Re: Firefox can't start -- thinks it's Internet Exporer

On 23-1-2005 19:20, Stan Goodman wrote:

> On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 16:08:13 UTC, Roland <[email protected]> opined:
> 
> 
>>On 23-1-2005 16:44, Stan Goodman wrote:
>>
>>>I have Firefox v1.0 on Win2k/SP3. Among other extensions, it has UserAgent 
>>>Switcher, which is an indispensible weapon in dealing with websites which 
>>>demand a browser that claims to be Internet Explorer.
>>>
>>>Unfortunately, after a session with such a website, I shut down the browser 
>>>while it was still spoofing IE. (Evidently, the checkbox that would return 
>>>to the default user agent had been deselected inadvertently.)
>>>
>>>Now Firefox won't start. Instead, I got an announcement telling me that I 
>>>should not be using Netscape Java plugins with a Microsoft browser. That 
>>>happened once only; subsequent attempts to start Firefox produced a little 
>>>HD activity, but nothing more, not even the announcement. I can't open FF to
>>>fix the user agent; I am in Catch-22.
>>>
>>>The question is: How can I change the user agent without opening the 
>>>browser? Alternatively, how can I override whatever it is that is preventing
>>>the browser from opening, so that I can fix the user agent? If the switch is
>>>in some file that I can remove termporarily, I would like to know which it 
>>>is.
>>>
>>>Thanks in advance...
>>>
>>
>>It's a known issue (<http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/faqs/java.html>):
>><quote>
>>Do not use Java with a spoofed useragent, as this may cause crashes (Bug 
>>83376 - a JRE issue).
>></quote>
>>
>>Bug 83376:
>><https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=83376>
>>
>>To resolve follow this (it's an attachment to bug 83376):
>><https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/attachment.cgi?id=167225>
> 
> 
> The fix reads as follows:
> =====
> To manually remove the User agent switcher plugin (on win32) and restore 
> functionality to firefox (if you dont have that plugin, skip 3 steps) 
> 
> 1.locate firefox's temporary files for you windows logon account (on winXP :
> (assuming drive C) C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Local 
> Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\) 
> 
> 2.for each foler in there, in \extensions , delete the directory 
> "{e968fc70-8f95-4ab9-9e79-304de2a71ee1}" if it is there (I am assuming this 
> will be a constant regardless of OS) 
> 
> 3.back up a couple of level to profiles BEFORE DOING THIS, BACK UP YOUR 
> PREFS.JS FILE (to something like backupprefs.txt) and restore it if anything
> goes wrong 
> 
> 4. in each of the folders in there, edit the prefs.js file to remove any 
> lines beginning with user_pref("useragentswitcher 
> 
> 5. locate a line like user_pref("general.useragent.override", "Mozilla/4.0 
> (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1)"); and delete it.
> =====
> 
> Step 1 is no problem. I can CD down to \Documents and 
> Settings\<username>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles. DIR shows 
> that the only thing in that folder is a single directory, 
> <gibberish>.default. An attempt to CD into it gets the retort "Path not 
> found". ATTRIB */s gets "File not found". I am not allowed in there, or to 
> know what is there. Thus Step 2 of the instructions above is stymied.
> 
> Firefox is not running. I am the only user of this system and of this 
> machine. What do I have to do to get into The Forbidden Directory? I would 
> not be averse to just making a new profile, and letting the current blocked 
> on just sit there an ferment; how do I do that?
> 
> 
> 
Try enclosing name of dir in quotes:
    cd "gibberish.default"

On my system attrib */s also responds with "File not found". But
    attrib /s
did show all items in the subdirectories (note: no *).

Another way is to go there with the file Explorer. The "Application 
Data" is a hidden folder, so you won't see it until you make it visible. 
To make it visible, start Explorer (just click on the My Computer icon 
on your desktop) and select File >  Tools > Folder Options.... Click the 
View tab and select "Show hidden files and folders". Then click OK to 
close the "Folder Options" dialog.

-- 
Regards,

Roland de Ruiter
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