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my software update never completes. the download feature just runs for hours and never does anything.

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  • Last reply by cor-el

sheyin
sheyin
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notification is received advising an update is to be installed for Firefox 4. I choose to install, but the "downloading Firefox" window just indicates that it is "connecting to the update server". It never connects. If I let it, it will just run all day as long as my computer is on & I do not close the window. Why does this happen?

notification is received advising an update is to be installed for Firefox 4. I choose to install, but the "downloading Firefox" window just indicates that it is "connecting to the update server". It never connects. If I let it, it will just run all day as long as my computer is on & I do not close the window. Why does this happen?

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cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
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If you have problems with updating then best is to download the full version and uninstall the currently installed version.

Do a clean (re-)install: Download a fresh Firefox copy and save the file to the desktop.

  • Uninstall your current Firefox version.
  • Do not remove personal data when you uninstall the current version.

Remove the Firefox program folder before installing that newly downloaded copy of the Firefox installer.

  • 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.

Your bookmarks and other profile data are stored elsewhere in the Firefox Profile Folder and won't be affected by a reinstall, but make sure that you do not select to remove personal data if you uninstall Firefox.

You may need to remove the files in the updates and updates\0 folder. You may need to delete active-update.xml and updates.xml as well if present.

XP: 

C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox\updates
(%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox)

The "Application Data" folder in XP/Win2K and the "AppData" folder in Vista/Windows 7 are hidden folders.