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Firefox is freezing when I try to bookmark a page, runs slow in new tabs, and since I tried a complete reset, my extensions won't work.

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  • Last reply by wickedb

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After the last update, Firefox started running really slow every time I opened a new tab, and would "stop responding" if I tried to bookmark a page. I tried all the fixes in the help section, and when nothing worked, I tried a complete reset. That hasn't fixed the problem, and now my extensions won't work. I'm running Windows 8.1. Thanks.

After the last update, Firefox started running really slow every time I opened a new tab, and would "stop responding" if I tried to bookmark a page. I tried all the fixes in the help section, and when nothing worked, I tried a complete reset. That hasn't fixed the problem, and now my extensions won't work. I'm running Windows 8.1. Thanks.

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Reset removes all the installed extensions. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/reset-firefox-easily-fix-most-problems#w_what-does-the-reset-feature-do

See - These items and settings will be removed:

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Yes, I know. I reinstalled them. FF is still slow, still freezes, and the extensions don't work, although it shows them as active in the toolbar.

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Note that you are currently in permanent Private Browsing mode.

  • browser.privatebrowsing.autostart: True

Try to disable OMTC and leave hardware acceleration in Firefox enabled.

You can try to disable hardware acceleration in Firefox.

  • Tools > Options > Advanced > General > Browsing: "Use hardware acceleration when available"

You need to close and restart Firefox after toggling this setting.


It is possible that there is a problem with the file(s) that store the extensions registry.

Delete the extensions.* files (e.g. extensions.json, extensions.sqlite, extensions.ini) and compatibility.ini in the Firefox profile folder to reset the extensions registry.

New files will be created when required.

See "Corrupt extension files":

If you see disabled or not compatible extensions in "Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions" then click the Tools button at the left end of the Search bar to check if there is a compatibility update available.

You can also check for problems with preferences.

Delete possible user.js and numbered prefs-##.js files and rename (or delete) the prefs.js file to reset all prefs to the default value including prefs set via user.js and prefs that are no longer supported in the current Firefox release.

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Tried all of the above. Did not do a thing. I have Dashlane as one extension, it was running fine. Now it doesn't even show up in the extensions file in the programs file in FF, but shows as an active extension in the tolbar