Let's make sure your system is clean.

You may have ad/mal-ware. Further information can be found in this article; https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-firefox-issues-caused-malware?cache=no

Run most or all of the listed malware scanners. Each works differently. If one program misses something, another may pick it up.

Did you uninstall all previous firefox and deleted Mozilla folder before installing the new version? Also firefox is a Browser not a O/S so that is something that by coincidence that happened and isn't the fault of the Browser installing doing. And when doing this make sure to backup firefox bookmarks as well.

Fred McD, thanks for your suggestion.

Malware bytes pro installed. Cybereason RansomFree installed. SecureAP;us Installed. Kerish Doctor installed. All current paid versions kept up to date. All Windows updates are installed current versions. I have been building, operating and repairing computer systems for 40 years. I know how to isolate software problems. I know when a system is working.

It is working now without the update to Firefox 64.

WestEnd. thanks for your response.

The situation is an update to Firefox accomplished by clicking on either "update now" or "not now" to a query box started by FF during a FF session. There is no indication that uninstalling FF is required before the update.

If was immediately after the update and during a FF browser session that my computer would do a hard freeze, similar to the situation we used to encounter with Windows of the "Blue Screen of Death" except that there was no blue screen, only a completely frozen computer and I could not even close FF, nor access Task Manager.

wotnwabbit said

WestEnd. thanks for your response. There is no indication that uninstalling FF is required before the update.

There is none but doing so does wipe clean any problems with ff install or anything else that has gone wrong with the Browser as well. I did that when going from FF56 to FF57+ and that fixed my Browser issue.

WestEnd, thanks for your continuing support.

At this point, I am going to wait before uninstalling FF completely because of all the time consuming contortions required to get FF back to the configuration I have now. I will consider doing that somewhere down the road. I do have another computer I could sync with.

Presently I am not having any issues with FF or my computer. I am going to wait a while for possible continuing developments.

There so many users that do not keep a good practice of backing up system images. If I did not have a good current system image to fall back on, I would have been up a creek without a paddle and facing a complete system os reload of Win 7, or <shudder> looking to go to Win 10 and possibly even new hardware.

The failure was rendering my computer useless.

wotnwabbit said

I am going to wait before uninstalling FF completely because of all the time consuming contortions required to get FF back to the configuration I have now

Firefox comes in two 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.

It is possible that your firewall or other security software blocks or restricts Firefox without informing you, possibly after detecting changes (update) to the Firefox application. Remove all rules for Firefox from the permissions list in the firewall and let your firewall ask again for permission to get full, unrestricted, access for Firefox and the plugin-container process and the updater process.

See:

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/server-not-found-connection-problem
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Firewalls
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/fix-problems-connecting-websites-after-updating

FredMcD said

wotnwabbit said

I am going to wait before uninstalling FF completely because of all the time consuming contortions required to get FF back to the configuration I have now

Firefox comes in two 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.

Thank you FredMcD. I did not know that nor was I completely aware of the structure of FF. I also employ a weekly backup of some of the software on my computer that may change often, such as documents, email, etc. I have also been backing up the profile of FF that resides in the user/appdata/roaming each week. Your reply is very helpful in case I do reinstall FF.

I have this question. I normally use Revo uninstaller but it appears in this case I should not if I uninstall FF. Would that also be your opinion?

Solved. Restored an earlier system image. Uninstalled Firefox. Downloaded and installed 64.0.2. No problems for a week.

That was very good work. Well done.