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firefox starting when mac boots up

When my Mac boots up Firefox 9 is starts up. For the life of me I do not know why this is happening. I have checked everywhere what I could think of that is causing Firefox to start up when my Mac boots up (I have checked in Login Items under Users and Groups and the Dock Icon).


Can anyone help me.


NIK

17, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Dec 27, 2011 1:55 AM

Reply
30 replies

Dec 27, 2011 7:27 AM in response to niknik1971

System Preferences - Users & Groups - Highlight your account - Login Items - if you see FireFox in the pane select it and click the - symbol below it. Then restart and test.


Also hold down the mouse while hovering over the FireFox icon on the Dock - Select Options and if it's checked with Open on Startup click that. Then check again to make sure check is now removed.

Dec 27, 2011 7:42 AM in response to rkaufmann87

OP says s/he's already done that...


Try this.


1. Restart your com.


2. After restart, open terminal and put in this command:


launchctl list


3. Hit 'Command-F' to search, and type in 'firefox'. If you get a match, note down the name (something like com.firefox....' ).


4. Go search for that file in the various 'LaunchAgents' folders (System, Library and ~/Library). The easiest way to do this is use the free app EasyFind (normal Finder search probably won't find it).


5. If you find it, copy that file to your Desktop, and then delete it from its original location (but make a note of where it was, just in case). Restart your mac.


6. If the problem is solved and Ffx works fine, delete the file from your Desktop. If it doesn't make any difference, copy the file back to its original location.


Message was edited by: softwater corrected 'control-F' to 'command-F'....:\

Dec 27, 2011 7:47 PM in response to niknik1971

Urgh, sorry about that. My guess is that some other process is running in that launchctl list that is kicking off Firefox. By the way, you're not running MacKeeper are you??? If you are uninstall it.


Assuming the answer to that is no, is Firefox set as your default browser? If it is, change your default to Safari, and see what happens when you do a restart. If it isn't, then I'd try deleting and re-downloading Firefox as it may be something with the app itself.


If Safari kicks in after a restart instead of Firefox, you're going to need to go through your launchagents, launchdaemons and various other folders and eliminate the culprit. Go through the list below, just making a note of anything that strikes you as suspicious (you can highlight, right-click, then assign it a colour label so as to easily find it again).


When you've been through the whole lot, start with the third party apps (not 'com.apple') that are related to the interent or browsing somehow. Move each suspect out to the desktop first, delete it and try a restart. Laborious I know, but its the only way I can think of doing it.


Look in these 3 sets of Library folders:


1.

Hard Disk > Users > [YourHome] > Library > LaunchAgents

(to get to this one you can hold down 'option' and choose 'Go > Library' in the Finder menubar).


2.

Hard Disk > System > Library > LaunchAgents

Hard Disk > System > Library > LaunchDaemons

Hard Disk > System > Library > LoginPlugins

Hard Disk > System > Library > StartupItems


3.

Hard Disk > Library > LaunchAgents

Hard Disk > Library > LaunchDaemons

Hard Disk > Library > PrivilegedHelperTools

Hard Disk > Library > StartupItems

Dec 28, 2011 5:42 AM in response to softwater

Thanks for your reply Softwater. I was thinking before I go down the line you showed me is there some software like you can get in windows that will show the boot up process (Like what Process Monitor (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/sysinternals/bb896645) for windows can do = Boot Logging). If there is a Mac software that could do the same thing it could/might save me a very large and time consuming search for the problem.


NIK


Message was edited by: niknik1971

Dec 28, 2011 5:44 AM in response to niknik1971

I don't know of one, but you can get the output from those various files (and a few others) by running each of these commands in Terminal.app. Just copy and paste them (don't try to type them), but be sure to copy exactly - no extra space in the selection before or after.


If you want help with deciphering them, post the output here in the thread.


1.

kextstat -kl | awk ' !/apple/ { print $6 $7 } '



2.

sudo launchctl list | sed 1d | awk ' !/0x|apple|com\.vix|edu\.|org\./ { print $3 } '


(you will need to enter an admin password after this, which will be invisible when you type it)


3.

launchctl list | sed 1d | awk ' !/0x|apple|edu\.|org\./ { print $3 } '



4.

ls -1A {,/}Library/{Ad,Compon,Ex,Fram,In,La,Mail/Bu,P*P,Priv,Qu,Scripti,Ser,Sta}* 2> /dev/null



If you have a mobile.me account, be sure to replace your mobile.me email with a dummy (it will be shown in the output)

Dec 28, 2011 6:00 AM in response to softwater

Softwater I must thank you again for taking the time out to help me. Here is the output logs:


kextstat -kl | awk ' !/apple/ { print $6 $7 } '


at.obdev.nke.LittleSnitch(2.4.4)

com.globaldelight.driver.BoomDevice(1.1)

com.kaspersky.kext.klif(2.2.0d14)

com.kaspersky.kext.kimul.37(37)

unknown-00-25-00-42-fe-41:~ niknik1971$



sudo launchctl list | sed 1d | awk ' !/0x|apple|com\.vix|edu\.|org\./ { print $3 } '


Password:

com.growl.hardwaregrowler.GNTPClientService

net.conceited.RubbernetDaemon

com.synium.cleanappdaemon

com.quark.quarkupdate

com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper

com.kaspersky.kav

com.adobe.SwitchBoard

at.obdev.littlesnitchd

unknown-00-25-00-42-fe-41:~ niknik1971$



launchctl list | sed 1d | awk ' !/0x|apple|edu\.|org\./ { print $3 } '


com.culturedcode.thingshelper

com.paragon.ntfs.upd

com.paragon.ntfs.trial

com.wacom.wacomtablet

com.quark.quarkupdate.agent

com.machangout.glims.agent

com.kaspersky.kav.gui

com.hp.messagecenter.launcher

com.hp.devicemonitor

com.bjango.istatlocal

com.adobe.CS5ServiceManager

at.obdev.LittleSnitchUIAgent

at.obdev.LittleSnitchNetworkMonitor

ws.agile.1PasswordAgent

com.macpaw.CleanMyMac.volumeWatcher

com.macpaw.CleanMyMac.trashSizeWatcher

com.macpaw.CleanMyMac.helperTool

com.google.keystone.user.agent

com.ecamm.printopia

com.divx.agent.postinstall

com.adobe.ARM.df0ab5bbe6f698196fcc21e3c1e66dcb758bd911f4d637272d9d8109

com.adobe.AAM.Scheduler-1.0

unknown-00-25-00-42-fe-41:~ niknik1971$



ls -1A {,/}Library/{Ad,Compon,Ex,Fram,In,La,Mail/Bu,P*P,Priv,Qu,Scripti,Ser,Sta}* 2> /dev/null


/Library/Components:


/Library/Extensions:


/Library/Frameworks:

.DS_Store

AEProfiling.framework

AERegistration.framework

Adlm.framework

Adobe AIR.framework

ApplicationEnhancer.framework

AudioMixEngine.framework

CDOInterAction.framework

DivX Toolkit.framework

EWSMac-GC.framework

GlimsAdditions.framework

HPSmartPrint.framework

MacFUSE.framework

NyxAudioAnalysis.framework

ONCore2.framework

ONDocument2.framework

ONEffects.framework

ONImaging.framework

ONLRPalette.framework

ONProxySupport.framework

OnOneWidgets.framework

PhotoLooksRenderer.framework

PluginManager.framework

Python.framework

QuarkUpdateInterface.framework

StuffIt.framework

StuffItCore.framework

TSLicense.framework

XSKey.framework

iLifeFaceRecognition.framework

iLifeKit.framework

iLifePageLayout.framework

iLifeSQLAccess.framework

iLifeSlideshow.framework

libMagick++.framework

libMagick.framework

libWand.framework

libbz2.framework

libcharset.framework

libcurl.framework

libiconv.framework

libjasper.framework

libjpeg.framework

libpng.framework

libtiff.framework

libz.framework

onOneToolbox.framework


/Library/Input Methods:


/Library/InputManagers:

Smart Crash Reports


/Library/Internet Plug-Ins:

AdobePDFViewer.plugin

DivXBrowserPlugin.plugin

Flash Player.plugin

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin.plugin

GlimsAdditions.webplugin

JavaAppletPlugin.plugin

OVSHelper.plugin

Quartz Composer.webplugin

QuickTime Plugin.plugin

RealPlayer Plugin.plugin

SharePointBrowserPlugin.plugin

SharePointWebKitPlugin.webplugin

Silverlight.plugin

SnagitSafariScroller.webplugin

SpeedDownload Browser Plugin.plugin

WacomNetscape.plugin

WacomSafari.plugin

flashplayer.xpt

iPhotoPhotocast.plugin

npContributeMac.bundle

nsIQTScriptablePlugin.xpt


/Library/LaunchAgents:

.DS_Store

at.obdev.LittleSnitchNetworkMonitor.plist

at.obdev.LittleSnitchUIAgent.plist

com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist

com.adobe.CS5ServiceManager.plist

com.bjango.istatlocal.plist

com.hp.devicemonitor.plist

com.hp.messagecenter.launcher.plist

com.kaspersky.kav.gui.plist

com.machangout.glims.agent.plist

com.quark.quarkupdate.agent.plist

com.wacom.wacomtablet.plist


/Library/LaunchDaemons:

at.obdev.littlesnitchd.plist

com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist

com.apple.aelwriter.plist

com.apple.remotepairtool.plist

com.bjango.istatlocaldaemon.plist

com.kaspersky.kav.plist

com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist

com.quark.quarkupdate.plist

com.synium.cleanappdaemon.plist

net.conceited.RubbernetDaemon.plist


/Library/PreferencePanes:

Application Enhancer.prefPane

Archives.prefPane

DivX.prefPane

Flash Player.prefPane

Flip4Mac WMV.prefPane

MacFUSE.prefPane

NTFSforMacOSX.prefPane

QUPreferencePane.prefPane

SneakPeek Photo.prefPane

SneakPeek Pro.prefPane

WacomTablet.prefPane


/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools:

com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper

com.quark.quarkupdate

net.conceited.RubbernetDaemon


/Library/QuickLook:

GBQLGenerator.qlgenerator

QuarkXPress.qlgenerator

SneakPeek Photo.qlgenerator

SneakPeek Pro.qlgenerator

iWork.qlgenerator


/Library/QuickTime:

AppleAVCIntraCodec.component

AppleHDVCodec.component

AppleIntermediateCodec.component

AppleMPEG2Codec.component

AppleProResCodec.component

DVCPROHDCodec.component

DivX Decoder.component

DivX Encoder.component

FCP Uncompressed 422.component

Flip4Mac WMV Advanced.component

Flip4Mac WMV Export.component

Flip4Mac WMV Import.component

Flix Flv.component

Flix Swf.component

IMXCodec.component


/Library/ScriptingAdditions:

Adobe Unit Types.osax

Glims.osax

QXPScriptingAdditions.osax

SpeedDownloadLoader.osax


/Library/Server:

Mail


/Library/StartupItems:

ProTec6

ProTec6b


Library/Address Book Plug-Ins:


Library/Frameworks:

EWSMac-GC.framework


Library/Input Methods:

.localized


Library/Internet Plug-Ins:

EvernoteSafariClipperPlugin.webplugin

GlimsAddition.notplugin


Library/LaunchAgents:

com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist

com.adobe.ARM.df0ab5bbe6f698196fcc21e3c1e66dcb758bd911f4d637272d9d8109.plist

com.apple.AddressBook.ScheduledSync.PHXCardDAVSource.3639A1DC-2B2F-47B6-A1BD-41B 61956F597.plist

com.divx.agent.postinstall.plist

com.ecamm.printopia.plist

com.google.keystone.agent.plist

com.linotype.FontFolderProtector.plist

com.macpaw.CleanMyMac.helperTool.plist

com.macpaw.CleanMyMac.trashSizeWatcher.plist

com.macpaw.CleanMyMac.volumeWatcher.plist

ws.agile.1PasswordAgent.plist


Library/PreferencePanes:

BTTPrefs.prefPane

Fantasktik.prefPane

FruitMenu.prefPane

HyperDock.prefpane

Launchpad-Control.prefPane

Perian.prefPane

Printopia.prefPane


Library/QuickTime:

AC3MovieImport.component

Perian.component


Library/ScriptingAdditions:


Library/Services:

ENService.app

ToastIt.service

unknown-00-25-00-42-fe-41:~ niknik1971$

Dec 28, 2011 6:47 AM in response to niknik1971

There's two obvious standouts to me from that list (though others may wade in with others)


1. Little Snitch

A pain in the *** program that you really should rid yourself of. This program causes all sorts of problems, though I'll admit I've never heard of it causing FFX to autostart, but its something you really should get rid of. It serves no useful purpose.


2. The three references to

unknown-00-25-00-42-fe-41:~ niknik1971$


Whatever that is, it doesn't sound good.


OK, two ways you can proceed from here. You can either use EasyFind to hunt down those files or hunt through the list I gave you earlier of directories. With the Little Snitch files (obdev), just junk them straight away to the Trash can.


As for the unknown-00-25-00-42-fe-41:~ niknik1971$, since we don't know what it is, just copy it to your desktop (maybe make a folder called 'Temp' to put it in) and then delete it from where it was.


You'll need to restart your system for any changes to take effect.


Let us know how you get on.


Message was edited by: softwater

Dec 28, 2011 7:47 AM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks for the info about 'unknown', but please don't be so precious. We're all trying to help.


And indeed, I didn't "copy your posts" (jeez...), I shared the commands that you have posted in an online dicussion forum in order to help the OP. I know full well what the commands mean, and I already indicated that I didn't know what that the 'unknown' output was.


Perhaps you'd like to file a patent on being the only one allowed to offer help on ASC...

firefox starting when mac boots up

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