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"Save image as" freezes/crashes forefox EVERY TIME.

  • 12 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 100 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

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Hello, I was trying to work on an assignment today and I found to my dismay that downloading images causes firefox to freeze (which I then have to kill).

I was unable to find a solution that could work for me in the forums. What should I do? I do not have any malware on my computer, though I do have autodesk programs.

Thank you for your time.

Hello, I was trying to work on an assignment today and I found to my dismay that downloading images causes firefox to freeze (which I then have to kill). I was unable to find a solution that could work for me in the forums. What should I do? I do not have any malware on my computer, though I do have autodesk programs. Thank you for your time.

Chosen solution

Hugo VFS said

Did an unclean reinstall (I need my data for school) and it did not work either.

What does that mean? A clean reinstall the way we suggest it doesn't affect your data but you can make a backup if your are nervous: Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles.

Is there any form of official support I can contact with my issue?

This is it.

What about drag-and-drop: if you resize the Firefox window so you can see some desktop or a File Explorer window, can you drag-and-drop images out of Firefox?

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (12)

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Hi Hugo VFS, can you check whether Firefox may be trying to open a disconnected drive/device based on your last download directory:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button accepting the risk.

(2) In the search box in the page, type or paste down*dir and pause while the list is filtered

(3) On the row with the browser.download.lastDir preference, if that points to an inaccessible location, click the garbage can at the right end to remove it. Alternately, you can replace it with the path listed in the browser.download.dir preference or just C:\ by double-clicking to display an editing field, making the change, then pressing Enter or click the blue check mark button to save the change.

More info on about:config: Configuration Editor for Firefox.

Any luck?


Firefox also saves site-specific download locations, so if the last one used is only a problem for particular sites, you could flush that information from a different file.

Upload/download folders and zoom levels are stored in a giant database file called content-prefs.sqlite stored in your profile folder. I recently noticed my was approaching 1GB so I renamed it and am starting again. Turns out most of what it stores isn't essential to my life after all. If you want to try that to default all sites back to your regular downloads folder, here's how:

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter/Return

In the first table on the page, on the Profile Folder row, click the "Open Folder" button. This should launch a new window listing various files and folders in Windows Explorer.

Leaving that window open, switch back to Firefox and Exit, either:

  • "3-bar" menu button > Exit
  • (menu bar) File > Exit

Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then rename content-prefs.sqlite to something like content-prefsOLD.sqlite (just in case).

When you start Firefox again, it will have forgotten one global setting, if you adjusted the default zoom level on the Options page. Otherwise, you'll mainly notice Firefox needs to be retrained on site-specific zoom levels and save locations.

Better?

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jscher2000 said

Hi Hugo VFS, can you check whether Firefox may be trying to open a disconnected drive/device based on your last download directory: (1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button accepting the risk. (2) In the search box in the page, type or paste down*dir and pause while the list is filtered (3) On the row with the browser.download.lastDir preference, if that points to an inaccessible location, click the garbage can at the right end to remove it. Alternately, you can replace it with the path listed in the browser.download.dir preference or just C:\ by double-clicking to display an editing field, making the change, then pressing Enter or click the blue check mark button to save the change. More info on about:config: Configuration Editor for Firefox. Any luck?

Firefox also saves site-specific download locations, so if the last one used is only a problem for particular sites, you could flush that information from a different file.

Upload/download folders and zoom levels are stored in a giant database file called content-prefs.sqlite stored in your profile folder. I recently noticed my was approaching 1GB so I renamed it and am starting again. Turns out most of what it stores isn't essential to my life after all. If you want to try that to default all sites back to your regular downloads folder, here's how:

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter/Return

In the first table on the page, on the Profile Folder row, click the "Open Folder" button. This should launch a new window listing various files and folders in Windows Explorer.

Leaving that window open, switch back to Firefox and Exit, either:

  • "3-bar" menu button > Exit
  • (menu bar) File > Exit

Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then rename content-prefs.sqlite to something like content-prefsOLD.sqlite (just in case).

When you start Firefox again, it will have forgotten one global setting, if you adjusted the default zoom level on the Options page. Otherwise, you'll mainly notice Firefox needs to be retrained on site-specific zoom levels and save locations.

Better?

I tried both methods and I am saddened to report that neither of them worked.

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Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web link}

A small dialog should appear. Click Start In Safe Mode (not Refresh). Is the problem still there?

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FredMcD said

Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web link} A small dialog should appear. Click Start In Safe Mode (not Refresh). Is the problem still there?

Still happens.

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Start your Computer in safe mode with network support. Then start Firefox.
Try Secure websites. Is the problem still there?

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Linux+Safe+Mode
Starting Any Computer In Safe Mode; Free Online Encyclopedia

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FredMcD said

Start your Computer in safe mode with network support. Then start Firefox.
Try Secure websites. Is the problem still there? http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Linux+Safe+Mode
Starting Any Computer In Safe Mode; Free Online Encyclopedia

Im typing this from safe mode, it does not work either.

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If you want to reinstall Firefox, follow the instructions below.
If you just want to remove it, disregard the install instructions.

Let’s do a full clean re-install;

Note: Firefox comes in three or more folders on all computers. They are;

Maintenance: (Programs Folder) <Windows Only>
Firefox itself: (Programs Folder)
And two folders in the profile of each user on the computer for each Firefox profile for that user.

If you remove the Firefox folder, the user profiles would not be affected.


Download Firefox For All languages And Systems {web link}

Save the file. Then Close Firefox.

Using your file browser, open the Programs Folder on your computer.

Windows: C:\Program Files
C:\Program Files (x86) Note: Check Both Folders

Mac: Open the "Applications" folder.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-download-and-install-firefox-mac

Linux: Check your user manual.
If you installed Firefox with the distro-based package manager, you should use the same way to uninstall it. See Install Firefox on Linux; https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/install-firefox-linux

If you downloaded and installed the binary package from the Firefox download page, simply remove the folder Firefox in your home directory. http://www.mozilla.org/firefox#desktop
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Look for, and remove any Mozilla or Firefox program folders.
Do not remove the Mozilla Thunderbird folder if there is one.

Do Not remove any profile folders.

After rebooting the computer, run a registry scanner
if you have one. Then run the installer.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If there is a problem, start your Computer in safe mode and try again.

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Linux+Safe+Mode
This shows how to Start all Computers in Safe Mode; Free Online Encyclopedia

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FredMcD said

If you want to reinstall Firefox, follow the instructions below.
If you just want to remove it, disregard the install instructions. Let’s do a full clean re-install; Note: Firefox comes in three or more folders on all computers. They are; Maintenance: (Programs Folder) <Windows Only>
Firefox itself: (Programs Folder)
And two folders in the profile of each user on the computer for each Firefox profile for that user. If you remove the Firefox folder, the user profiles would not be affected.

Download Firefox For All languages And Systems {web link}

Save the file. Then Close Firefox.

Using your file browser, open the Programs Folder on your computer.

Windows: C:\Program Files
C:\Program Files (x86) Note: Check Both Folders

Mac: Open the "Applications" folder.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-download-and-install-firefox-mac

Linux: Check your user manual.
If you installed Firefox with the distro-based package manager, you should use the same way to uninstall it. See Install Firefox on Linux; https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/install-firefox-linux

If you downloaded and installed the binary package from the Firefox download page, simply remove the folder Firefox in your home directory. http://www.mozilla.org/firefox#desktop
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Look for, and remove any Mozilla or Firefox program folders.
Do not remove the Mozilla Thunderbird folder if there is one.

Do Not remove any profile folders.

After rebooting the computer, run a registry scanner
if you have one. Then run the installer.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If there is a problem, start your Computer in safe mode and try again.

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Linux+Safe+Mode
This shows how to Start all Computers in Safe Mode; Free Online Encyclopedia

Did an unclean reinstall (I need my data for school) and it did not work either. Is there any form of official support I can contact with my issue?

more options

Chosen Solution

Hugo VFS said

Did an unclean reinstall (I need my data for school) and it did not work either.

What does that mean? A clean reinstall the way we suggest it doesn't affect your data but you can make a backup if your are nervous: Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles.

Is there any form of official support I can contact with my issue?

This is it.

What about drag-and-drop: if you resize the Firefox window so you can see some desktop or a File Explorer window, can you drag-and-drop images out of Firefox?

more options

You also could try:

New Profile Test

This takes about 3 minutes, plus the time to test your problem site(s).

Inside Firefox, type or paste about:profiles in the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it.

Click the "Create a New Profile" button, then click Next. Assign a name like June2020, ignore the option to relocate the profile folder, and click the Finish button.

After creating the profile, scroll down to it and click the Launch profile in new browser button.

Firefox should open a new window that looks like a brand new, uncustomized installation. (Your existing Firefox window(s) should not be affected.) Please ignore any tabs enticing you to connect to a Sync account or to activate extensions found on your system so we can get a clean test.

Can you save images in the new profile?

When you are done with the experiment, you can close the extra window without affecting your regular Firefox profile. (June2020 will remain available for future testing.)

IMPORTANT: Creating a new profile may change your default. If your regular profile has a Set as Default Profile button after this test, click that to make sure your next startup doesn't yield a surprise.

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jscher2000 said

You also could try: New Profile Test This takes about 3 minutes, plus the time to test your problem site(s). Inside Firefox, type or paste about:profiles in the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it. Click the "Create a New Profile" button, then click Next. Assign a name like June2020, ignore the option to relocate the profile folder, and click the Finish button. After creating the profile, scroll down to it and click the Launch profile in new browser button. Firefox should open a new window that looks like a brand new, uncustomized installation. (Your existing Firefox window(s) should not be affected.) Please ignore any tabs enticing you to connect to a Sync account or to activate extensions found on your system so we can get a clean test. Can you save images in the new profile? When you are done with the experiment, you can close the extra window without affecting your regular Firefox profile. (June2020 will remain available for future testing.) IMPORTANT: Creating a new profile may change your default. If your regular profile has a Set as Default Profile button after this test, click that to make sure your next startup doesn't yield a surprise.

I did the proper reinstall, did not work either. I did the profile thing, neither did that. BUT, the drag and drop suggestion worked, so until a fix is rolled out I suppose Ill use this.

Thank you.

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Maybe check the MRU keys in the Windows Registry.

Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComDlg32
Delete the subkeys (LastVisitedPidlMRU and OpenSavePidlMRU) Be cautious with editing the registry as there is no Undo possible: all changes are applied immediately.
You can export registry keys before making changes.