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On Firefox 4, the back button does not work on a new browsing tab or window.

richardgilbert
richardgilbert
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Ever since I installed Firefox 4, I have noticed a problem that was not present with the previous version of Firefox. Whenever I open up Firefox and enter in a new web address, I cannot use the back arrow to go back to my original homepage; the arrow is ghosted out. The same problem exists when I open up a new browsing tab. Let me explain with an example. I open up my browser, and then I open a new tab (now there are two tabs open). In the new tab I type www.espn.com. Then I click on a link on espn.com. Say then I want to go back to the espn.com homepage that I just previously visited. I can't do it by clicking the back arrow; it's ghosted out. I have to physically type the address again (www.espn.com). Why has this changed? Is there a way to fix it? Why can't I just click the back arrow to go back to the espn.com homepage that I typed in originally (or my original homepage if I opened up a new window instead of a tab)? Oddly enough, if I go one link deeper into the espn.com site, I can then go back to the immediately preceding webpage, but not all the way back to the original espn.com homepage.

I can't stand IE, but it doesn't have this problem. This problem also was not present on the old version of Firefox. I just verified this by testing the old version which I have installed on another computer.

Please advise.

Ever since I installed Firefox 4, I have noticed a problem that was not present with the previous version of Firefox. Whenever I open up Firefox and enter in a new web address, I cannot use the back arrow to go back to my original homepage; the arrow is ghosted out. The same problem exists when I open up a new browsing tab. Let me explain with an example. I open up my browser, and then I open a new tab (now there are two tabs open). In the new tab I type www.espn.com. Then I click on a link on espn.com. Say then I want to go back to the espn.com homepage that I just previously visited. I can't do it by clicking the back arrow; it's ghosted out. I have to physically type the address again (www.espn.com). Why has this changed? Is there a way to fix it? Why can't I just click the back arrow to go back to the espn.com homepage that I typed in originally (or my original homepage if I opened up a new window instead of a tab)? Oddly enough, if I go one link deeper into the espn.com site, I can then go back to the immediately preceding webpage, but not all the way back to the original espn.com homepage. I can't stand IE, but it doesn't have this problem. This problem also was not present on the old version of Firefox. I just verified this by testing the old version which I have installed on another computer. Please advise.

Modified by richardgilbert

All Replies (5)

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
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This issue can be caused by the McAfee SiteAdvisor extension.

Start Firefox in Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode to check if one of the add-ons is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Tools > Add-ons > Appearance/Themes).

  • Don't make any changes on the Safe mode start window.

See:

flyhi152
flyhi152
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Same problem here: I never had a problem with the previous versions and now I don't even get my homepage when I click Firefox. Instead, I am getting a blank screen that says "New Tab", only after I click the "Home" symbol I get my Homepage (Yahoo). The browser - back and browser forward button don't work anymore, very annoying. Normally a newer version should be an improvement but it looks like Mozilla really messed up with this "improvement". probably I am going to use Google chrome from now on.

arualflower
arualflower
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For me it was the yahoo toolbar after going through and enabling addons one by one. I disabled and removed it and it works now.

richardgilbert
richardgilbert Question owner
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I disabled McAfee Site Advisor, and it now works like before. However, the old version worked WITH Site Advisor, so it's hard to see how this is an improvement.

David McRitchie
David McRitchie
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@richardgilbert

Would you mark Cor-el's post as solving your problem, though it was interesting that there was another extensions that may cause the problem. An update for Site Advisor is due perhaps this week (3rd week July 2011).