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Firefox won't start when I click on the icon.

Windows Vista, FF3.5.1. I normally am a laggard when it comes to deploying new stuff, but FF3.1 was hanging, like everyday. So I "upgraded" to FF 3.5.1, and now firefox won't start up. I see the firefox.exe process in Task Manager, but it never shows a UI.

I perused the net and saw a bunch of other people had this problem, going back to FF3.0 days, but the cause is not clear, and there's lots of guessing in all the discussion.

Anyone have a definitive workaround or avoidance for this?

ANSWER: I hadn't rebooted in a month or so, but installed some Windows Updates that required it. After the reboot FF 3.5.1 started up fine.

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  • I would add this as an EDIT but don't have access. I rebooted the machine and afterwards, FF was able to start.
    – Cheeso
    Jul 27, 2009 at 19:31
  • Guys i have the same problem. I have firefox 3 installed and i also have a portable firefox 3.5.1 installed both are not working horribly. Even after killing the processes it FF refuses to load.
    – Rishi
    Jul 30, 2009 at 20:35
  • I rebooted, and FF3.5.1 started up fine, no re-install necessary.
    – Cheeso
    Aug 1, 2009 at 18:51

5 Answers 5

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The list of hints here is not helping.

I've uninstalled and re-installed FF3.5.1. No joy.

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  • E-mail [email protected] to see if they can link this question to your account.
    – ChrisF
    Jul 24, 2009 at 12:59
  • Uninstalling doesn't always delete your profile, which might have something set in it which is incompatible with 3.5.
    – dlamblin
    Jul 27, 2009 at 19:14
  • yeap, I removed the profile and profile directory, too, prior to rebooting. Obviously there was something I missed. Anyway, it's done now.
    – Cheeso
    Jul 27, 2009 at 19:29
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Try right-clicking the Firefox icon, then choose Firefox Safe Mode. You should get a Firefox Safe Mode dialog with a bunch of checkboxes. Don't tick any of them and click the Continue in Safe Mode button.

Does FF start and run correctly? If so, then there's a problem with one of your extensions or some other aspect of your config.

Now close FF again and re-open the Safe Mode dialog. Check the disable all add-ons checkbox which will permanently disable them. If Firefox now starts, you know it's an extension causing problems. Restart Firefox normally and re-enable the add-ons one by one. If you come across one that makes your browser unstable, either uninstall it or leave it disabled.

If you still have problems, go through each of the remaining checkboxes to reset the various other aspects of your Firefox config.

If you still have no luck, try deleting your profile or creating a new one.

Or you could try installing a portable version of Firefox somewhere other than your currently installed copy. It'll install and operate completely independently of your current, broken version.

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  • I tried Safe Mode - same result. I trried deleting the profile. Same result. Firefox starts but remains invisible.
    – Cheeso
    Jul 25, 2009 at 1:07
  • Try the portable version and let us know the results.
    – setatakahashi
    Jul 25, 2009 at 7:39
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I finally rebooted Windows - necessary after installing other updates from Microsoft, and then FF3.5.1 was able to start. I didn't do anything besides just a simple restart, and then click on the FF icon.

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I am experience the same issue as Cheeso (firefox does not start but I can see a firefox process running in the task manager). A difference for me is that rebooting windows does not help. Also, after this happens to firefox a right click on the windows taskbar start icon causes the windows task bar (windows explorer) to become unresponsive. Killing the firefox process does not recover windows explorer.

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  • I fixed this issue by starting in safe mode and specifying, in addition to disabling add-ons (my first try), also reseting toolbars and controls. I did have some pdf files displayed in my list of open url's.
    – Jeffrey Hill
    Jan 4, 2010 at 18:25
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I've had this issue a couple times before. Typically when firefox.exe encounters an issue and closes the browser, but continues to run. At times I'll have to CTRL+ALT+DEL and end the firefox processes manually. Once I've done this (be sure to 'end' all instances of firefox.exe) I can then start firefox back up.

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  • I had used Task Manager to close all firefox.exe processes. That wasn't the problem either. Good suggestion though, you're absolutely right that this can cause a problem.
    – Cheeso
    Jul 27, 2009 at 20:22

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