "we want to spy on you more, so please
get us WINDOWS PEEPING TOM TEN""

install "START PAGE" and use "Proxy Stealth" not even your cable company knows where you go then.
add then ""no script""

then change web name to "George the Hammer "

j
 
Use a background service to install updates'

this is installed when you install firefox, it will be put in as a service, just go to services and disable.
 
Janice said:
In fact the only reason I am using Firefox is that I am very fond of Self-Destructing cookies, Ghostery, Privacy Badger and No Script. Have been using them for a very long time. Does Centaury have similar add ons?
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Bob's your uncle.

ghostery.png


badger.png


cookies.png


Same add-ons that work with FF52 work with Centaury. Centaury is also portable (when you run the setup, choose portable option). Centaury receives regular updates for XP, FF none. You will also notice the layout/menu options in Centaury are almost identical to FF so no learning curve.

Bonus - Centaury also has built-in PDF reader just like FF (New Moon/MyPal require separate plug-in), very handy when searching for long lost appliance manuals ;).
 
This is a big surprise. You have negated my only reason to use Firefox :) Thank you. To download Centaury which link should I click on? 0.0.1 ,0.0.2 or 0.0.3? Please confirm there is the option to select Portable Version during setup.
 
Elizabeth23 said:
Use a background service to install updates'

this is installed when you install firefox, it will be put in as a service, just go to services and disable.
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This is not found in 'services.msc' either.

Something terrible is going on. When I opened Firefox about 30 minutes ago I checked my settings and they were fine. 20 minutes later when I clicked for some internet search, Google Search opened. I never use Google Search. I always drag it down to the bottom of the search engine list and use Duck Duck Go. Checked my settings to find that they have all been changed again to, I believe, FF default settings. This obviously happened within those 20 minutes. What could be causing this? Attached is my Firewall 'Exceptions' list.
 

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Janice said:
This is not found in 'services.msc' either.

Something terrible is going on. When I opened Firefox about 30 minutes ago I checked my settings and they were fine. 20 minutes later when I clicked for some internet search, Google Search opened. I never use Google Search. I always drag it down to the bottom of the search engine list and use Duck Duck Go. Checked my settings to find that they have all been changed again to, I believe, FF default settings. This obviously happened within those 20 minutes. What could be causing this? Attached is my Firewall 'Exceptions' list.
Click to expand...
You mean Duckduckgo changed to Google?
 
WindowsXPforever said:
You mean Duckduckgo changed to Google?
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No Duck Duck Go was replaced by Google in the Default Search Engine box, in 'aboutpreferences#search' page that open, when you click on 'Change Search Settings' in the drop down menu that open, when you click on the search icon (please see attachment), next to the address bar in Firefox. Duck Duck Go was put back to it's place in the search engine list, which is below that box.

By default FF keeps Google as it's search engine. I always replace it with Duck Duck or Startpage. I usually leave google in the list of search engines although I don't use it. This is the first time in about 10 years of using FF that this is happening to me :eek:
 

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Elizabeth23 said:
I repeat, you should not get a popup from firefox requesting an OS upgrade, please scan you pc for malware and virus's
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Hi Ladies
Well despite us men being Superior and all **
if Liz says run a super anti virus I would do it.
Firefox is like a huge stream of money moving around in another country, if certain folks see it, they will try to get in on it. Anyone who could tap Firefox would have a huge tool for no good, so they gotta be bugged. most likely by their own workers.

** I have always been fuzzy on this male superiority thing, but being male I never question anything that makes me feel good, like belching for instance,
it feels good so it must be good so why try to understand anything, cause
all men know brains are for dummies :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
Janice said:
By default FF keeps Google as it's search engine. I always replace it with Duck Duck or Startpage.
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Duck Duck Go makes you a sitting duck, your local server can read ever word of it. and your local server is run by those guys you see drinking beer after work in the parking lot by some tall building.

Startpage hides everything you search at your computer, its a great phone app too, Only use duck duck when you want to walk around info naked in front of guys you went to school with.
 
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