Why can't I start Firefox?

[WetDog]

Hello, got a weird problem here:

After a windows (re)start I can't open Firefox. When I click the icon nothin shows up on the screen, but ctrl+alt+del show me firefox.exe actually is running.

I have to stop avast! On-Access protection, start browser, start avast!. Very annoying. But after I've done this Firefox works great, I can open and close it without problems.

Is it a bad idea to tell avast! not to scan firefox.exe at all? Or does anyone know what the problem might be?


Edit: Windows XP, Service Pack 2, Firefox 1.0.3

[DavidR]

I have virtually the same set-up, XP Pro SP2, firefox 1.0.3 and no problems (dial-up connection and a blank page as my default).

I find it strange that avast could stop firefox from opening, I once had similar problems with an earlier firefox version 1.0.1 or 1.0 I think when it wouldn't open. I think that was down to over zealous tweaking and or extensions installed on my part.

In the end I uninstalled firefox including the profile and program folder, etc. started with a clean slate, then everything was back to normal. Remember 1.0.3 is a beta release of firefox.

[fjarrfoss]

Having the same problem but mine is intermittent (wonderful is it not?).      Am running FF 1.0.4 on Windows ME with the Home Edition of Avast.  Tried reconfig of Avast but it still seems to scan FF and the only way I know is to look into the tasks window.  I have to do a reboot to clear the problem.

Is anyone working on this or just crossing pointed fingers?

F'jarr Foss

[YLAP]

Having the same problem but mine is intermittent (wonderful is it not?).      Am running FF 1.0.4 on Windows ME with the Home Edition of Avast.  Tried reconfig of Avast but it still seems to scan FF and the only way I know is to look into the tasks window.  I have to do a reboot to clear the problem.

Is anyone working on this or just crossing pointed fingers?

F'jarr Foss

Had the same problem then used firefox. 

[MFB]

Strange, hey just to let you know, Firefox 1.0.4 is out since I notice you got the 1.0.3 

[polonus]

Howdy fjarfoss,

What helped me with this problem is to renew the shortcuts. Delete the existing shortcuts to FF (on startup bar, the desktop shortcut), go to windows programs Mozilla FF and make a shortcut from there to your desktop, and drag this one to your startup bar. No more problems for me, anyway. Some add-ons can de-stabilize FF, toolbars can make it very slow.

Greets,

polonus

[DavidR]

Strange, hey just to let you know, Firefox 1.0.4 is out since I notice you got the 1.0.3

Strange have you noticed the date of the last post in the thread before 'fjarrfoss's post? - 20 April 2005 so firefox 1.0.3 was the current version then.

[essexboy]

I have the same intermittent problem.  As far as I have been able to ascertain it is not related to any other programmes om my computor.  All I do is go to task manager end the firefox process that is running and the restart the browser (sometimes I have 2 instances of firefox- close them both) Methinks it is probably an intermittent problem with firefox.....

[Lisandro]

The extensions and themes are messing Firefox updates...
Everything is fine, than you update Firefox and nothing works.
The extensions are the problem. Use just the few ones you really need.
I have to start from the beginning more than once. Sometimes, just disabling is not enough  :'(

[ramses]

I had the same problem.  I couldn't open Firefox but then I found it running in Task Manager.  Had to End Task in Task Manager and then it was okay.  As far as I could discover, it is caused when you do not uninstall Firefox before installing a new one.  You won't lose your settings.  Since I started doing that, no further problems.