ICQ has taken over my browser

[Smoot]

I have no idea why UO players use icq, and only icq, but thats how it is. I recently downloaded the latest version, and after that my homepage is ICQ...
And i cant change it in internet options. Any page i set as my homepage does not come up. Ive uninstalled everything ICQ related, but still cant get it off my homepage.

Please Help!

Thanks

 

[Icarium1]

I also had the same issue. I believe I would classify ICQ as a browser hijack in its current state. It does not ask if you want to install the toolbar, it does so whether you want it to or not, when you install the newer versions of ICQ.

I am unsure of what web browser you are using. With Firefox you cannot uninstall the toolbar from within the browser in the addon's section. It has an uninstall/disable button, however, if you truly want it gone you have to go to control panel - add/remove programs and uninstall it (the toolbar).

This solves one issue. The next is the fact that anytime you type anything in your browser address bar it is ran through icq search. I typed in a valid website address and instead of actually going there it went to a search page with the site listed (as the same url i typed no less).

To solve this issue in firefox you have to type in your address bar type about:config.
It will bring up a screen giving you a warning that if you change anything you may "void your warranty." Click the button and it will bring you to a page with internal browser settings. Be extremely careful only to modify the one you are looking for dealing with icq search.

In the "Filter" box, enter "keyword.url"
-- Notice that the value is an ICQ search URL
-- Double click the line and an edit box will pop up
-- Copy and paste the following line as the new value

Google

Hope this helps.

 

[DevilsOwn]

right click on your little homepage icon up top and uncheck ICQ toolbar? I dunno, just guessing

 

[Smoot]

Thanks, i will do what you said and hope it works

 

[Nexus]

There are some really good alternatives to ICQ out there these days if you want to avoid this problem in the future.

Look at programs like Pidgin, Trillian or try Instantbird.

These won't Hijack your system, and in the case of Instantbird, it will feel very familiar if you use Firefox or Thunderbird.

Pidgin and Trillian might be the more well known, they are all part of a collection of multi-protocol IM clients meaning you can use ICQ, AIM, Yahoo!, Win Messenger services from them, along with many others.

 

[RawHeadRex]

aol sold icq to a russian company some time ago, since then it's gone to utter crap. alternatives still invade you with russian friend requests, but they (pidgin) use a proxy to block them from seeing your ip address. Icq users are vulnerable in more ways then they realize.

 

[Nexus]

aol sold icq to a russian company some time ago, since then it's gone to utter crap. alternatives still invade you with russian friend requests, but they (pidgin) use a proxy to block them from seeing your ip address. Icq users are vulnerable in more ways then they realize.

Yeah, I use Pidgin or Kepote myself...