Firefox 7 will not open, only shows up in processes, after Oct's Windows 7 update and force restart.
Been unable to get FF to open out side of it showing up in the processes. No browser window to even tinker with settings. Uninstalled the latest Windows updates, restarted and still won't open. Then uninstalled recent flash update since that updated as well. Still no go. Uninstalled FF, reboot, re-install FF, reboot, still nothing. I have tried opening in safe mode and FF will not open in safe mode either. Same again after turing off firewall and virus protection. Ran virus and spyware programs, nothing came up in those. Ran them again while in safe mode, just in case, and nothing found on my system. The Windows and Adobe updates are the only things that have changed on my system since last restart 2 days ago. No window, no nothing, only FF in the processes takin up 50% of my CPU and usin 30,000k in memory. What else can I try to get my FF back?
Modified by silverspirit
All Replies (5)
Adding to a few other things I have tried. Checked to see if it was a profile problem, but nothing in the troubleshooting worked. Recently found an old exe of FF4 on an external. Installed that after uninstalling FF7 completely. FF4 won't open either. Still only shows up in the processes and nothing else. Really want my FF back. I don't like using IE or Chrome. I don't know what else to try.
You need a clean install of FF 7.0.1.
Use free program like Revo Uninstaller to do the advanced clean of old FF version including the root directories and registries.
http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html
Then do a clean install of FF 7.0.1.
Figured it out finally. After I did a clean install (which I have been doing btw amkeew, will not dl an extra program to do it for me), I doubled checked everything and found a few lingering FF files. Deleted those and reinstalled FF7 once again. It opened. woo hoo... Started transferring profile stuff from my backup. Still good. Then reinstalled the only add-on I had installed before.
Chatzilla
Down FF went again. x.x
Redid the uninstall. Reinstalled. All works. Opening and closing FF numerous times though process to make sure what it was and yep it's Chatzilla since this last Windows update that seems to be the culprit. How? I don't know. Guess I'll need to get a new IRC client. Rather have Chatzilla, since have used it for about 5yrs now and this is the first time I've had a problem with it.
Modified by silverspirit
same problem as silverspirit--tried all same troubleshooting--i do not use irc or have any chat clients installed whatsoever...
I have the same problem (and with Mozilla Thunderbird) running with Windows Vista OS. The non-opening problem was preceded by a long period where Firefox and other programs were taking absurdly long times, such as one minute, to open. Starting Windows in "safe mode with networking" solves the problems. Similarly, I just found that If I run msconfig.exe and select "diagnostic startup" then Firefox and Thunderbird both start and start up really fast (that is, when most services and startup programs are prevented from starting). However there is no network so they do not connect. I then turned on (in msconfig) enough processes to get networking running and Firefox and Thunderbird still start up really fast.
I am fairly certain there are no viruses on my computer, so the only other possibility is that some program/registry-entry is preventing the OS from working properly. The problem with windows that it is virtually impossible to find something like this, since the Windows OS has very weak self-diagnostics, and the registry is absurdly complicated with over half a million entries on my computer.
If you can do a "repair install" then this will probably fix the problem, but I do not think that Vista has this feature. Alternatively an upgrade of the OS might fix it, such as from Vista to Windows 7.