Mozilla Tweak - Change User Agent

NetRyder

Tech Junkie
Joined
19 Apr 2002
Messages
13,256
Okay, here's something for you guys ...

Sometimes, when you visit a certain site, it may tell you that you cannot view it using Mozilla. Well, that's BS. You can edit the user.js file to make websites think that you are using IE, when you're actually using Mozilla :D

Here's how:
1) Close down Mozilla completely (including QuickLaunch if you have it enabled)
2) Search your HDD for "prefs.js"
3) In the same folder as "prefs.js", create a new file called "user.js" and add this line.
If the file already exists, open it with Notepad and add this to the last line.

Code:
user_pref("general.useragent.override", "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible;MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1)");

4) Restart Mozilla, and you're done! If all is well, you should see "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible;MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1)" when you click Help>About Mozilla

Have fun :cool:
 
I love the premise of this tweak but I appear to have hit a sour point after using it. Everything seemed to go through fine and it does indeed show that the tweak has worked but now I am getting the following message every time I shut down or start up Mozilla:

Java-Plug In For Netscape Navigator should not be used in Internet Explorer. Please use Java-Plug in for Internet Explorer instead.

I have been using the latest version of Sun Java with Mozilla and it's been working fine up until the tweak. Does anyone know how I could fix it? I love the tweak but would rather not have the error message!
 
Where's that NetRyder? Scarpered has he? Bit of a wierd error popping up. It's saying not for use with IE when it is being used on Mozilla. (you are opening Mozilla?)
 
Personally, I run the Mozilla Quicklaunch so this error message appears whenever I start up the PC (the program is starting) and whenever I shut down all of the Mozilla windows (as you will notice, the program shuts down and then restarts).
 
You're doing better than me. I just tried it & it didn't make any difference. No changes in help/about, no nothing. :(
 
That's strange. The tweak is showing up here but I'd rather not have an error message everytime I restart the browser. Did you have the user.js file in the directory already or did you have to create it manually?
 
I had to create it but now I've deleted it till I see how this thread goes.
 
Rather than messing with the prefs.js file =P

Its a lot more handy to use the prefbar by xulplanet.

You can actually change it between Opera, IE, Netscape and Mozilla.

http://www.xulplanet.com/downloads/prefbar/

It also has functionality to reenable popups for sites that use legitimate pop ups and its also a one stop easy way to turn images on and off without having to go into your preferences.

I used to use it when i used Mozilla but now i use Phoenix which prefbar doesn't work with =P
 
I think I'll do the same. I've only just started using Mozilla (after spending months reading through topics until I was convinced it was a good idea!) and little problems make me nervous!
 
Originally posted by mbunny
Rather than messing with the prefs.js file =P

Its a lot more handy to use the prefbar by xulplanet.

I don't think this works with version 1.2.1 as I've just installed it and it doesn't appear to be there.

Edit - I opened my mouth too soon - it does in fact work. Sorry!
 
Originally posted by mbunny
Rather than messing with the prefs.js file =P

Its a lot more handy to use the prefbar by xulplanet.

You can actually change it between Opera, IE, Netscape and Mozilla.

http://www.xulplanet.com/downloads/prefbar/

It also has functionality to reenable popups for sites that use legitimate pop ups and its also a one stop easy way to turn images on and off without having to go into your preferences.

I used to use it when i used Mozilla but now i use Phoenix which prefbar doesn't work with =P

Oooh ... that's a great add-on!
Thanks mbunny :)
 
Is it possible to remove these type of plugins if you decide you don't want it? If so, how?
 
It is an excellent add-on, altho it produces the same error where-by Java has a moan because you're not using Mozilla

I would have thought sun would have coded a more effective way of browser detection than the user-agent string.
 
xulplanet has a readme on how to remove it (now why would you want to remove prefbar =P)

Anyone interested in mouse gestures for Mozilla??? =)

Umm... Sun used the most efficient way to detect your browser due to the ever changing world of browsers. If you read the user agent tag, it gives you all the info you need. While this may be slightly annoying at times, thats how it works. It's efficient and the majority of users don't have the misfortune of an idiot website that is both Java enabled AND IE Only.
 
Originally posted by mbunny
Anyone interested in mouse gestures for Mozilla??? =)

Is that when you drag the mouse to go back/forward?
(seem to remember using gestures with opera..yek :p)
 

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