OK, here's a new thread.

[Frosted Flake]

I just installed FF 85 on Win 10 and now AVG Tuneup says that something
from Firefox is still running even when it is shut down. That is
unacceptable. It says something about a 'scheduled task'.

When Firefox is shut down NOTHING related to Firefox should be running.
It is MY Machine, not yours.

--
Frosted Flake

[😉 Good Guy 😉]

On 27/01/2021 01:30, Frosted Flake wrote:

I just installed FF 85 on Win 10 and now AVG Tuneup says that something from Firefox is still running even when it is shut down.  That is unacceptable. 

Did you check for yourself whether or not something is still running?  You can't rely on AVG to tell you because it could be giving you false information.

It says something about a 'scheduled task'.

When Firefox is shut down NOTHING related to Firefox should be running. It is MY Machine, not yours.

I suggest you first check what is running on YOUR Machine and see if you can manually terminate the process that is "still running".

--

With over 1.2 billion devices now running Windows 10, customer satisfaction is higher than any previous version of windows.

[Frosted Flake]

This new with this install.
It says that something from FIREFOX is running. I see no task or
service that says anything about Firefox.
If I could identify the FIREFOX process that is still running I would
but nothing is identified as FIREFOX related in Windows Task Manager
even with "Show processes from all users" selected.


--
Frosted Flake

[Frosted Flake]

Here is what AVG says is running, even with Firefox NOT running:
Name
Firefox Default Browser Agent 308046B0AF4A39CB

Kind
Scheduled Task

Path
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\default-browser-agent.exe


--
Frosted Flake

[😉 Good Guy 😉]

On 27/01/2021 02:18, Frosted Flake wrote:

It says that something from FIREFOX is running.  I see no task or service that says anything about Firefox.
If I could identify the FIREFOX process that is still running I would but nothing is identified as FIREFOX related in Windows Task Manager even with "Show processes from all users" selected.

This is exactly what I was saying.  AVG must be wrong.  Firefox process looks like in this picture:

[Chris Ilias]

On 2021-01-26 9:26 p.m., Frosted Flake wrote:
> Here is what AVG says is running, even with Firefox NOT running:
> Name
> Firefox Default Browser Agent 308046B0AF4A39CB
>
> Kind
> Scheduled Task
>
> Path
> C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\default-browser-agent.exe

Hi,
Michael asked about this a few months ago. It's actually not new.
That's telemetry data. What's being sent is what your default browser is
set to. The data cannot be associated with regular profile based
telemetry data.

If "Allow Firefox to send technical and interaction data to Mozilla" is
disabled, nothing is sent.

For more information, see
<https://blog.mozilla.org/data/2020/03/16/understanding-default-browser-trends/>.


--
Mailing list/Newsgroup moderator

[Frosted Flake]

😉 Good Guy 😉 wrote:
> On 27/01/2021 02:18, Frosted Flake wrote:
>>
>>>
>>
>> It says that something from FIREFOX is running.  I see no task or
>> service that says anything about Firefox.
>> If I could identify the FIREFOX process that is still running I would
>> but nothing is identified as FIREFOX related in Windows Task Manager
>> even with "Show processes from all users" selected.
>>
>>
> This is exactly what I was saying.  AVG must be wrong.  Firefox process
> looks like in this picture:
>

> [ Firefox Process ] <https://i.imgur.com/mQ6ab7s.png>

>
>
> --
>
> With over 1.2 billion devices now running Windows 10, customer
> satisfaction is higher than any previous version of windows.
>

I think you are confusing things. So, let me explain.
Using 'CLASSIC TASK MANAGER', when FIREFOX IS RUNNING, I see 7 instances
of Firefox under 'Processes'. Under 'Applications', there are 3, one
for each window. When I shut down Firefox, using 'Exit' (crtl-Shift-Q),
there is nothing relating to Firefox under the 'Applications' tab and
under the 'Processes' tab there is nothing that says 'Firefox' under any
image name, even with 'Show processes from all users'

Looking further into what AVG thinks is running, it is

Name: Firefox Default Browser Agent 308046B0AF4A39CB
Kind: Scheduled Task
Path: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\default-browser-agent.exe

Size: 661 KB (677,344 bytes)
Size on disk: 664 KB (679,936 bytes)
Created: ‎April ‎9, ‎2020, ‏‎19:48:01
Modified: ‎January ‎26, ‎2021, ‏‎18:00:08
Accessed: ‎January ‎26, ‎2021, ‏‎18:00:08

January 26 at about 6pm is when this first showed up on my machine AFTER
I installed the update to FF 85.

I have no way of knowing whether default-browser-agent.exe was installed
on my machine prior to Jan 26 but this 'always running' did not happen
until then.

I have rebooted a number of times since then with no change in behavior.

It looks to me like 'default-browser-agent.exe' was created back in
April but just forced upon me with this update. AND, I DO NOT WANT IT.

Next step will be to rename 'default-browser-agent.exe' to
'default-browser-agent.crap' so it doesn't automatically run. If that
fails, I likely will remove Firefox and go to Brave exclusively.



--
Frosted Flake

[Lance]

I opened my Win10 Task Scheduler. Under "Mozilla" I found a scheduled
task with the following description:

"The Default Browser Agent task checks when the default changes from
Firefox to another browser. If the change happens under suspicious
circumstances, it will prompt users to change back to Firefox no more
than two times. This task is installed automatically by Firefox, and is
reinstalled when Firefox updates. To disable this task, update the
“default-browser-agent.enabled” preference on the about:config page or
the Firefox enterprise policy setting 'DisableDefaultBrowserAgent'."

Lance
*****

[Frosted Flake]

Thank you. Now I'm going to go back to rename the file
"default-browser-agent.crap" back to "default-browser-agent.exe", reboot
and see if that works. The setting is now set to TRUE which should mean
that this useless POS will not keep running


--
Frosted Flake

[Jeff Layman]

And default-browser-agent.exe needs 661 KB to do that?

--

Jeff

[Frosted Flake]

Well, I tried disabling the task in the task scheduler, I tried stopping
it with about:config and so far, the only thing that works asross a
restart is giving the exec the appropriate extension of 'crap' although
'junk' would work also.


--
Frosted Flake

[Millwood]

I'm still confused as to how default-browser-agent.exe can be running
and not show up in task manager. In my system, it's enabled in Task
Scheduler to run once a day, but it's not running right now - according
to Task Manager and Process Explorer. As you sure you know what the AVG
tuneup message means?

[WaltS48]

The AVG application may add default-browser-agent.exe to the Firefox
applications files and default-browser-agent.enabled to about:config.

Then when AVG checks and sees that the user is not on the default user
agent for the latest version, forces the update and changes the Update
preference back to the default "Automatically install updates".

The user does want to be using secure applications or why would they be
using AVG.

My thoughts.

--
OS: Fedora 33 Workstation - Gnome Desktop
https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/get-involved/

[Frosted Flake]

I don't know how AVG even found out that it existed. All I know is that
suddenly it (AVG) warned me that this was running in my machine. The
only choice AVG gave was to put it to sleep in which case, when Firefox
restarts, it gets awakened and runs constantly. That is not a nice
thing to do.
I have tried both 'true' and 'false' for the About:config setting with
no discernible difference, after a restart, it is always running.
I have tried disabling the Task in Task Scheduler, after a restart, it
again begins running.
Thus far, changing the extension from .exe to the more appropriate .crap
has kept it from coming back after a restart.


--
Frosted Flake

[Frosted Flake]

I do see it in the Task Scheduler but, disabling it or even deleting it
(I think I tried that) allowed it to come back after a restart. I do
NOT ever want any program to be running on my machine without me knowing
about it (which is why the extension 'crap' is appropriate).


--
Frosted Flake

[Millwood]

When I force run it from the Task Scheduler is almost immediately
terminates. If it's not, I would suspect something is hanging it - maybe
a firewall rule but that's just a stab in the dark.

If you want to check, go to the Task Scheduler, turn on history if
necessary, and see if the task is running.

[Frosted Flake]

History in Task Scheduler is disabled

--
Frosted Flake

[Millwood]

Open Task Scheduler, look in the right hand pane. If you don't see the
action pane to the right, use view to turn it on. Then enable history
in the action pane.

[Paul in Houston, TX]

The first thing I do when something like that occurs is to do a Google
search.
The first google hit for 308046B0AF4A39CB explains the code, the
associated telemetry, and what to do about it. No need to read all
~7,600 hits.

[Frosted Flake]

All well and good BUT it is MY machine and I do not want it running
in/on MY Machine. The ONLY way that I have found to turn it off across
a restart is by renaming the .exe with an appropriate non-executable
extension, I use 'crap' because that is what this is.


--
Frosted Flake

[micky]

In mozilla.support.firefox, on Wed, 27 Jan 2021 12:12:22 -0700, Frosted

But you do know about it now. Was Chris wrong?

[micky]

In mozilla.support.firefox, on Tue, 26 Jan 2021 20:16:33 -0700, Frosted
Flake <no_...@example.net> wrote:

>? Good Guy ? wrote:
>> On 27/01/2021 02:18, Frosted Flake wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> It says that something from FIREFOX is running.  I see no task or
>>> service that says anything about Firefox.
>>> If I could identify the FIREFOX process that is still running I would
>>> but nothing is identified as FIREFOX related in Windows Task Manager
>>> even with "Show processes from all users" selected.
>>>
>>>
>> This is exactly what I was saying.  AVG must be wrong.  Firefox process
>> looks like in this picture:
>>
>> [ Firefox Process ] <https://i.imgur.com/mQ6ab7s.png>

When Firefox is closed, you will continue to see lines in Task Manager
under Background Processes. These can last up to 5 minutes, maybe much
longer for all I know. And each one ends when it feels like it.

This is why when you restart FF too soon, you get a message that it is
already runniung.

>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> With over 1.2 billion devices now running Windows 10, customer
>> satisfaction is higher than any previous version of windows.
>>
>I think you are confusing things. So, let me explain.
>Using 'CLASSIC TASK MANAGER', when FIREFOX IS RUNNING, I see 7 instances
>of Firefox under 'Processes'. Under 'Applications', there are 3, one
>for each window. When I shut down Firefox, using 'Exit' (crtl-Shift-Q),
>there is nothing relating to Firefox under the 'Applications' tab and
>under the 'Processes' tab

If you have separate tabs for those things, doesn't that mean you're not
running win10?

>there is nothing that says 'Firefox' under any
>image name, even with 'Show processes from all users'
>
>Looking further into what AVG thinks is running, it is
>Name: Firefox Default Browser Agent 308046B0AF4A39CB
>Kind: Scheduled Task
>Path: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\default-browser-agent.exe
>Size: 661 KB (677,344 bytes)

A pittance. I spit on 661 KB. Pfff. Pfff.

>Size on disk: 664 KB (679,936 bytes)

>Created: ?April ?9, ?2020, ??19:48:01
>Modified: ?January ?26, ?2021, ??18:00:08
>Accessed: ?January ?26, ?2021, ??18:00:08

>
>January 26 at about 6pm is when this first showed up on my machine AFTER
>I installed the update to FF 85.
>
>I have no way of knowing whether default-browser-agent.exe was installed
>on my machine prior to Jan 26 but this 'always running' did not happen
>until then.
>
>I have rebooted a number of times since then with no change in behavior.
>
>It looks to me like 'default-browser-agent.exe' was created back in
>April but just forced upon me with this update. AND, I DO NOT WANT IT.
>
>Next step will be to rename 'default-browser-agent.exe' to
>'default-browser-agent.crap' so it doesn't automatically run. If that
>fails, I likely will remove Firefox and go to Brave exclusively.

Don't act rashly.

I think Chris solved your problem simultaneously with this very post.
But Maybe Lance did.

[Frosted Flake]

I solved the problem by changing the extension of the .exe to .crap so,
I guess I will stay with both Firefox and Brave (and Seamonkey).

--
Frosted Flake

[😉 Good Guy 😉]

On 30/01/2021 02:10, Frosted Flake wrote:

I solved the problem by changing the extension of the .exe to .crap so, I guess I will stay with both Firefox and Brave (and Seamonkey).

Have you "unchecked" the box that checks whether or not Firefox is your Default Browser?  Sometimes FF keeps checking over and over again so try disabling it.

[Frosted Flake]

That box is checked and, it is a lighter color than any of the other
checked boxes on the 'General' Options, AND it can not be turned off by
clicking it.

--
Frosted Flake