Tried to install 21 on top of existing, non-admin install, but always get "must reboot" error message
I already had 20.0.1 installed for a non-admin user account. I downloaded and ran the installer for 21 for the same account. After the install program completed, a window opened that said "you must reboot", so I did, but after rebooting I tried to run Firefox and got the same message. Multiple reboots and attempts to run Firefox always give the same message.
I tried to uninstall Firefox (listed as version 21 in Add/Remove programs), but that also causes the "you must reboot" error message to pop up, so I can't uninstall Firefox that way.
I tried to reinstall 21, but that also gives the "you must reboot" message.
I tried renaming the firefox folder, effectively deleting it, but still get the "you must reboot" message when I try to uninstall or reinstall.
I do not have administrator access, so I cannot edit the registry or run Firefox as an administrator. It appears that one must be an administrator to install version 21, but I did not see that warning in the release notes.
I've never had a problem installing into a non-admin account before. Is there any way to fix this without admin rights? Other responses in earlier, similar posts always say "run Firefox as administrator once", or "uninstall using Add/Remove programs", but those tools are not available to me.
All Replies (5)
hello, as a workaround you could try using the portable versions of firefox - they are not provided by mozilla directly, but should run fine without installation on a system with restricted rights too: http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable
Boot the computer in Windows Safe Mode with network support (press F8 on the boot screen) as a test to see if that helps.
Do a clean reinstall and delete the Firefox program folder before (re)installing a fresh copy of the current Firefox release.
Download a fresh Firefox copy and save the file to the desktop.
- Firefox 21.0.x: http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all.html
Uninstall your current Firefox version, if possible, to cleanup the Windows registry and settings in security software.
- Do NOT remove personal data when you uninstall your current Firefox version, because all profile folders will be removed and you will lose all personal data like bookmarks and passwords from profiles of other Firefox versions.
Remove the Firefox program folder before installing that newly downloaded copy of the Firefox installer.
- (32 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\"
- (64 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\"
- It is important to delete the Firefox program folder to remove all the files and make sure that there are no problems with files that were leftover after uninstalling.
- http://kb.mozillazine.org/Uninstalling_Firefox
Your bookmarks and other personal data are stored in the Firefox profile folder and won't be affected by an uninstall and (re)install, but make sure that "remove personal data" is NOT selected when you uninstall Firefox.
Thank you for the suggestion to run a portable version. That would probably allow me to run Firefox, but it doesn't quite solve the problem, which is that I am stuck -- unable to install and unable to uninstall -- Firefox. I was hoping there was a simple "delete this file" kind of fix.
Thank you cor-el for the suggested steps, which is a standard one that I've seen in other, similar posts to the support forum. Unfortunately, it is not helpful in my particular situation. As I said, I can't do a reinstall or uninstall, clean or otherwise. I can't even figure out how to boot in safe mode! (The system is encrypted and, after getting past the encryption login, Windows seems to boot without paying any attention to F8, but maybe I'm just not timing it right. In any case, I don't have admin access, even if I could boot in safe mode.)
Like I said, I was hoping there was an easy "delete this file and the problem will go away" solution :-). But, it appears I'd need to enlist the desktop support department to clean this up.
You can look at MSConfig to have another way to boot Windows in Safe mode