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Why when I try to download firefox does it keep saying "firefox must be closed to continue? I did close it.

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  • Last reply by ronski

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Everytime I try to run the download, a box pops up that says "Firefox must be closed to continue". I did close it.

Everytime I try to run the download, a box pops up that says "Firefox must be closed to continue". I did close it.

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"Firefox must be closed to continue". I did close it.

You will have to bring up the Windows Task Manager, a bit easier on your Windows 7 starting with ("Ctrl+Shift+Esc") then in the "Processes" tab locate firefox.exe and use "Del" key or better right-click and close the tree. On older Windows systems you would get to the Task Manager with additional steps starting with ("Ctrl+Alt+Del").

It is important to learn to close Firefox properly especially on Firefox 6.0 (4.0 and up), and that is to use File > Exit or the Firefox button > Exit. Closing with the "X" in the upper right corner closes the Window and is not the same. Closing Firefox properly will work a lot better that is not to say that you won't still have to go to the Task Manager, but it won't be as often.

You are trying to do something else so you have to bring Firefox down. But there are many times when you need to bring Firefox down and up again, and for that there is the "Restartless Restart" (13.3KB) extension with a keyboard shortcut ("Ctrl+Alt+R") or file menu item, that kind of puts the process into automatic pilot so you don't have to determine the exact moment Firefox is actually finished before restarting.

Bringing Firefox down improperly will really adversely affect you if you have app-tabs, and for using having a viable saved session (item #31 see "#tabslost").


Please mark "Solved" one answer that will best help others with a similar problem -- hope this was it.


You can make Firefox 6.0 look like Firefox 3.6.*, see numbered items 1-10 in the following topic Fix Firefox 4.0 toolbar user interface, problems (Make Firefox 4.0 thru 6.0, look like 3.6). Whether or not you make changes, you should be aware of what has changed and what you have to do to use changed or missing features.

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Seems to work. Thanks for the suggestion.