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On Windows 8, some widgets, such as the menu button near the upper right, stop working after some time, and functionality is restored by rebooting the PC.

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  • Last reply by JRSTOUDT

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I use the latest releases of Firefox as they become available on a Windows 8 PC. Firefox works properly, usually for a few hours, before annoying problems manifest. The problem I'm addressing here is some widgets, including some Firefox widgets and isolated widgets (such as buttons and pull-down selectors) in some websites stop working. In Firefox, the Menu button (the three stacked dashes icon) stops working. And the Download arrow sometimes stops working also. Sometimes, sub-items such as Print stop working. For some pull-downs, the up and down arrow keys might still work even though I might now be able to select with the mouse. Closing and reopening Firefox usually restores some functionality. However, I usually have to reboot the PC to restore all functions which stopped working. Then I am good for usually a few hours again. Another annoyance, which others have addressed, is the eventual appearance of Chinese-looking characters on the tab labels bar across the top. Restarting Firefox gets rid of these for the time being. Thanks for investigating.

I use the latest releases of Firefox as they become available on a Windows 8 PC. Firefox works properly, usually for a few hours, before annoying problems manifest. The problem I'm addressing here is some widgets, including some Firefox widgets and isolated widgets (such as buttons and pull-down selectors) in some websites stop working. In Firefox, the Menu button (the three stacked dashes icon) stops working. And the Download arrow sometimes stops working also. Sometimes, sub-items such as Print stop working. For some pull-downs, the up and down arrow keys might still work even though I might now be able to select with the mouse. Closing and reopening Firefox usually restores some functionality. However, I usually have to reboot the PC to restore all functions which stopped working. Then I am good for usually a few hours again. Another annoyance, which others have addressed, is the eventual appearance of Chinese-looking characters on the tab labels bar across the top. Restarting Firefox gets rid of these for the time being. Thanks for investigating.

Chosen solution

Philipp, Thanks for replying quickly and for the advice you presented. I downloaded and installed the graphics driver as you recommended. The process went well. I already had hardware acceleration disabled per an earlier recommendation to suppress those oriental characters. After two days of the problem apparently having been fixed, I was considering replying to report success. But before I could get around to so doing, the abnormal behaviors recurred. Thanks for confirming the source of those oriental characters. Earlier searches indicated the source was either with McAfee or with Firefox, kind of like a "finger pointing" battle between those two. Best, JRSTOUDT

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hello, maybe that's an issue with hardware acceleration - please try updating your graphics driver, or in case this doesn't solve the issue or there is no new version available at the moment, disable hardware acceleration in the firefox menu ≡ > options > advanced > general (that setting will take a restart of the browser to take effect).

the oriental characters are a displaying flaw caused by the mcafee site advisor extension - please try to disable or remove that in case you have it present until there is an update by mcafee that can fix the problem. http://service.mcafee.com/faqdocument.aspx?id=TS100162 https://community.mcafee.com/thread/76071

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Chosen Solution

Philipp, Thanks for replying quickly and for the advice you presented. I downloaded and installed the graphics driver as you recommended. The process went well. I already had hardware acceleration disabled per an earlier recommendation to suppress those oriental characters. After two days of the problem apparently having been fixed, I was considering replying to report success. But before I could get around to so doing, the abnormal behaviors recurred. Thanks for confirming the source of those oriental characters. Earlier searches indicated the source was either with McAfee or with Firefox, kind of like a "finger pointing" battle between those two. Best, JRSTOUDT