Firefox crashes
Perpetual crash on startup. Updating to latest version caused this. Unable to update plugins, unable to restart Firefox. Tried downloading and re-updating. Crashes continue.
I had specific pages open and I know that I will lose the links to these pages when all of this is fixed. I don't want to lose all the bookmarks and page links. This is frustrating.
All Replies (16)
We're sorry to hear that your Firefox seems to be crashing when you open it. Please perform the following steps to give us a crash report ID that helps us find out more about the cause of the crash.
Can you start in Firefox Safe Mode by holding down the Shift key while you double-click the Firefox icon? When the Firefox Safe Mode window appears, select "Start in Safe Mode".
If Firefox starts in Safe Mode,
- Enter about:crashes in the Firefox address bar and press Enter. A Submitted Crash Reports list will appear, similar to the one shown below.
- Copy the 5 most recent Report IDs that start with bp- and then go back to your forum question and paste that into the "Post a Reply" box. (Please don't take a screenshot of your crashes, just copy and paste the ID's. The below image is just an example of what your Firefox screen should look like)
If you can't start in Firefox Safe Mode, let us know, or see the Troubleshoot Firefox crashes (closing or quitting unexpectedly) article under "Get help fixing this crash", for how to get a crash Report IDs when you can't open Firefox.
I do not even get an option to restart in Safe Mode. It simply gives me the crash reporter and won't start.
Please perform the following steps to give us a crash report ID that helps us find out more about the cause of the crash.
- Press the following keys together: [Windows] The image "Windows key" does not exist. + [R]. This should bring up a Run window that contains a text field.
- In that text field, type %APPDATA% and press Enter. An explorer window should open.
- From that explorer window, double-click on the Mozilla folder, then double-click on Firefox and then on Crash reports. Double-click on submitted.
- Now, you should see a list of files that contain reports. Go to View > Arrange Icons by > Modified to get the most recent files at the top of the window.
- Open the most recent 5 files with a text editor and copy the IDs.
- Paste each ID with bp- into the reply window on the forums.
If you need more help with these instruction, let us know or see the Troubleshoot Firefox crashes (closing or quitting unexpectedly) article.
even though it crashed 2 dozen times, and restart would not work, only one file is displayed. This is the ID in it:
1419866842
preceeding this file is a submit log (only 2 lines, no id, submitted log successful)
and then install log for today with this ID in it:
1419865703
all other files are previous install files
Modified
1419865703 is not a valid crash Report ID. You need to furnish a crash Report ID that starts with bp- into the reply window on the forums, similar to bp-5a685305-9aaf-4f3c-a41e-292352140702 (see attached screenshot)
InstallTime files like InstallTime20141228004007 are not crash reports, but files that are created when Firefox updates.
As I stated in my first post, it perpetually crashes. Additionally, the contents of the files you requested have no ID code starting with"bp" and the crash reports are not even saving. The crash reporter goes right back to the same message. No updates can be made, not even a reinstall. I tried everything that Firefox would allow, but it never gives any option other than the crash reporter screen.
Basically since no one can answer this problem with anything that resolves the issue, it leaves me to a complete unintelligible and reinstall. Thus I will once again lose everything, all bookmarks and all progress I had made in a project (visited links marked). Thanks for nothing
Could you post details of the Mozilla Crash Reporter message or a screenshot? I don't understand why there are no submitted crash reports in %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Crash Reports\
There are some other suggestions in http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firefox_crashes#Crash_when_starting_Firefox
A clean reinstall will not touch the profile folder where your bookmarks and other data are saved.
- Download the latest Desktop version of Firefox from mozilla.org (or choose the download for your operating system and language from this page) and save the setup file to your computer.
- Delete the Firefox installation folder, which is located in one of these locations, by default:
- Windows:
- C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox
- Windows:
- Now, go ahead and reinstall Firefox:
- Double-click the downloaded installation file and go through the steps of the installation wizard.
- Once the wizard is finished, choose to directly open Firefox after clicking the Finish button.
More information about reinstalling Firefox can be found here.
WARNING: Do not use a third party uninstaller as part of this process. Doing so could permanently delete your Firefox profile data, including but not limited to, extensions, cache, cookies, bookmarks, personal settings and saved passwords. These cannot be easily recovered unless they have been backed up to an external device! See Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles.
Download Firefox Full Installer For All languages And Systems {web link} Save the file. Then;
Using your file browser, open the Programs folder on your computer.
Windows: C:\Program Files C:\Program Files (x86) Mac: Open the "Applications" folder. Linux: Check your user manual.
Look for, and rename any Mozilla and Firefox folders by adding .old to them.
Now run the full installer. If all goes well, remove the OLD folders when you are done.
I never use 3rd party installers, only the direct download from Mozilla.
I followed Fred's advice, saved my old stuff, uninstalled, reinstalled - then the crash again. :-/
This is not a good sign
edit: I have redownloaded Firefox (yes the latest version) and installed 3 times following a complete uninstall of each the previous attempt. I've tried both the US English and British English version with exactly the same results. Firefox will not start without going directly to the crash reporter - as in "do not pass go, go directly to crash jail"
Firefox has been my favorite browser since the 90s, but this is irritating and frustrating. Never has a browser I have come to rely on so much caused this much problem. I've used it on every platform I've ever touched and it outshined all the others... until now.
Modified
Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web link} While you are in safe mode;
Type about:preferences#advanced<Enter> in the address bar.
Under Advanced, Select General. Look for and turn off Use Hardware Acceleration.
While still in Safe Mode, In the address bar, type about:crashes<enter>. Note: If any reports do not have BP in front of the numbers, click it and select Submit.
Using your mouse, mark the most resent 7 - 10 crash reports, and copy them. Now go to the reply box below and paste them in.
Now try a few safe web sites, are there any problems?
there is no starting firefox period, not even in safe mode. it gives no chance to even go to safe mode, but crashes instantly. trying the latest updated version, if that fails, i will look for the most recent version that works and try disabling updates. until there is an update that is stable and works it's pointless to run firefox at all.
UPDATE
installed fresh 35.0.1 new error - Your Firefox profile cannot be loaded. It may be missing or inaccessible.
It's a fresh install! No profile from a previous version existed until first run. At least that is supposed to be the way it works. It is supposed to create a fresh profile on first run after fresh install since uninstalling removes all old folders. I did save a copy of my old profile in a backup folder elsewhere, but there is no path for the new profile in the new directory.
Modified
You can try to delete the sessionstore.js file that store session data in the Firefox profile folder in case Firefox is trying to restore crashing tabs from a previous session.
- Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Show Folder (Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder)
- http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox
- http://kb.mozillazine.org/Multiple_profile_files_created
Deleting sessionstore.js will cause App Tabs and Tab Groups and open and closed (undo) tabs to get lost and you will have to recreate them.
Look on your desktop. Do you see a folder called; Old Firefox?
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recovering-important-data-from-an-old-profile
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/back-and-restore-information-firefox-profiles
No sessionstore.js file and no Folder.
As I stated before, I removed the old Firefox and did a fresh install. Old files were copied into a separate location. Even the newest version is giving me the profile error.