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Search Engines resets (only sometimes)

  • 3 replies
  • 5 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by cybermcm

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I want to add an additional search engine (StartPage SSL) and set it as default search engine. This works. Even after closing and reopening Firefox. Sometimes, not always! (1 or 2 days) later the search engine entry is gone and Amazon.com (first entry) is again the default search engine (all other settings are still in place). In my Firefox profile the entry in the searchplugins folder is still there. The entries in prefs.js are also there: user_pref("browser.search.defaultenginename", "Startpage (SSL)"); user_pref("browser.search.selectedEngine", "Startpage (SSL)");

Deleting the "search.json", "search-metadata.json" and "formhistory.sqlite" didn't help. Any clues?

Thx in advance!

I want to add an additional search engine (StartPage SSL) and set it as default search engine. This works. Even after closing and reopening Firefox. Sometimes, not always! (1 or 2 days) later the search engine entry is gone and Amazon.com (first entry) is again the default search engine (all other settings are still in place). In my Firefox profile the entry in the searchplugins folder is still there. The entries in prefs.js are also there: user_pref("browser.search.defaultenginename", "Startpage (SSL)"); user_pref("browser.search.selectedEngine", "Startpage (SSL)"); Deleting the "search.json", "search-metadata.json" and "formhistory.sqlite" didn't help. Any clues? Thx in advance!

Chosen solution

Hi again,

It seems that the extension "Add to Search Bar" causes the problem. The extension renames the search engine files to .undefined e.g. duckduckgo.xml to duckduckgo.xml.undefined.

After uninstalling the extension the search engines remain active like they should.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (3)

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If you do not keep changes after a restart or otherwise have problems with preferences, see:

If you use external cleanup software like CCleaner then check the settings for the Firefox application.

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Hi cor-el,

Thx for your answer but this didn't solve my problem. My preferences are saved but only sometimes the additional search engines disappear. All other settings are saved without problems. I'll try to disable some extensions to see if the problem is related to them.

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Chosen Solution

Hi again,

It seems that the extension "Add to Search Bar" causes the problem. The extension renames the search engine files to .undefined e.g. duckduckgo.xml to duckduckgo.xml.undefined.

After uninstalling the extension the search engines remain active like they should.