Mozilla Firefox Issue - help! :(

Ive used Mozilla for years with no trouble at all.

About 6 weeks ago the normal "update to latest version of Firefox " tab appeared, ... so I clicked it for my automatic update.... big mistake....

Since downloading, Ive been unable to open Firefox browser, period.
I heard there were issues with it and others experiencing the same thing so deleted the latest version and re-installed a older version ...all was well and I could once again open Firefox browser, although it seemed to run slow.

Then, when my pc went into hibernation another Firefox update automatically downloaded and now once again, I cannot open the browser at all.

All I get it a message saying " Firefox encountered a problem" and to send the crash report so Mozilla can look at it.

So I thought bugger it,Forget Mozilla, I'll try Safari ...downloaded it and again, unable to open.... In fact, the only browser I can open is this one Im using now which is a old Netscape browser... Its driving me mad, sooo slow.

Ive looked into why this Firefox problem is occurring and from the posts on Google ive tried the suggestions ( as much as I can with my pc knowledge ) all to no avail.

Im using windows XP.

Can anyone shed any light? help me?! its driving me insane with frustration.

Gladly offer Beers to anyone who can help me get it sorted, its effecting my ability to work and causing all sorts of problems.

Thanks, B x

1. Maybe it's an Add-on that is causing the trouble. Start FF in Safe Mode.

2. Since the problem seems to be between browsers it could be that one of your media plugins, i.e. Flash is fucked. Update that to the latest version.

3. Make sure your profile folder isn't borked. Create a new one with FF's Profile Manager and start the browser with that.

Hi EFC

Ive already done 1 & 2.... previously, made no difference.

#3 ... excuse my ignorance, Im not overly pc literate...will try and work through what this profile manager is..

thank you.

A profile is where all your FF settings and things like history and cache are stored. Sometimes browsers choke when they try to read something they've saved in there. It's the computer equivalence of not being able to read your own handwriting.

ok, so I just worked through #3 and still I got... :(

Firefox had a problem and crashed. We'll try to restore your tabs and windows when it restarts.

To help us diagnose and fix the problem, you can send us a crash report.

back to sq 1

Can you view the crash report? Maybe post it in here.

PM'd

The first thing I would do is go to add remove programmes and remove Firefox. Then, do a search for firefox on your C drive and remove all folders and file associated with it.

Then in internet explorer D\L the firefox exe file and start again fresh.

Things like this are usually down to a single corrupt file which may have been caused by anything.

Hmmm not so sure it's a one off thing cause I have the same problems and so does my parents computer, I'm currently just running firefox in safe mode before I can find what the problem is!! But think it's down to there part or something

delete everything you have of the new firefox, then look for an earlier version download that then do not up-date it.

@Epifania ... Does Firefox show up in the task manger? Under processes?

If so kill it by ending the process and it should work.

@Malibu... I cant see any Mozilla files in my C drive, are they typically hidden under different codes\names?

@ Murtle... I dont have automatic updates as such- I have to " approve" them first.., which was why when I installed the older version it originally worked, somehow, in hibernation, whatever did download- did so without my approval and messed it up again- ( the update wasnt the latest version though, still running 3.1 not 3.5)

@ Lucus... nope, it doesnt

@ Leigh, I heard that too but I cant open Safari or IE either, only Netscape which is slow and outdated

Dunno whats up with your Firefox, but you could try downloading Google Chrome, it's excellent. My FF is fine but is noticeably slower than Chrome.

@ Manc- is it simple to use? any issues? ive not heard overly good reports but willing to try anything at this point- cant be worse then Netscape

huh, it works for me now, well weird, i updated cooliris and foxtrick which it asked me to do and now it all works fine, dunno why that is, google chrome is quite good actually, i'm gonna put that on my parents computer when i go over there....anythings better than internet explorer, thats a peice of shit!!!

my version does / did this. it's probably an add-on.
start in safe mode (i.e with all add ons disabled). work through turning them on one at a time.
update them etc.
and then that should work. if not. use google chrome.

@ Damo ... I did this previous in safe mode and deleted the only add on I had, its made no difference unfortunately

just tried to open Mozilla in safe mode and wont even open in that.. crash details said "CAFEEFAC" add on... which is weird because I have no add on's... googled it and something to do with Java? any ideas?

Dunno whats up with your Firefox, but you could try downloading Google Chrome, it's excellent. My FF is fine but is noticeably slower than Chrome.

+1

try DLing an uninstaller - yourunistaller 2008 has always done me well - but there are good free alternatives. . . they search out all the registry entrys and left over files :S you might need to reinstall FF first and then run the uninstaller. . have you tried this? if not go to ubuntu ;)

@ Manc- is it simple to use? any issues? ive not heard overly good reports but willing to try anything at this point- cant be worse then Netscape

Chrome is excellent, it's a bit different to operate from IE and FF but once you're used to it's great, also imports bookmarks from FF. FF has moved away from it's original ethos, and is now as bloated and slow as IE. Chrome FTW.

Do you have a java plugin installed?

Do you have Java installed at all? Check Control Panel > Add Remove Programs and see if it's in the list. What version?

Since more than one browser is fucked, it sounds more like Java is killing 'em.

ok, nothing working with firefox, deleted Java, still cant open in safe mode.

d\l chrome, fast and SO much better! thanks Manc :)

@ Hippy...just deleted all Java programs in control panel and re- booted, still cant open Mozilla in safe mode.

I had 6 programs in Java, 4 updates and 2 runtime environment things...