up vote 1 down vote favorite
share [g+] share [fb]

All keyboard input stops working after a few minutes. Ctrl-T, ctrl-f, home, end, all have no effect, and I can't type into forms, the find bar or the location bar. If I switch tabs or programs using the mouse, the problem stops briefly, and resumes a few minutes later.

The same problem happens in safe mode. Reinstalling the keyboard driver didn't help.

Firefox 3.6.8, Windows 7, laptop keyboard.

Thanks for any help.

link|improve this question
What addons do you have installed in Firefox? – Hello71 Aug 14 '10 at 2:07
Adblock Plus, Automatic Save Folder, Download Statusbar, Downthemall, Easy DragToGo, Extended Copy Menu, Favicon Picker 3, FlashGot, Google Gears, Greasemonkey, Java Console, LogMeIn Remote Access Plugin, Menu Editor, Mouse Gestures Redox, NoScript, Organize Status Bar, Read It Later, Session Manager, Stylish, Tab Kit. But the problem does still happen in safe mode, with extensions disabled. – ismene Aug 14 '10 at 2:22
Sadly, Firefox has a long history of keyboard issues. I had to stop using it a while ago because of one - bug #249136. That was eventually fixed, but I've just discovered a new one - bug #530148. There may be something seriously flawed in the core keyboard handling within Firefox. A quick search of the the Firefox bug list for 'keyboard' shows 524 entries. Not that any of that is helpful to you, I just want to prepare you for the worst (as in: no solution). :-( – boot13 Aug 14 '10 at 2:28
feedback

1 Answer

up vote 0 down vote

I've had the same problem before on Firefox (way back on 3.5). I've come to believe that this is just caused by the fact that Firefox runs virtually like a VM interface-wise. Instead of using real OS widgets, it copies them and re-implements the look'n'feel using XUL (XML User interface Language). Supposedly this makes porting Firefox and its addons much easier. I wouldn't be surprised if they implemented keyboard hooks nonstandardly too, so when Firefox pauses, everything does.

What I suggest you do is either switch to another browser (simmer down, Firefox diehards), bear with it, or make Firefox itself faster using the standard ways (cache clearing, removing history, yadayada).

link|improve this answer
If Opera had any kind of support from Google (it doesn't - just try using anything Googlish in Opera) I would switch from Firefox in a heartbeat. It may be a little weird when you start using it, but it is a great browser. – boot13 Aug 14 '10 at 5:43
Not exactly the answer I was looking for, but thanks anyway. I guess it's time to retry Opera and Chrome. What's funny is that I had to open up Firefox to answer this question, and Firefox wouldn't let me type this comment -- with only two tabs open! Curse your sudden and inevitable betrayal, Firefox. – ismene Aug 14 '10 at 15:48
feedback

Your Answer

 
or
required, but never shown
discard

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.