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.

Avatar for Username

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

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Use Task Manager to KILL Firefox is not working

Al.Blakey
Al.Blakey
more options

Using Task Manager I find a "plugin-container.exe" under Firefox. Sometimes more then one.

Viewing the properties of this file shows different information but usually something like "pipe\gecko-crash-server-pipe.4500 plugin" or "pipe\gecko-crash-server-pipe.5996 plugin" is there.

My question is why won't the KILL [End Process} shutdown Firefox when this happens? The only recourse I have found is to shut down Windows and restart.

I have run virus and malware scans and don't find any issues.

Using Task Manager I find a "plugin-container.exe" under Firefox. Sometimes more then one. Viewing the properties of this file shows different information but usually something like "pipe\gecko-crash-server-pipe.4500 plugin" or "pipe\gecko-crash-server-pipe.5996 plugin" is there. My question is why won't the KILL [End Process} shutdown Firefox when this happens? The only recourse I have found is to shut down Windows and restart. I have run virus and malware scans and don't find any issues.

All Replies (1)

palaceguard247
palaceguard247
more options

I just had the same problem (this is actually the 3rd or 4th time in fact). I'm running Windows 7 and Firefox 8. While I don't have a fix for the problem (i.e. the cause), I do have a solution that seemed to work for me.

  1. Open taskmgr.
  2. End process tree for "firefox.exe" (I know, it doesn't work but do this step anyway.)
  3. End process tree for "explorer.exe" (this will make your screen blank except for your wallpaper since you just killed windows explorer.)
  4. ctrl+alt+delete and re-open taskmgr.
  5. Click "File" -> "New Task (Run...)"
  6. In the field to the right of "Open:", type "explorer"
  7. Click "OK" (or, press enter)

This will restart windows explorer and when I re-opened taskmgr, Firefox was no longer listed and I was able to restart Firefox.

Hope this helps. Merry Christmas.

~palaceguard247