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CTRL + click / SHIFT + click not working on specific website

  • 4 replies
  • 12 have this problem
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  • Last reply by s0upy

s0upy
s0upy
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I am an admin for this blog site: http://undividedblog.org.uk/

When using Firefox, I have discovered that, for almost every link on the above site, performing either a CTRL + click or a SHIFT + click on the link does not open the link in a new tab or window, but instead does nothing whatsoever.

I've tested this on two separate machines, one running Firefox 22.0 and one running Firefox 16.0.2, and both machines/versions behave in exactly the same way, i.e. CTRL + click and SHIFT + click on links does nothing.

Clicking normally on the links behaves as expected, navigating to the link location. Using right-click > Open link in new tab, or right-click > Open link in new window, works fine too.

I have tested CTRL + click and SHIFT + click on the above site using both Chrome and IE, and they work fine. So I have narrowed the issue down to being something to do with how Firefox is dealing with the HTML of the site. Firefox on both machines deals fine with links on other sites when performing a CTRL + click or SHIFT + click; but not on this specific site.

Can anyone help me work out why this is happening? Why is it only a problem on Firefox? What is it about that particular site that Firefox is having trouble with?

Thanks in advance of any wisdom or experience you can lend to this. It has been driving me mad, as I've always used Firefox and I rely heavily on CTRL/SHIFT + click, especially when doing admin stuff.

I am an admin for this blog site: http://undividedblog.org.uk/ When using Firefox, I have discovered that, for almost every link on the above site, performing either a CTRL + click or a SHIFT + click on the link does not open the link in a new tab or window, but instead does nothing whatsoever. I've tested this on two separate machines, one running Firefox 22.0 and one running Firefox 16.0.2, and both machines/versions behave in exactly the same way, i.e. CTRL + click and SHIFT + click on links does nothing. Clicking normally on the links behaves as expected, navigating to the link location. Using right-click > Open link in new tab, or right-click > Open link in new window, works fine too. I have tested CTRL + click and SHIFT + click on the above site using both Chrome and IE, and they work fine. So I have narrowed the issue down to being something to do with how Firefox is dealing with the HTML of the site. Firefox on both machines deals fine with links on other sites when performing a CTRL + click or SHIFT + click; but not on this specific site. Can anyone help me work out why this is happening? Why is it only a problem on Firefox? What is it about that particular site that Firefox is having trouble with? Thanks in advance of any wisdom or experience you can lend to this. It has been driving me mad, as I've always used Firefox and I rely heavily on CTRL/SHIFT + click, especially when doing admin stuff.

Chosen solution

Hello,

Try Firefox Safe Mode to see if the problem goes away. Safe Mode is a troubleshooting mode, which disables most add-ons.

(If you're not using it, switch to the Default theme.)

  • You can open Firefox 4.0+ in Safe Mode by holding the Shift key when you open the Firefox desktop or Start menu shortcut.
  • Or open the Help menu and click on the Restart with Add-ons Disabled... menu item while Firefox is running.

Once you get the pop-up, just select "'Start in Safe Mode"

If the issue is not present in Firefox Safe Mode, your problem is probably caused by an extension, and you need to figure out which one. Please follow the Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems article for that.

To exit the Firefox Safe Mode, just close Firefox and wait a few seconds before opening Firefox for normal use again.

When you figure out what's causing your issues, please let us know. It might help other users who have the same problem.

Thank you.

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All Replies (4)

Santosh Venkatraman
Santosh Venkatraman
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Hey s0upy,

What operating system are you using?

I have a Windows 8 machine with Firefox 22.0 and ""CTRL + <click>"" & ""Shift + <click>"" , works fine on the link you had provided.

Try updating firefox.

s0upy
s0upy Question owner
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The two machines I mentioned having tested this on are running:

1) Windows XP Home v.5.1 (Firefox 16.0.2) 2) Windows 7 v.6.1 (Firefox 22.0)

Am I right in saying that I'm already running the latest version of Firefox on machine 2) above?

Santosh Venkatraman
Santosh Venkatraman
more options

Chosen Solution

Hello,

Try Firefox Safe Mode to see if the problem goes away. Safe Mode is a troubleshooting mode, which disables most add-ons.

(If you're not using it, switch to the Default theme.)

  • You can open Firefox 4.0+ in Safe Mode by holding the Shift key when you open the Firefox desktop or Start menu shortcut.
  • Or open the Help menu and click on the Restart with Add-ons Disabled... menu item while Firefox is running.

Once you get the pop-up, just select "'Start in Safe Mode"

If the issue is not present in Firefox Safe Mode, your problem is probably caused by an extension, and you need to figure out which one. Please follow the Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems article for that.

To exit the Firefox Safe Mode, just close Firefox and wait a few seconds before opening Firefox for normal use again.

When you figure out what's causing your issues, please let us know. It might help other users who have the same problem.

Thank you.

s0upy
s0upy Question owner
more options

Windows 7 v.6.1 (Firefox 22.0) I've no idea why, but the following did the trick: i) Restart Firefox in Safe Mode ii) Discover that the links in the above site now allow CTRL + <click> and SHIFT + <click>, so conclude it must be an extension problem iii) Close Firefox and restart Firefox normally (i.e. not in Safe Mode) iv) Discover that now, miraculously, the links in the above site allow CTRL + <click> and SHIFT + <click> so no further troubleshooting is necessary.

I didn't even get as far as the troubleshooting link you posted for me.

Windows XP Home v.5.1 (Firefox 16.0.2): Unfortunately, the above 'Start Firefox in Safe Mode then close and restart Firefox in normal mode' didn't to the trick here. But updating to the latest version Firefox 22 did solve the problem.

Thanks for your help! Any ideas why going into Safe Mode and then back again should solve this problem?