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On starting FF, get error 'the update cld nt be installed.Make sure no other copies running' even from cold. Have reset but still persists.

  • 5 replies
  • 25 have this problem
  • 6 views
  • Last reply by jsaklas

billbuck99
billbuck99
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On starting Firefox (Windows 7), even from a cold boot I get a dialogue box with the message 'The update could not be installed. Please make sure there are no other copies of Firefox running on your computer and then restart Firefox to try again' I have checked task manager and there are no other copies. I have downloaded the latest version 29 Firefox but the error persists. I have reset Firefox to default state but the error still persists.

Help please!

On starting Firefox (Windows 7), even from a cold boot I get a dialogue box with the message 'The update could not be installed. Please make sure there are no other copies of Firefox running on your computer and then restart Firefox to try again' I have checked task manager and there are no other copies. I have downloaded the latest version 29 Firefox but the error persists. I have reset Firefox to default state but the error still persists. Help please!

Chosen solution

Hey billbuck99, Thank you for your question, this error was seen when there is a .parentlock file in the profile folder. There was also a bug that was fixed in the new version 30 that came out this week

Please terminate the process and update Firefox from the About Firefox page in the help menu.

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All Replies (5)

guigs
guigs
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Chosen Solution

Hey billbuck99, Thank you for your question, this error was seen when there is a .parentlock file in the profile folder. There was also a bug that was fixed in the new version 30 that came out this week

Please terminate the process and update Firefox from the About Firefox page in the help menu.

billbuck99
billbuck99 Question owner
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Hey guigs2, many thanks, fixed it in a few minutes!

billbuck99
billbuck99 Question owner
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Hey guigs2, how are you? I'm getting that same 'update could not be installed' message again when I start Firefox. I've updated to release 31 and reset to defaults but it's still there. Any ideas?

Many thanks

guigs
guigs
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There are a few old methods for troubleshooting this but no longer maintained: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/update-failed-error-message-when-upd...

Sometimes there are other programs that might be preventing the update, as well as a need for a clean reinstall. However it is odd that this has happened two versions in a row. Does your firewall or antivirus allow updates to Firefox? http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firewalls If you restart the computer does the error message still happen when you try to update from the About Firefox page?

A manual installation can always be done https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-download-and-install-firefox-win...

jsaklas
jsaklas
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I have this problem as well and the recommended fix does not work. My loaded version is: 32.0.2

I do not have Firefox in my C:\Program Files directory (oops!, I mean folder - I'm old and use old DOS terms), rather it is in: C:\Mozilla Firefox\

Is there something in the folder I can delete to remove this annoying message?