Firefox help.

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02/01/2008, 1:37 AM
osarusan

Firefox help.

I'm hoping people who are more computer-literate than me will be able to help me out.

I always use Firefox, but have a problem.

I shut down the computer as usual last night, no problems. When I turned it on this morning, all was well until I tried to access the internet using Firefox. When I did that, Firefox told me that my last internet session had finished unexpectedly, and offered me the choice of restoring the previous session or starting a new session. I was surprised as I knew I had shut it down properly, but opted for a new session.

When I tried that, it just didn't open properly - just a blank white page, with the Mozilla logo at the top.

My next idea, the usual when I encounter any computer problem, was to restart the computer. Again, I was told that the previous session had finished unexpectedly, and offered the same choices. This time I opted to restore the old session, and the page opened to a blank page, 3 tabs open, but basically frozen.

I'm using internet explorer at the moment, so I'm able to access the internet, but want to return to firefox for obvious reasons.

Can anybody give me any advice?
02/01/2008, 7:41 AM
Ash

Quote:

Originally Posted by osarusan

I'm hoping people who are more computer-literate than me will be able to help me out.

I always use Firefox, but have a problem.

I shut down the computer as usual last night, no problems. When I turned it on this morning, all was well until I tried to access the internet using Firefox. When I did that, Firefox told me that my last internet session had finished unexpectedly, and offered me the choice of restoring the previous session or starting a new session. I was surprised as I knew I had shut it down properly, but opted for a new session.

When I tried that, it just didn't open properly - just a blank white page, with the Mozilla logo at the top.

My next idea, the usual when I encounter any computer problem, was to restart the computer. Again, I was told that the previous session had finished unexpectedly, and offered the same choices. This time I opted to restore the old session, and the page opened to a blank page, 3 tabs open, but basically frozen.

I'm using internet explorer at the moment, so I'm able to access the internet, but want to return to firefox for obvious reasons.

Can anybody give me any advice?

Thats happened to me before, the "Restore Previous Pages" but only when the pc had shut down before shutting down FireFox fully/properly.

Try downloading the miost up to date version of FireFox.
02/01/2008, 8:30 AM
osarusan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash

Thats happened to me before, the "Restore Previous Pages" but only when the pc had shut down before shutting down FireFox fully/properly.

Try downloading the miost up to date version of FireFox.

If and when the computer doesn't shut down properly, then the "restore previous page" and "start new page" is a nice function.

The problem is that it happened even though I did shut down the computer properly, and choosing eith of the options results in the same thing - a frozen browser.

I downloaded firefox again, but it just offered me the same choice as before.

I don't want to uninstall it, as I don't want to lose the bookmarks and other saved sites. But that may be the only option, I don't know.
02/01/2008, 8:36 AM
Ash

You can export the bookmarks to a file from the Organise Bookmarks menu
option. Install the latest version and then import them back in.
02/01/2008, 8:37 AM
Block G Raptor

ok what it sounds like to me is you are shutting down your PC correctly but you are not closing Firefox before shutting down the PC. have you tried entering an address in the address bar when it opens to a blank page? your home page settings my have been lost
02/01/2008, 9:24 AM
osarusan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash

You can export the bookmarks to a file from the Organise Bookmarks menu
option. Install the latest version and then import them back in.

Sounds good but the page is frozen. I can't do anything with it. I can't access the bookmarks at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Block G Raptor

ok what it sounds like to me is you are shutting down your PC correctly but you are not closing Firefox before shutting down the PC. have you tried entering an address in the address bar when it opens to a blank page? your home page settings my have been lost

I always thought that if you shut down the computer properly, it will close the browser as part of the shutdown process.

I can't enter any address in the address bar as the page is frozen. I can't open, close, access anything. The mouse arrow has changed to the "hourglass" symbol.

I clicked "Control-Alt-Delete" and looked at the task manager, it says Mozilla Firefox is "not responding".
02/01/2008, 9:39 AM
Block G Raptor

End Task in task manager and try to open it again
02/01/2008, 10:00 AM
osarusan

block g-

I did that. Still no go.

Even after shutting down the computer (properly), and startin up again, when I try to access the internet, it tells my last session ended unexpectedly and offers me the previously mentioned choices. Whichever one I choose, I'm stuck with a frozen page I can do nothing with.
02/01/2008, 10:14 AM
dcfc_1928

Try opening Firefox in Safe Mode

You can start in Safe Mode by selecting "Start -> Run" and entering

firefox -safe-mode

then click OK.

You should get a few options to Reset Preferences etc

More info here:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_mode
02/01/2008, 11:11 AM
osarusan

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcfc_1928

Try opening Firefox in Safe Mode

You can start in Safe Mode by selecting "Start -> Run" and entering

firefox -safe-mode

then click OK.

You should get a few options to Reset Preferences etc

More info here:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_mode

I tried the safe mode thing - it didnt work. Once I tried to open in the safe mode, it immediately became unresponsive.

Then I tried a complete uninstall of firefox, followed by a reinstall of firefox, but once I tried to open it, I had the exact same problem as before.

This is really pi$$ing me off!
02/01/2008, 12:31 PM
R�iteoir

Download Hijack This! http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/p...php#hijackthis

Run a scan to generate a log file

Then run the log file through this page: http://www.hijackthis.de/

It'll hopefully advise you to remove some nasty stuff that's gotten into your system that could be affecting Firefox.

Could also try running a scan with Spybot S&D - http://www.spybot.info/en/
02/01/2008, 12:35 PM
fanatic

this link below seems pretty straight forward

http://www.helpero.com/Questions-and...eezes_197.html
02/01/2008, 1:04 PM
osarusan

once I've uninstalled Firefox from the "Add or Remove Programs" page, does that mean that no trace at all of Firefox remains on my computer?
02/01/2008, 1:20 PM
Dodge

Quote:

Originally Posted by osarusan

once I've uninstalled Firefox from the "Add or Remove Programs" page, does that mean that no trace at all of Firefox remains on my computer?

Go into the Program Files folder and delete it. Make sure that its gone from start bar (etc)
02/01/2008, 1:44 PM
dahamsta

The profile rolder might not be deleted. Where it is depends on the OS.

http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/profile#locate
03/01/2008, 2:55 PM
osarusan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dodge

Go into the Program Files folder and delete it. Make sure that its gone from start bar (etc)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dahamsta

The profile rolder might not be deleted. Where it is depends on the OS.

http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/profile#locate

Legends, both of you. I'm happy again.
16/04/2008, 4:00 AM
osarusan

Right, more problems with Firefox.

Computer was shut down properly as usual last night. No problems.

This morning, when I tried to use firefox to access the internet, it opens, but just says "waiting for bbc.co.uk" at the bottom, then freezes.

I uninstalled it, deleted the program folder, emptied my recycle bin.........then downloaded the latest version, but when I try to access the internet, the same page appears, "waiting for bbc.co.uk".

Any ideas as to what might be wrong?

EDIT : I uninstalled firefox again, and then changed my homemage on internet explorer from the BBC to Foot.ie.
I installed Firefox yet again, but when I tried to use it to access the internet, I got the same "waiting for bc.co.uk" message.

If I understand it correctly, Firefox is supposed to use the same homepage settings as whatever browser it is replacing. If that is correct, Firefox should have tried to access Foot.ie instead of BBC. This makes me think that I haven't actually deleted all of the elements of Firefox, and the direction to use BBC as the homepage is coming from some element I can't find.

Does that make any sense?
16/04/2008, 9:39 AM
dahamsta

You need to delete your profile folder.
16/04/2008, 10:45 AM
osarusan

Quote:

Originally Posted by dahamsta

You need to delete your profile folder.

Thanks Adam.

I did that, and things have changed somewhat.

Now, when I try to access the net through Firefox, a window appears telling me "Firefox is already running, but not responding. To open a new application, first close the other application, or restart your computer" (or words to that effect.

Even after restarting my computer and opening Firefox, I get the same window.

I've noticed that my profile holder is part of a folder called "Mozilla" in the Application Data. Is there any point in deleting the entire folder, not just the profile holder?
16/04/2008, 10:52 AM
GavinZac

Download the newest version. Its a vast improvement.

http://download.mozilla.org/?product...win&lang=en-GB

Its the final beta version, the release candidate will be out next week, and the official release is before the end of the month. I've been using it for quite a while now and its excellent. See if this fixes it, otherwise you might need to systematically remove all traces of the program from windows, something windows isn't very good at.
16/04/2008, 10:55 AM
osarusan

I sorted it out.

Firefox Q&A had the answers. Imagine that!!

Because Firefox couldn't find my profile, it reported that it was already running. I simply had to create a new profile, and it worked perfectly.

Thanks for the help!
16/04/2008, 10:58 AM
GavinZac

Quote:

Originally Posted by osarusan

I sorted it out.

Firefox Q&A had the answers. Imagine that!!

Because Firefox couldn't find my profile, it reported that it was already running. I simply had to create a new profile, and it worked perfectly.

Thanks for the help!

Dead handy :) Using the beta is still something I would recommend but you'll have the final released update automatically in a couple of weeks :)
16/04/2008, 11:04 AM
dahamsta

Something very odd there, Firefox shouldn't be running after a boot unless you have it set to launch automatically on boot?

[EDIT: Must Refresh Before Replying.]
16/04/2008, 2:40 PM
tetsujin1979

Quote:

Originally Posted by GavinZac

Dead handy :) Using the beta is still something I would recommend but you'll have the final released update automatically in a couple of weeks :)

It doesn't support mouse gestures, which I use more than anything so I'm staying away from it for the time being.
16/04/2008, 7:30 PM
GavinZac

Quote:

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

It doesn't support mouse gestures, which I use more than anything so I'm staying away from it for the time being.

How to use your incompatible extensions with Firefox 3