HT204416: Get the latest version of Safari for your Mac

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Sigtris

Q: Safari is up to date and it does not save the preferences, and it is acting odd

In my Preferences I have set for "Homepage" a blank window.

When I open Safari I have to File and select "New window"

When I have a new window open I try to type the URL and it always takes me

this page.

Safari Prefences.pngThen I go, for example, to face book and if I click on any link there I get this:

Screen Shot 2015-08-15 at 15.41.02.pngAnd it does not let me close the window I need to confirm that I want to leave the page. What could be wrong. I have deleted all History and also the cookies.

Thank you for your advice or help.

MacBook Pro (17-inch Mid 2009), OS X Mountain Lion

Posted on Aug 15, 2015 4:00 PM

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Q: Safari is up to date and it does not save the preferences, and it is acting odd

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  • by dominic23,Helpful

    dominic23 dominic23 Aug 15, 2015 4:08 PM in response to Sigtris
    Level 8 (42,064 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 15, 2015 4:08 PM in response to Sigtris

    1. Force Quit .

     

        Press command + option + esc keys together at the same time. Wait.

        When Force Quit window appears, select  Safari if not already.

        Press Force Quit button at the bottom of the window.   Wait.

        Safari will quit.

     

    2. Relaunch Safari holding the shift key down.

     

    3. Turn off wifi and turn it back on.

     

        Turn off Wifi. Click Wifi icon in the menu bar and select “Turn Wifi off”.

        Visit another website.

        You won’t have internet connection.

        Turn on Wifi. Click Wifi icon in the menu bar and select “Turn Wifi on”.

        Select your Network.

     

     

    4. Safari > Preferences > Privacy

        

        Cookies and website data:

        Click “Details” button.

        Remove the cookie related to this, if there is one.

     

    5. Safari > Preferences > Extensions

        Turn those off and relaunch Safari.

        Turn those on one by one and test.

  • by Sigtris,Helpful

    Sigtris Sigtris Aug 15, 2015 4:29 PM in response to dominic23
    Level 1 (138 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 15, 2015 4:29 PM in response to dominic23

    Dominc

    I did all you told me to do and when I clicked on the e-mail that tells me I have answer (yours) the window does not open by itself like it used to do before I had this issue.

    But so far, at least the 'mackeeper' advertise does not show any more.

    What can I do to click on a Link on Mail to take me to it?

  • by dominic23,

    dominic23 dominic23 Aug 15, 2015 6:04 PM in response to Sigtris
    Level 8 (42,064 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 15, 2015 6:04 PM in response to Sigtris

       Use  free Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac/ AdwareMedic to remove adware

     

         http://www.adwaremedic.com/index.php

     

       Download, install , open,  and run it by clicking “Scan for Adware” button   to remove adware.

       Once done, quit Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

     

       or

     

       Remove the adware manually by following the “HowTo” from Apple.

       http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203987

  • by Sigtris,

    Sigtris Sigtris Aug 15, 2015 6:18 PM in response to dominic23
    Level 1 (138 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 15, 2015 6:18 PM in response to dominic23

    dominic, I dowloaded what you suggested and I will see how Safari behaves now, and I will post my results.

    Thank you very much

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Aug 15, 2015 6:23 PM in response to Sigtris
    Level 10 (208,037 points)
    Applications
    Aug 15, 2015 6:23 PM in response to Sigtris

    You may have installed ad-injection malware ("adware").

    Don't use any kind of "anti-virus" or "anti-malware" product on a Mac. There is never a need for it, and relying on it for protection makes you more vulnerable to attack, not less.

    This easy procedure will detect any kind of adware that I know of. Deactivating it is a separate, and even easier, procedure that doesn't involve downloading anything.

    Some legitimate software is ad-supported and may display ads in its own windows or in a web browser while it's running. That's not malware and it may not show up.

    If none of your web browsers is working well enough to carry out these instructions, restart the computer in safe mode. That will disable the malware temporarily.

    Step 1

    Please triple-click the line below on this page to select it, then copy the text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:

    ~/Library/LaunchAgents

    In the Finder, select

              Go â–¹ Go to Folder...

    from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. Press return. Either a folder named "LaunchAgents" will open, or you'll get a notice that the folder can't be found. If the folder isn't found, go to the next step.

    If the folder does open, press the key combination command-2 to select list view, if it's not already selected. Please don't skip this step.

    There should be a column in the Finder window headed Date Modified. Click that heading twice to sort the contents by date with the newest at the top. If necessary, enlarge the window so that all of the contents are showing.

    Follow the instructions in this support article under the heading "Take a screenshot of a window." An image file with a name beginning in "Screen Shot" should be saved to the Desktop. Open the screenshot and make sure it's readable. If not, capture a smaller part of the screen showing only what needs to be shown.

    Start a reply to this message. Drag the image file into the editing window to upload it. You can also include text in the reply.

    Leave the folder open for now.

    Step 2

    Do as in Step 1 with this line:

    /Library/LaunchAgents

    The folder that may open will have the same name, but is not the same, as the one in Step 1. As in that step, the folder may not exist.

    Step 3

    Repeat with this line:

    /Library/LaunchDaemons

    This time the folder will be named "LaunchDaemons."

    Step 4

    Open the Safari preferences window and select the Extensions tab. If any extensions are listed, post a screenshot. If there are no extensions, or if you can't launch Safari, skip this step.

    Step 5

    If you use the Firefox or Chrome browser, open its extension list and do as in Step 4.

  • by Sigtris,

    Sigtris Sigtris Aug 15, 2015 6:27 PM in response to Sigtris
    Level 1 (138 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 15, 2015 6:27 PM in response to Sigtris

    I am back Dominic.

    I download the 'malware' you suggested, and I still get

    this in my Safari Preferences window "http://x&x=x"

    the add removal did not remove the above URL and I think that is causing all my issues.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Aug 15, 2015 6:39 PM in response to Sigtris
    Level 10 (208,037 points)
    Applications
    Aug 15, 2015 6:39 PM in response to Sigtris

    That's why I tell people not to use "anti-malware" software. It will never work reliably.

  • by Sigtris,

    Sigtris Sigtris Aug 15, 2015 6:41 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (138 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 15, 2015 6:41 PM in response to Linc Davis

    I am afraid to follow your suggestion although I am certain you are right

    I'll get back to you

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Aug 15, 2015 6:45 PM in response to Sigtris
    Level 10 (208,037 points)
    Applications
    Aug 15, 2015 6:45 PM in response to Sigtris

    My suggestion involves nothing more difficult or dangerous than what you do with the computer every day. It's less dangerous than downloading unknown software just because a stranger on a message board tells you to, and by far less dangerous than installing malware, which you've already done.

  • by Sigtris,

    Sigtris Sigtris Aug 15, 2015 7:22 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (138 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 15, 2015 7:22 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Linc Davis:

    I hope this is what you suggested me to do.Screen Shot 2015-08-15 at 21.13.17.png

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Aug 15, 2015 7:30 PM in response to Sigtris
    Level 10 (208,037 points)
    Applications
    Aug 15, 2015 7:30 PM in response to Sigtris

    That's Step 1. Anything from the other steps?

  • by Sigtris,

    Sigtris Sigtris Aug 15, 2015 8:28 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (138 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 15, 2015 8:28 PM in response to Linc Davis

    It does not let me go the Step 3, when I paste /Library/LaunchDaemons tells me the folder can not be found.

    Mayeb I did some thing wrong in the previous steps.

    I am sorry if I did.

  • by Sigtris,

    Sigtris Sigtris Aug 15, 2015 8:31 PM in response to Sigtris
    Level 1 (138 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 15, 2015 8:31 PM in response to Sigtris

    I want to click on "this helped me" but it is gray

  • by Linc Davis,Solvedanswer

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Aug 15, 2015 8:38 PM in response to Sigtris
    Level 10 (208,037 points)
    Applications
    Aug 15, 2015 8:38 PM in response to Sigtris

    Back up all data before making any changes.

    In the folder arranged as shown in the screenshot, please delete these items:

              #4 and #5 ("Genieo")

    Log out or restart the computer.

    Uninstall any Safari extensions you don't know you need. If in doubt, remove all of them. None is needed for normal operation.

    Do the equivalent in the Chrome and Firefox browsers, if you use either of those.

    Reset the Safari home page, if it was changed. You may need to do the same in the other browsers.

    From the Applications folder (not shown in the screenshot), delete items with any of the following names:

              InstallMac

              Genieo

              Reset Search

              Uninstall Genieo

    These steps will permanently inactivate the malware, as long as you never reinstall it. A few small files may remain in hidden folders, but they have no effect.

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