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FireFox Crashes

mentalist3d
Grafter
Posts: 371
Registered: ‎20-08-2009

FireFox Crashes

I recently updated to the latest version of FireFox (about a week ago) and since then I have had a lot of crashes, and I am wondering if other users are having this problem. I've checked most of the solutions on the mozilla forum to no avail, this includes RAM tests, disabling/removing plugs-in and add-ons, reinstalling, creating a new profile, etc. Thing is it is now happening on the MAC as well, so it seems to be a fault with FireFox itself rather than just my PC.
I'm a bit gutted because FireFox has been so good for several years but this update is making it unusable for me, so a temporary solution for me is to use Opera
Has anyone else had these issues with FireFox and what were your solutions?
20 REPLIES 20
dvorak
Moderator
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Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Re: FireFox Crashes

No issues on a Mac or windows with 3.5.3.
What version are you on?
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mentalist3d
Grafter
Posts: 371
Registered: ‎20-08-2009

Re: FireFox Crashes

I'm using version 3.5.3, on both the PC and MAC, all systems are clean from malware, viruses, etc. I've had the crashes on the PC since I installed it, the MAC version has only been crashing the past couple of days.
Most of the sites that have crashed FireFox were running flash applications, but other sites causing crashes have been static html, when it recovers from the crash, I'll check the site I've been on and usually it doesn't repeat the error, so I am at a bit of a loss.
mal0z
Grafter
Posts: 3,486
Registered: ‎02-10-2008

Re: FireFox Crashes

I'm on FF 3.5.3 - and not had that much of a problem.
But in the past I had a few funny issues with FF - so I uninstalled it - AND deleted the Mozilla Firefox folders - if you don't do that - a new install might reuse some of the corrupt files ?.
mentalist3d
Grafter
Posts: 371
Registered: ‎20-08-2009

Re: FireFox Crashes

I never bothered deleting the old folders before re-installing, so I will give that a try, thanks
Santiago
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Registered: ‎10-08-2007

Re: FireFox Crashes

Have you tried starting FF in Safe mode. You do that via start/programs/mozilla firefox, then chose safe mode. Might be worth a try first. If it still crashing I would go with Mal's suggestion.
barky
Grafter
Posts: 166
Registered: ‎21-01-2009

Re: FireFox Crashes

have fixed firefox crashes in the past by deleting all cookies
Oldjim
Resting Legend
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Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: FireFox Crashes

I would suggest backing up all your Firefox settings using MozBackup http://mozbackup.jasnapaka.com/download.php then uninstall Firefox then do a clean install.
You can then put all your a settings back but you should put everything back except the General Settings. With MozBackup you can select which parts you want to put back
This means that all you bookmarks, cookies, passwords, etc. will be retained but not the basic Firefox settings which I would suspect are corrupted.
mentalist3d
Grafter
Posts: 371
Registered: ‎20-08-2009

Re: FireFox Crashes

Thanks for all the suggestions, I've just finished going through oldjims suggestion, as it is happening 2-3 times a day, I will know soon if its worked or not, if it hasn't worked, I'll try using FireFox in safe mode, fingers crossed that it has worked though. I'll let you all know how it works out and thanks everyone for the help Smiley
mentalist3d
Grafter
Posts: 371
Registered: ‎20-08-2009

Re: FireFox Crashes

Just loaded up FireFox and it crashed almost instantly, this was with a fresh install, after removing the original files and folders then clearing all references to FireFox in the registry (using CCleaner). I'm now going to run in safe mode as suggested earlier.
mal0z
Grafter
Posts: 3,486
Registered: ‎02-10-2008

Re: FireFox Crashes

A long shot - have you downloaded a fresh copy from the Mozzila server ?
Are any other programs crashing - and strange that it is happening on the Mac as well ?.
mentalist3d
Grafter
Posts: 371
Registered: ‎20-08-2009

Re: FireFox Crashes

I downloaded a fresh copy from Mozilla, and it is only FireFox crashing, all my other programs are stable.
The version on the MAC seems to have stabilised itself, it was crashing at least twice a day, but yesterday it never crashed once, so I think it was something I done on the MAC (I'm quite new to the MAC, so still finding my way around) rather than FireFox itself.
For the PC version, I've still to run it in safe mode (using Opera the now), but I'm going to check if it is my plug-ins causing the problem
Santiago
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Registered: ‎10-08-2007

Re: FireFox Crashes

If you start FF in safe mode it disables all the plugins/addons etc.
mal0z
Grafter
Posts: 3,486
Registered: ‎02-10-2008

Re: FireFox Crashes

maybe better to ask over on the Mozzila forums about which add-ons that might be causing it.
http://forums.mozillazine.org/index.php
7up
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Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: FireFox Crashes

Probably more likely to be a memory leak. I've used FF in the past and it would routinely try to hang my system after a short while if I'd been on a site which was laced with images.
Doesn't matter which browser you use they all do it: IE, FF, Netscape, Seamonkey (note those 3 use the same engine). Not tried opera recently so can't comment on it. They're pretty much all gonna leak memory now as they seem to either use the IE engine or the mozilla or gecko engines. All three of them leak more than a broken pipe.
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