[Dermot Lynch]

G'day... If I try to get to a website using Firefox it takes forever and the loading indicator never stops. If I use Explorer for the same site, it loads with no problem. This has not always been the case. When I first installed Firefox it worked fine. Maybe I am cynical or paranoid or just way off track but it seems to me that this problem has only been created after Windows carried out its security updates. I have turned automatic updates off and keep getting bugged by notices that my computer might not be secure but I am suspicious that these updates are partly if not totally responsible for this problem. The other reason I turned the updates off is because it downloaded and installed Explorer 8 without my permission and I run some programs that will not work with 8. Anyway, my main issue at the moment is why is Firefox hanging when trying to load and what can I do about it? Thanks for your time.

[phlanx]

Hello Dermot

I too have had confliction srunning Firefox, but have found that clearing out the Firefox cahce on a regular basis helps, in addition I have noticed on XP that running IE and Firefox on your system can cause a duplication of the cookies which also slows my computer down

I am running Vista now, and haven't found any confliction yet

I don't know if this helps, but it always do for me

[Dermot Lynch]

Hello Dermot

I too have had confliction srunning firefox, but have found that clearing out the firefox cahce on a regular basis helps, in addition I have noticed on XP that running IE and Firefox on your system can cause a duplication of the cookies which also slows my computer down

I am running Vista now, and havent found any confliction yet

I dont know if this helps, but it always do for me

I am using XP but I need to have explorer for certain programs and I prefer Firefox. How do I deal with the duplicate cookies issue? And What's the best way to clear the cache? I regularly run ccleaner and up until recently Firefox has worked excellently.

[phlanx]

I often found that the usual windows tools to clean up your computer didn't include Firefox cookies so they become backed up

If you visit (I am going from memory here) local settings located in your user directory, you should see mozilla, within in one of the files is the cache, which then can be cleaned up

I had no need to us IE so I decided to remove it comepletly as my cure, try the cleanup first to see if that works, and maybe somebody here can let us know why the cookies were duplicated and how to to stop it from happening

[NeedKarma]

Cookie duplication and cookies 'backing up' are non-issues since they can't happen. IE and FF stored their cookies in separate areas. If you never ever clear your cookies it wouldn't affect your computer speed.

I am currently using FF and IE on this XP computer without a problem. You could try CCleaner to do a clean up. I would also recommend backing up your bookmarks, uninstalling FF, running CCleaner then download and install Firefox from scratch.

[ScottGem]

First, I wouldn't not blame Windows updates. Don't you think the Mozilla people are analyzing Windows updates to see if Microsoft is putting anything in there to disable FireFox? Not that I would put it past the microsoftiies to try, but the risk is much too great with almost no reward.

Second, HTML and other languages used for WEB browsing are not 100% standardized. Some WEB sites use extensions provided by Microsoft that won't work in Firefox or other browsers. It's the choice of the site developer whether to use these extensions, thereby restricting their site to using IE. That could be what is happening with the site you can't get to in Firefox. I have sites that I use (like the one for reporting hours to my employer) that require IE.

[Dermot Lynch]

I often found that the usual windows tools to clean up your computer didnt include firefox cookies so they become backed up

If you visit (i am going from memory here) local settings located in your user directory, you should see mozilla, within in one of the files is the cache, which then can be cleaned up

I had no need to us IE so I decided to remove it comepletly as my cure, try the cleanup first to see if that works, and maybe somebody here can let us know why the cookies were duplicated and how to to stop it from happening

Thanks for the response. I can't remove IE as I need it for special programs I have and I already use ccleaner but thanks for your thoughts

[KISS]

Me too. I have issues with Firefox and IE and even the addon that says render in IE. I reported a bug which was verified where Firefox got the wrong anser and IE, opera and chrome got the right one.

Yesterday, I had the wierdest thing happen. I had both IE and Firefox opened. I clicked on a tab in Firefox and low an behold the page appeared in IE. Totally weird. Windows 7 is on their mind now.

[morgaine300]

You can delete cookies and cache directly from Firefox manually. Where exactly will depend on which version you have. But it's under Tools--> Options. I have 3.0. And it's all under the Privacy Tab. You can click on Show Cookies and go through that list individually if you like. (I think they moved the cookies in 3.5?? )

You can also go to where it says Private Data, and put the settings the way you would like. You can check to always clear this stuff every time you close it, or do it on command. If you click the Clear Now, it will pop open a little box to ask what you'd like to clear.

Keep in mind there may be cookies you want. You might want to keep places keeping a login ID or a forum that tracks the threads you've read, etc.

But as someone point out, cookies aren't duplicated. They are kept two completely different places. I have never heard of any such thing.

As for uninstalling FF, NeedKarma meant temporarily.

As for it installing IE8 "without your permission" -- it updates more than security stuff. MS does what it wants. You gave them permission when you set it to auto.

[Dermot Lynch]

You can delete cookies and cache directly from Firefox manually. Where exactly will depend on which version you have. But it's under Tools--> Options. I have 3.0.? and it's all under the Privacy Tab. You can click on Show Cookies and go thru that list individually if you like. (I think they moved the cookies in 3.5???)

You can also go to where it says Private Data, and put the settings the way you would like. You can check to always clear this stuff every time you close it, or do it on command. If you click the Clear Now, it will pop open a little box to ask what you'd like to clear.

Keep in mind there may be cookies you want. You might want to keep places keeping a login ID or a forum that tracks the threads you've read, etc.

But as someone point out, cookies aren't duplicated. They are kept two completely different places. I have never heard of any such thing.

As for uninstalling FF, NeedKarma meant temporarily.

As for it installing IE8 "without your permission" -- it updates more than security stuff. MS does what it wants. You gave them permission when you set it to auto.

As I already use Ccleaner and my problem is not related to some sites but to all sites, of all the suggestions received so far, the best one seems to be to uninstall Firefox and reinstall it. Can someone tell me how to backup the bookmarks and what happens to all my Firefox add ons? I am still not convinced that this issue doesn't have something to do with Microsoft. Any site, not one here or there but any site I want to go to just hangs and the loading never stops but if I use explorer it goes straight there. Previous to my last security update I did not have this issue and Firefox worked brilliantly, now, it just suxs.

[KISS]

Maybe your best bet is to troubleshoot Firefox in Safe Mode:
Safe Mode

But, anyway...

Do a Help/Help Contents

Type uninstalling Firefox
Then Bookmarks

If you go to tools/add-ons for a list of add-ons

Looks like there are ways of preserving bookmarks and keeping add-ins depending on how far you want to go. I'd export the bookmarks and make a note of the add-ins.

[NeedKarma]

Dermot,
Here's a good how-to to backup your bookmarks: How to Back-Up Bookmarks in Firefox
I'm not sure you can backup your add-ons. You can do Tools>Add-Ons and take screenshots to help you remember which to get after the reinstall.

Concerning the possibility of a MS Update causing an issue, that is indeed possible. There was a little nastiness between MS and Mozilla concerning a " .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 installs a 'Windows Presentation Foundation' plug-in in Firefox.". Read more here. Firefox responded by blocking the add-on: Thank you Firefox - Computerworld Blogs LOL!

[workhomeunion]

The best thing to do when your browser crashes or is loading slow, whether it's an IE or Firefox Browser, is to uninstall and reinstall the browser. Sounds like your Firefox browser is corrupted.

Firefox is a pretty good browser and usually runs quite smooth. Unistall the version you have and you will probably end up installing a later version when you reinstall.

[morgaine300]

If you want more than just your bookmarks...

(This is in XP)

Go into Explorer or My Computer-->C drive (assuming that's where you stuck it)-->Documents & Settings-->Your user folder-->Application Data-->Mozilla-->Firefox-->Profiles - then through the folder with a bunch of odd numbers/letters, until you get down to where you'll find folders like extensions, chrome...

Sounds like you want to back up that Extension folder. Bookmarks are in bookmarks.html pre-v.3 and places.sqlite for v.3+. (That last one also contains the history.)

You probably should back up prefs.js, which saves most of your preferences you set.

If you have cookies you want, then it's cookies.txt for pre-v.3 and cookies.sqlite for v3+. If you've set site-specific stuff (like exception lists for cookies, popups, that sort of thing), then you want hostperm1 for pre v.3 and permissions.sqlite for v. 3+.

There may be more that you want depending on what you do. I know those cause those are the ones I back up. There's a whole list of the files here:
Profile folder - Firefox - MozillaZine Knowledge Base

(Apparently you have to be set to show hidden folders/files in order to do this. I always show hidden folders anyway so I never realized this.)

Also found the folder in vista:
C:\Users\<Windows login/user name>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<pr ofile folder>