Need to do a clean install of FF31 after bad sectors on HDD caused installed FF to crash Windows upon opening.
After running MRT update on Windows XP SP3, I rebooted my PC, and CHKDSK found and repaired four bad sectors on my HDD. After this, starting Firefox 31.0, even in Safe Mode, would cause Windows to freeze at the point the FF window appeared. No menus, no toolbars, just the window with the basic frame, but nothing inside it. All input devices were non-responsive, forcing me to do a hardware restart of my machine.
Upon restart, everything else worked fine until I tried to start FF - then the OS froze again.
Searching Firefox support, all answers I could find suggested deleting old (possibly corrupt) profile data with Profile Manager before reinstalling FF - but, if FF freezes the machine upon starting, there is no way to do that.
How do I MANUALLY delete all old profile data, other Firefox data files, and registry entries from my PC so that I can do a clean install of FF 31.0?
NOTE: The information given about my browser under "More System Details" is mostly WRONG. I am currently using the only browser that works - the outdated Orca Browser v1.2 with a Firefox 3 core. It is FF 31.0 that I am asking help with.
Thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide.
Modified by SharkeyFF31
Chosen solution
Glad to hear. BTW, the reason I wanted you to rename the old folders was I did not want to chance the new program going into those bad sections. Now that FF is running properly, those folders can be removed, but the scan disk HAS to be done after.
Happy Computing ! !
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You must totally remove Firefox. It sounds like part of it's programing was corrupted. Then Download Firefox Full Installer All languages {web link}
After installing, try FF. If your user file are okay, Great!
- 1 Download the Full installer and put it somewhere.
- 2 Rename your current C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Maintenance Service and C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox. Add a X in front of the name (for example).
- 3 Run the disk check AGAIN just to be sure.
- 4 Now get the full installer and run it.
- 5 After the installer is done, then try out FF.
Thank you!
That seems to have done the trick, and was much easier than I thought it would be.
Those folders that I re-named in step 2 - do I delete those now?
Yes, BUT after run the check disk yet again. This shows that there were bad sectors in that area on the hard drive. Use the repair option.
Also, you should decide if the disk will continue to be usable after all this. And don't forget to keep backups.
For the next few months, run check disk now and then. If any more bad sectors show up, It's time to retire that disk.
I will do that. Thanks again.
Chosen Solution
Glad to hear. BTW, the reason I wanted you to rename the old folders was I did not want to chance the new program going into those bad sections. Now that FF is running properly, those folders can be removed, but the scan disk HAS to be done after.
Happy Computing ! !