Safari browser on my mid 2012 Macbook Pro running Mojave 10.14.3 reverts back to apple.com even with the set homepage is www.google.com. The apple.com/safari.plist file in Library/Preferences is missing. This file does not reappear after launching Safari. I've cleared the Safari history, ran malware software with no results. Is there anything else I can do?
MacBook Pro Retina
1. Use the latest release of MalwareBytes for Mac to remove malware/adware if any.
Install guide: https://support.malwarebytes.com/docs/DOC-1817
Uninstall Guide: https://support.malwarebytes.com/docs/DOC-1190
The installer may ask you to allow it in Security & Privacy /System Preference. Allow it.
Click the “Scan Now” button. Once done quit Malwarebytes for Mac.
Restart the computer, relaunch Safari holding the shift key down.
2. Additional steps to take if necessary.
1. Remove unknown profiles.
System Preferences > Profiles
Open System Preferences, click the “Profiles” icon ( a checkmark on a gear) .
When Profiles pane opens, select the unknown profile and click the minus button at the bottom.
2.Reset search engine: https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/customize-your-search-ibrwe75c2a3c/mac
3.Reset Homepage. https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/set-your-homepage-ibrw1020/mac
Ref: https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/236261-how-to-remove-weknow-malware-and-others/
4.Remove unknown extensions: https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/use-safari-extensions-sfri32508/mac
1. Use the latest release of MalwareBytes for Mac to remove malware/adware if any.
Install guide: https://support.malwarebytes.com/docs/DOC-1817
Uninstall Guide: https://support.malwarebytes.com/docs/DOC-1190
The installer may ask you to allow it in Security & Privacy /System Preference. Allow it.
Click the “Scan Now” button. Once done quit Malwarebytes for Mac.
Restart the computer, relaunch Safari holding the shift key down.
2. Additional steps to take if necessary.
1. Remove unknown profiles.
System Preferences > Profiles
Open System Preferences, click the “Profiles” icon ( a checkmark on a gear) .
When Profiles pane opens, select the unknown profile and click the minus button at the bottom.
2.Reset search engine: https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/customize-your-search-ibrwe75c2a3c/mac
3.Reset Homepage. https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/set-your-homepage-ibrw1020/mac
Ref: https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/236261-how-to-remove-weknow-malware-and-others/
4.Remove unknown extensions: https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/use-safari-extensions-sfri32508/mac
I don't see any software that should cause problems.
You posted you don't have any extensions installed, but the Etrecheck report shows there are 2 extensions installed. Try going to Safari/Preferences/Extensions and disable them. Quit/reopen Safari, reset the Home page, and then quit/reopen again to see if the Home page is what you set.
See if anything here helps.
Safari – Home Page see post by thomas r.
Home Page Locked - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8058186
Safari Homepage setting greyed out
If I keep the "New window opens with" "Empty Page" then click the home button it works fine. Once I change it back to opens with homepage it reverts to apple.com. I don't know if this info helps. I'll just have to use firefox. I guess I just have A.D.D., lol, it just frustrates me it won't act "normal".
Here it is. Thanks Eric.
EtreCheck version: 5.1 (5020)
Report generated: 2019-02-13 13:13:03
Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com
Runtime: 2:50
Performance: Excellent
Sandbox: Enabled
Full drive access: Disabled
Problem: Other problem
Description:
Safari relentlessly reverts to apple.com homepage
Major Issues: None
Minor Issues:
These issues do not need immediate attention but they may indicate future problems.
Unsigned files - There are unsigned software files installed. They appear to be legitimate but should be reviewed.
32-bit Apps - This machine has 32-bits apps that may have problems in the future.
Abnormal shutdown - Your machine shut down abnormally.
Limited drive access - More information may be available with Full Drive Access.
Hardware Information:
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)
MacBook Pro Model: MacBookPro9,2
1 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 (i5-3210M) CPU: 2-core
16 RAM - At maximum
BANK 0/DIMM0 - 8 GB DDR3 1600 ok
BANK 1/DIMM0 - 8 GB DDR3 1600 ok
Battery: Health = Normal - Cycle count = 5
Video Information:
Intel HD Graphics 4000 - VRAM: 1536 MB
Color LCD 1280 x 800
Drives:
disk0 - CT250MX500SSD1 250.06 GB (Solid State - TRIM: No)
Internal SATA 6 Gigabit Serial ATA
disk0s1 - EFI (MS-DOS FAT32) [EFI] 210 MB
disk0s2 [APFS Container] 249.85 GB
disk1 [APFS Virtual drive] 249.85 GB (Shared by 4 volumes)
disk1s1 - Macintosh HD (APFS) (Shared - 40.22 GB used)
disk1s2 - Preboot (APFS) [APFS Preboot] (Shared)
disk1s3 - Recovery (APFS) [Recovery] (Shared)
disk1s4 - VM (APFS) [APFS VM] (Shared - 1.07 GB used)
Mounted Volumes:
disk1s1 - Macintosh HD 249.85 GB (207.88 GB free)
APFS
Mount point: /
Encrypted
disk1s4 - VM [APFS VM] (Shared - 1.07 GB used)
APFS
Mount point: /private/var/vm
Network:
Interface en0: Ethernet
Interface en4: iPhone
Interface fw0: FireWire
Interface en1: Wi-Fi
802.11 a/b/g/n
Interface en3: Bluetooth PAN
Interface bridge0: Thunderbolt Bridge
System Software:
macOS Mojave 10.14.3 (18D109)
Time since boot: Less than an hour
Security:
System Status
Gatekeeper Enabled
System Integrity Protection Enabled
Unsigned Files:
Launchd: /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist
Executable: /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper
Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK
32-bit Applications:
22 32-bit apps
Kernel Extensions:
/Library/Application Support/Malwarebytes/MBAM/Kext
MB_MBAM_Protection.kext (3.6 - SDK 10.14)
System Launch Agents:
[Not Loaded] 17 Apple tasks
[Loaded] 178 Apple tasks
[Running] 104 Apple tasks
System Launch Daemons:
[Not Loaded] 36 Apple tasks
[Loaded] 191 Apple tasks
[Running] 107 Apple tasks
[Other] One Apple task
Launch Agents:
[Running] jp.co.canon.ScanGearMF.appl.Canon-MFSU-Agent.plist (Canon Inc. - installed 2018-10-28)
[Other] com.adobe.ARMDCHelper.cc24aef4a1b90ed56a725c38014c95072f92651fb65e1bf9c8e43c37a23d420d.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2019-02-06)
[Running] com.malwarebytes.mbam.frontend.agent.plist (Malwarebytes Corporation - installed 2018-12-07)
[Running] jp.co.canon.ScanGearMF.appl.Canon-MF-Scan-Agent.plist (Canon Inc. - installed 2018-10-28)
Launch Daemons:
[Running] com.malwarebytes.mbam.rtprotection.daemon.plist (Malwarebytes Corporation - installed 2019-02-13)
[Loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist (? 6d8cb30e - installed 2015-06-04)
[Running] com.malwarebytes.mbam.settings.daemon.plist (Malwarebytes Corporation - installed 2018-12-07)
[Loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.Communicator.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2019-02-06)
[Loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.SMJobBlessHelper.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2019-02-06)
Internet Plug-ins:
AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: 17.012.20098 (installed 2018-12-19)
QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (installed 2019-01-15)
AdobePDFViewer: 19.010.20069 (installed 2018-12-19)
SharePointBrowserPlugin: 14.5.2 (installed 2019-02-11)
Safari Extensions:
Ghostery Lite Content Blocker - App Store (installed 2018-10-19)
Ghostery Lite UI - App Store (installed 2018-10-19)
Time Machine:
Time Machine information not available without Full Drive Access.
Performance:
System Load: 1.22 (1 min ago) 2.21 (5 min ago) 2.55 (15 min ago)
Nominal I/O speed: 7.55 MB/s
File system: 69.92 seconds
Write speed: 467 MB/s
Read speed: 507 MB/s
CPU Usage:
Type Overall
System 4 %
User 6 %
Idle 91 %
Top Processes by CPU:
Process (count) CPU (Source - Location)
Other processes 25.65 % (?)
EtreCheck 6.68 % (App Store)
accountsd 1.70 % (Apple)
secd 0.56 % (Apple)
secinitd 0.21 % (Apple)
Part 2...
Top Processes by Memory:
Process (count) RAM usage (Source - Location)
EtreCheck 460 MB (App Store)
storedownloadd 287 MB (Apple)
Finder 73 MB (Apple)
AppleSpell 67 MB (Apple)
accountsd 55 MB (Apple)
Top Processes by Network Use:
Process Input / Output (Source - Location)
mDNSResponder 189 KB / 9 KB (Apple)
apsd 5 KB / 8 KB (Apple)
netbiosd 4 KB / 1 KB (Apple)
SystemUIServer 291 B / 12 B (Apple)
iconservicesagent 0 B / 0 B (Apple)
Virtual Memory Information:
Available RAM 12.35 GB
Free RAM 9.48 GB
Used RAM 3.65 GB
Cached files 2.87 GB
Swap Used 0 B
Software Installs (past 30 days):
Install Date Name (Version)
2019-02-04 EtreCheck (5.1)
2019-02-04 Canon MF Printer Driver (10.11.1)
2019-02-04 Canon ScanGear MF (2.14.0)
2019-02-06 TotalAV
2019-02-06 Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (Continuous)
2019-02-09 MRTConfigData (1.39)
2019-02-09 Gatekeeper Configuration Data (162)
2019-02-11 "Malwarebytes for Mac Uninstaller"
2019-02-11 Microsoft Office for Mac 2011
2019-02-13 Malwarebytes for Mac
2019-02-13 PDF Reader Pro Lite (2.4)
2019-02-13 GhosteryLite (1.0.0)
Diagnostics Information (past 7 days):
2019-02-13 12:32:16 Last Shutdown Cause: 0 - Power loss
Directory /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports is not accessible without Full Drive Access
Sorry, that was brain fart. I did remove the extension... It took a very long time to download. Didn't realize it had. I'll have to live with it. I've taken enough of your time. Have a great evening. Thanks again Eric.
Launch Daemons:
[Running] com.malwarebytes.mbam.rtprotection.daemon.plist (Malwarebytes Corporation - installed 2019-02-13)
[Loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist (? 6d8cb30e - installed 2015-06-04)
[Running] com.malwarebytes.mbam.settings.daemon.plist (Malwarebytes Corporation - installed 2018-12-07)
[Loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.Communicator.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2019-02-06)
[Loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.SMJobBlessHelper.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2019-02-06)
Internet Plug-ins:
AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: 17.012.20098 (installed 2018-12-19)
QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (installed 2019-01-15)
AdobePDFViewer: 19.010.20069 (installed 2018-12-19)
SharePointBrowserPlugin: 14.5.2 (installed 2019-02-11)
Time Machine:
Time Machine information not available without Full Drive Access.
Performance:
System Load: 2.85 (1 min ago) 2.66 (5 min ago) 2.26 (15 min ago)
Nominal I/O speed: 1.94 MB/s
File system: 73.51 seconds
Write speed: 469 MB/s
Read speed: 509 MB/s
CPU Usage:
Type Overall
System 8 %
User 15 %
Idle 77 %
I tried all of the suggestions, but to no avail, sadly. I click the home button and it still goes to the apple.com page with the homepage stating www.google.ca.
I have no extensions downloaded, if that helps.
You are welcome. Is your problem fixed? Do you want to try more troubleshooting or just live with it?
It’s still there. I’m wondering if I should just reinstall Mojave. I’m not sure that would work. If you have other options I’m willing to try. Something is corrupt.
Try running this program in your normal user account, then copy and paste the output in a reply. The program was created by etresoft, a frequent contributor. Please use copy and paste as screen shots can be hard to read. Click “Share Report” button in the toolbar, select “Copy Report” and then paste into a reply. This will show what is running on your computer. No personal information is shown.
Etrecheck – System Information 10.10 and later
If the log won’t post, try posting it in Pastebin and provide a link in a reply Pastebin
Safari browser reverts back to apple.com as the default homepage every time I close Safari and reopen
