This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Pages VERY slow to load since downloading Firefox 6.0. How do I fix or reinstall old version please!

  • 31 replies
  • 688 have this problem
  • 3 views
  • Last reply by imajakov

more options

Since I downloaded the latest version - 6.0 of Firefox, I am having serious slowness of page loads. Nothing has changed in my PC or Network configuration and in the past have had very fast loading of everything - even streaming of videos, etc. The only thing I found in your help about all pages loading slowly was something about a proxy add ons issue - but I don't have that enabled. It seems to be even worst when I am submitting a form -

Since I downloaded the latest version - 6.0 of Firefox, I am having serious slowness of page loads. Nothing has changed in my PC or Network configuration and in the past have had very fast loading of everything - even streaming of videos, etc. The only thing I found in your help about all pages loading slowly was something about a proxy add ons issue - but I don't have that enabled. It seems to be even worst when I am submitting a form -

Chosen solution

Try clearing your browser cache.

Tools > Clear Recent History... - hit Details and make sure only Cache is selected, then select Everything and hit the Clear Now button.

Read this answer in context 👍 12

All Replies (20)

more options

Chosen Solution

Try clearing your browser cache.

Tools > Clear Recent History... - hit Details and make sure only Cache is selected, then select Everything and hit the Clear Now button.

more options

I have the same problem. Firefox 6.0 is very slow on forums (vBulletin Version 3.8.7) with generally dog slow scrolling and is completely unusable if there are any embedded youtube videos in the forum page. Attempts to scroll past the video leave the video stretched out across what should have been several screens worth of scrolling. The same pages worked pretty well in Firefox 5.x and fly by in Chrome. That tells me it's a Firefox 6.0 issue. We really need a rollback to 5.x until this is fixed.

Modified by sholling

more options

The solution is to move to Chrome. I had the same problems with 6.0. The update is garbage. Totally ruined Firefox. I can't get ANY support from Mozilla so it's pretty clear to me that they are trying to compete with IE for the crappiest browser: slow, buggy, freezes, and no support.

Google crew must be all smiles after this new release from FF.

Since I switched, I've had ZERO issues with ANY site.

more options

Is that the answer to everything. How about a real fix. Pages refuse to load. If you hit the stop loading page button and then hit refresh, the page will load. If you don't the page will try to load forever. I left a page for over a hour and it never did load. If Firefox releases one more update like this I'm done. I tried to go back to Firefox 5.0, but now whatever they did to screw up 6.0 is doing the same to 5.0. I tried deleting Firefox and starting over with a fresh install for both, but still just garbage. Also, the whole time I've been typing this another page in another tab as been trying to load. Is Firefox updating without testing this stuff because there is a security problem? Rats!

more options

Thank you for the suggestion the-edmeister - Clearing the cache does indeed seem to have solved the issue.

Modified by Tifille3

more options

It's more than just slow... and clearing the cashe may help temporarily, but that is not a fix. I never had to do that manually before in 3.6.2

FF is actually freezing and refusing input upon long loads. The only solution so far is to back-grade to version 3.6.2 - I am now please with FF again since doing so.

Versions 4-6 just don't work well enough, consistently enough to utilize when it counts. I refuse to be a beta tester for FF. I need a browser that works flawlessly and consistently, without having to troubleshoot. That browser is FF - 3.6.2

more options

Using Firefox 6 the BBC news site http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ will take ages to load if at all (with cleared cache). Un-install and reinstall Firefox 5 and it loads in an instant, this happens with loads of sites. I tested with a clean profile no add-ons with plugins up to date. I also tried Firefox 7 beta - same problem. My OS is Windows 7 64bit.

more options

Firefox 6.0 - Same issues. Very slow loading on no connection. I often stop the load and reload - this usually fixes the problem. NOT A FIX!! Tried the suggested fixes but no joy. Occurs in XP/32 (old system) and Win 7/64 (a new clean system.) Not a firewall issue as firefox is excepted.

more options

I tried this today, and it is working now: Click Firefox > Options > Options > Advanced ... then Uncheck the option "Use hardware acceleration when available"

more options

I have the same problem. Hanging with "Transferring data from ...." in the status bar. http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ Loads in a second in chrome. Firefox might load the background and some text after a minute or so if you're lucky.

Also have problems with some sites to where the images don't all load. Google Images, or even on blockbuster looking at a list of movie titles..

I'd use Chrome, but Firebug has me spoiled. :(

Modified by Deej510

more options

Solution I've toyed with that worked for me: I turned off "Hardware Acceleration When Available" under Firefox --> Options --> Options --> Advanced Tab --> General Tab

I also disabled the following Plugins under Firefox --> Add-ons --> Plugins: Microsoft Office 2010 Plugins (2 and may be Office 2007 etc. for others); Silverlight; Windows Live Photo Gallery

I then right clicked the Firefox icon on the taskbar and unpinned it. Went to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox" folder and turned on "run as administrator" by right clicking the application icon and selecting properties --> compatibility tab --> run this program as an administrator check box...apply settings...click OK. Then right click the icon again and pin it back to the task-bar. You'll get an annoying pop-up from Windows about approvals...follow the prompts and disable these warnings.

I didn't clear the cache as I wanted to verify the potential fix with these changes I had performed...but I did restart Firefox...seems MUCH faster now...not sure if either/or of the solutions I provided fixed the issue for me.

I also noticed that the navigation of the Firefox icon within the All Programs link under the Start/Windows Icon in the bottom left changed from the "C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs" folder to the actual location of Firefox "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox" folder...sneaky bastards. Not sure if this was due to a Microsoft update or their sly means of tracking Firefox users...but I'll be sure to keep an eye on it.

Seems to no longer hang when scrolling and loads faster on forums...for now, but the problem seemed to exasperate the longer an instance of Firefox ran before the solution above...I'll update again with thoughts on this being resolved. For now, it seems to be the same Firefox I fell in love with :)


Other Solution to annoying problem regarding the two instances of Firefox in the taskbar after updating from several versions ago:

After you click on Firefox in the taskbar and a new instance appears, right-click on the original instance and select unpin from the taskbar, then right-click on the instance still open (the second instance) and pin to taskbar. Close Firefox and click on the icon in the taskbar and smile at the results :) This may be required after updating Firefox each time...dunno.

Modified by Muthafodder

more options

I did the same. Reinstalled Firefox 5, and everything is flying again. Someone please fix Firefox 6 and 7 Beta.

more options

I just don't understand how FF can win over so many people with their excellence, then, turn around and give them the sh****est server available. What happened? I upgraded to this new 6.0.1, only to uninstall it later the same day. Okay, the newness has a few glitches, maybe. I figured I'd try it at a later time. But, 5.0 and 5.0.1 were acting the same way. I went further back to one I have used for eons, 3.6.1.7. Same old crap! I don't have time for this! Either get it right or I will go to IE, or anyone who can serve my needs without freezing up every 20 minutes. From the sounds of it, I won't be alone.

Thank you (for what, I am not sure),

Su

more options

Nevermind my post. BitDefender 2012 slowed my browsing to hell. If anyone else uses BitDefender, stay with 2011! This fixed all my issues.

more options

I've posted this elsewhere but this seems the most viewed post - so here it is again:

I've had this problem since Firefox 6.0 came out. I reinstalled a backup disk image file from back in June, uninstalled FF, did all the updates, installed FF 3.6.21 and everything was fine. After using it for a while, I downloaded and installed FF 6.0 and the same problem is back. When I go to various websites, part of the images on the page will load, then it stalls out. Sometimes hitting stop and refresh will help, sometimes not. I've tried various patches recommended but none do anything to help.

My system is Windows 7 Pro 64 SP1. IE works fine. I'm really getting frustrated with this and almost ready to give up and start using Chrome.

more options

I cleared the catche and nothing happens disabled addons still the same .Why do we have to do all this for a browser to work? never had to before. The addons i disable on Firefox work on Chrome.Been using Firefox for yrs but time to move on to Chrome or back to IE.

more options

I'd like to add my experience, FF6 is painfully slow at times, and when one tab is loading the whole FF system freezes, preventing clicking on any other tab. During page loads same happens, the cursor can move but nothing to click on. I have followed all suggestions other than downgrading, and as that appears to be the only solution, that is what I will now do. I am absolutely amazed that nobody from Mozilla has even commented on this problem which is clearly widespread

more options

i have had the same probs. with the 6.0 version...slow, closes and won't allow previous toolbars to open or be reloaded...HOWEVER, the good news is there is another version (7???) to come out in 3 weeks (today is 9-6-11). i was told (yes i talked to a person) to try this site. apparently, this site isn't very helpful from what i see written by others. BUT i found an address for mozilla corp. in mountain view, ca...with a phone number *****. (deleted by a moderator) if you hit the number for the directory and key in 3 (letters) numbers to a common last name you can get a person. i'm not sure why they don't have a call center with phones, but maybe with some encouragement they might consider it...i know there are millions of unemployed people in the US that would apply in a heartbeat. (maybe it would even speed up response time to e-mails???)

(how much are you willing to pay for Firefox or for Firefox support, to make personal phone support financially feasible?)

Modified by the-edmeister

more options

looking into switching to Chrome also.. you're correct FF starting to look like IE since FF4 update

more options

Should bold that unemployed people in the USA part otherwise they might outsource it to a foreign country like Microsoft

  1. 1
  2. 2