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Some of my add-ons don't launch while enabled when I start Firefox

  • 15 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 15 views
  • Last reply by Moses

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Some of my installed add-ons fail to launch when I start FF although they appear enabled in the add-ons manager. They are all up-to-date and they work as intended when I disable them and re-enable them. But that only works for restartless ones. If I try to disable and re-enable an add-on that requires restart of FF then all the others fail to launch again. This also affects my session. I use the option to launch tabs and windows from last session when I close FF but it wont work.

I am running on Linux Mint 13 Maya xfce4 environment.

Intel Core i5-3230M processor 4GB RAM

All other software I use is up-to-date as well.

Some of my installed add-ons fail to launch when I start FF although they appear enabled in the add-ons manager. They are all up-to-date and they work as intended when I disable them and re-enable them. But that only works for restartless ones. If I try to disable and re-enable an add-on that requires restart of FF then all the others fail to launch again. This also affects my session. I use the option to launch tabs and windows from last session when I close FF but it wont work. I am running on Linux Mint 13 Maya xfce4 environment. Intel Core i5-3230M processor 4GB RAM All other software I use is up-to-date as well.

Chosen solution

You can check for problems with preferences.

Delete a possible user.js file and numbered prefs-##.js files and rename (or delete) the prefs.js file to reset all prefs to the default value including prefs set via user.js and prefs that are no longer supported in the current Firefox release.

It is possible that there is a problem with the file(s) that store the extensions registry.

Delete the extensions.* files (e.g. extensions.json, extensions.sqlite, extensions.ini) and compatibility.ini in the Firefox profile folder to reset the extensions registry.

New files will be created when required.

See "Corrupt extension files":

If you see disabled or not compatible extensions in "Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions" then click the Tools button at the left end of the Search bar to check if there is a compatibility update available.

If this hasn't helped then also delete possible addons.json and addons.sqlite files.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (15)

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Can you start by giving us the troubleshooting information from the Firefox installation that's having problems. This is an essential step in troubleshooting.

  • Click the Firefox button at the top left, then click the Help menu and select Troubleshooting Information from the sub-menu. If you don't have a Firefox button, click the Help menu at the top and select Troubleshooting Information from the menu.

Now, a new tab containing your troubleshooting information should open.

  • At the top of the page, you should see a button that says "Copy text to clipboard". Click it.
  • Now, go back to your forum post and click inside the reply box. Press Ctrl+V to paste all the information you copied into the forum post.
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Application Basics
------------------
Name: Firefox
Version: 29.0
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux i686; rv:29.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/29.0
Crash Reports for the Last 3 Days
---------------------------------
All Crash Reports
Extensions
----------
Name: ColorZilla
Version: 2.8
Enabled: true
ID: {6AC85730-7D0F-4de0-B3FA-21142DD85326}
Name: Download YouTube Videos as MP4
Version: 1.7.18
Enabled: true
ID: {b9bfaf1c-a63f-47cd-8b9a-29526ced9060}
Name: Firebug
Version: 1.12.8
Enabled: true
ID: firebug@software.joehewitt.com
Name: Gmail Notifier (restartless)
Version: 0.4.1
Enabled: true
ID: jid0-GjwrPchS3Ugt7xydvqVK4DQk8Ls@jetpack
Name: MeasureIt
Version: 0.4.13
Enabled: true
ID: {75CEEE46-9B64-46f8-94BF-54012DE155F0}
Name: Mint Search Enhancer
Version: 1.0
Enabled: true
ID: mint-search-enhancer@linuxmint.com
Name: Search image
Version: 0.1.2
Enabled: true
ID: searchimage@searchimage.fr
Name: Stylish
Version: 1.4.3
Enabled: true
ID: {46551EC9-40F0-4e47-8E18-8E5CF550CFB8}
Name: Webmail Ad Blocker
Version: 4.25
Enabled: true
ID: gmailnoads@mywebber.com
Name: YouTube ALL HTML5
Version: 2.1.1
Enabled: true
ID: jid1-qj0w91o64N7Eeg@jetpack
Name: YouTube Unblocker
Version: 0.5.4
Enabled: true
ID: youtubeunblocker@unblocker.yt
Name: Ghostery
Version: 5.2.1
Enabled: false
ID: firefox@ghostery.com
Important Modified Preferences
------------------------------
accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar: 0
browser.cache.disk.capacity: 358400
browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value: 358400
browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false
browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max: false
browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion: 6
browser.search.useDBForOrder: true
browser.sessionstore.resume_session_once: true
browser.sessionstore.upgradeBackup.latestBuildID: 20140317233948
browser.startup.homepage: https://www.google.com
browser.startup.homepage_override.buildID: 20140428194100
browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone: 29.0
browser.tabs.warnOnClose: false
dom.mozApps.used: true
extensions.lastAppVersion: 29.0
keyword.URL: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=lm&q=
network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true
network.protocol-handler.app.apt: /usr/bin/apturl
network.protocol-handler.app.apt+http: /usr/bin/apturl
network.protocol-handler.warn-external.apt: true
network.protocol-handler.warn-external.apt+http: true
places.database.lastMaintenance: 1399060382
places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 89076
plugin.disable_full_page_plugin_for_types: application/pdf
plugin.importedState: true
privacy.donottrackheader.enabled: true
privacy.sanitize.migrateFx3Prefs: true
storage.vacuum.last.index: 1
storage.vacuum.last.places.sqlite: 1397473064
Graphics
--------
Adapter Description: Tungsten Graphics, Inc -- Mesa DRI Intel(R) Ivybridge Mobile x86/MMX/SSE2
Device ID: Mesa DRI Intel(R) Ivybridge Mobile x86/MMX/SSE2
Driver Version: 3.0 Mesa 8.0.4
GPU Accelerated Windows: 0/1 Basic
Vendor ID: Tungsten Graphics, Inc
WebGL Renderer: Tungsten Graphics, Inc -- Mesa DRI Intel(R) Ivybridge Mobile x86/MMX/SSE2
windowLayerManagerRemote: false
AzureCanvasBackend: cairo
AzureContentBackend: cairo
AzureFallbackCanvasBackend: none
AzureSkiaAccelerated: 0
JavaScript
----------
Incremental GC: true
Accessibility
-------------
Activated: false
Prevent Accessibility: 0
Library Versions
----------------
NSPR
Expected minimum version: 4.10.3
Version in use: 4.10.3
NSS
Expected minimum version: 3.16 Basic ECC
Version in use: 3.16 Basic ECC
NSSSMIME
Expected minimum version: 3.16 Basic ECC
Version in use: 3.16 Basic ECC
NSSSSL
Expected minimum version: 3.16 Basic ECC
Version in use: 3.16 Basic ECC
NSSUTIL
Expected minimum version: 3.16
Version in use: 3.16

Modified by cor-el

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Can you try to start Firefox in Safe Mode to see if Firefox works properly with no error? You can start Firefox in Safe Mode below:

  • Windows/Mac: Go to Help > Restart with add-ons disabled
  • Linux: Run firefox -safe-mode in the Terminal/Konsole

If Firefox opens up fine with no problems, it's probably one of your extensions that's causing the issue. You can re-enable your add-ons one by one until you find the one that causes the issue upon being re-enabled.

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Am I supposed to start enabling add-ons one by one while in safe mode? cause it won't let me...

It did start without problems though, but still not saving session, tabs, windows that I had opened etc.

Modified by litzel

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Chosen Solution

You can check for problems with preferences.

Delete a possible user.js file and numbered prefs-##.js files and rename (or delete) the prefs.js file to reset all prefs to the default value including prefs set via user.js and prefs that are no longer supported in the current Firefox release.

It is possible that there is a problem with the file(s) that store the extensions registry.

Delete the extensions.* files (e.g. extensions.json, extensions.sqlite, extensions.ini) and compatibility.ini in the Firefox profile folder to reset the extensions registry.

New files will be created when required.

See "Corrupt extension files":

If you see disabled or not compatible extensions in "Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions" then click the Tools button at the left end of the Search bar to check if there is a compatibility update available.

If this hasn't helped then also delete possible addons.json and addons.sqlite files.

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Could you help me in finding the folders containing those files perhaps? I'm not sure I know where they are and wouldn't wanna delete any files out of mistake.

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You can use this button to go to the currently used Firefox profile folder:

  • Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Show Folder (Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder)

See also:

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Thanks! will try it out!

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Thanks a lot! I didn't have to delete the addons.json and addons.sqlite files, worked like a charm when deleted the prefs.js, extensions.* and compatibility.ini files. I am not sure if that had anything to do as well, but i noticed that I wasn't the owner of some files in there so I ran a chown -R.

Thanks again!

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You're welcome

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not all of these files are in my user profile (which is named "default", followed by a string of numbers and letters). The two addons files and one extension file are, but the two that worked for the asker, pref.js and compatibility.ini are not in the profile folder. I'm supposed to delete any or all of these, right?

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Windows hides some file extensions by default.

Among them are .html and .ini and .js and .txt, so you may only see the prefs and compatibility file name without file extension.

You can see the real file type (file extension) in the properties of the file via the right-click context menu in Windows Explorer.

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I deleted all those files and re-started Firefox. I went into add-ons and re-enabled thes ones I wanted and re-started again. No change. The ones that need to be restarted did not start and now one that was working yesterday is not working now. Firefox was working great until about 3 months ago, and then it's started freezing about every time I click a button. I've done everything the forum suggests, turning off hardware accelerator, uisng script, flash and ad blockers. All my add-ons were working fine until I reset Firefox, which I did because on the constant freezing. I added new add-ons in addition to the old ones. None of the ones that need to be re-started to enable are working now and they did before.

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This is my troubleshooting information:

Application Basics


Name: Firefox Version: 30.0 User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:30.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/30.0

Crash Reports for the Last 3 Days


All Crash Reports (including 5 pending crashes in the given time range)

Extensions


Name: Clean Links Version: 2.6.0 Enabled: true ID: {158d7cb3-7039-4a75-8e0b-3bd0a464edd2}

Name: Erase Facebook ads and suggestions Version: 1.1.1.0 Enabled: true ID: jid1-UfSghNz6VhKecw@jetpack

Name: NO Google Analytics Version: 0.6 Enabled: true ID: jid1-JcGokIiQyjoBAQ@jetpack

Name: Video Blocker Version: 1.0.0 Enabled: true ID: jid1-3OQ5HY7YsLBV7Q@jetpack

Name: Adblock Plus Pop-up Addon Version: 0.9.2 Enabled: false ID: adblockpopups@jessehakanen.net

Name: Disconnect Version: 3.14.0 Enabled: false ID: 2.0@disconnect.me

Name: Flash Control Version: 1.0.5 Enabled: false ID: jid1-sNL73VCI4UB0Fw@jetpack

Name: Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant Version: 0.0.0 Enabled: false ID: {20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b}

Name: NoScript Version: 2.6.8.28 Enabled: false ID: {73a6fe31-595d-460b-a920-fcc0f8843232}

Name: Skype Click to Call Version: 6.11.0.13348 Enabled: false ID: {82AF8DCA-6DE9-405D-BD5E-43525BDAD38A}

Name: Updated Ad Blocker for Firefox 11+ Version: 0.7.7 Enabled: false ID: {4DC70064-89E2-4a55-8FC6-E8CDEAE3618C}

Important Modified Preferences


accessibility.blockautorefresh: true accessibility.typeaheadfind: true browser.cache.disk.capacity: 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value: 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max: false browser.link.open_newwindow: 2 browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion: 7 browser.sessionstore.upgradeBackup.latestBuildID: 20140605174243 browser.startup.homepage: http://www.wikipedia.org/ browser.startup.homepage_override.buildID: 20140605174243 browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone: 30.0 browser.tabs.loadInBackground: false dom.mozApps.used: true extensions.lastAppVersion: 30.0 gfx.blacklist.direct2d: 3 gfx.blacklist.layers.direct3d10: 3 gfx.blacklist.layers.direct3d10-1: 3 gfx.blacklist.layers.direct3d9: 3 gfx.blacklist.layers.opengl: 3 gfx.blacklist.stagefright: 3 gfx.blacklist.suggested-driver-version: 6.1400.1000.5218 gfx.blacklist.webgl.angle: 3 gfx.blacklist.webgl.msaa: 3 gfx.blacklist.webgl.opengl: 3 gfx.direct2d.disabled: true layers.acceleration.disabled: true network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true places.database.lastMaintenance: 1403210052 places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 26584 plugin.disable_full_page_plugin_for_types: application/pdf plugin.importedState: true privacy.donottrackheader.enabled: true privacy.sanitize.migrateFx3Prefs: true storage.vacuum.last.index: 0 storage.vacuum.last.places.sqlite: 1403118175

Graphics


Adapter Description: Intel(R) 82915G/GV/910GL Express Chipset Family Adapter Drivers: ialmrnt5 Adapter RAM: Unknown Device ID: 0x2582 Direct2D Enabled: Blocked for your graphics driver version. Try updating your graphics driver to version 6.1400.1000.5218 or newer. DirectWrite Enabled: false (0.0.0.0) Driver Date: 1-23-2005 Driver Version: 6.14.10.4020 GPU #2 Active: false GPU Accelerated Windows: 0/13 Basic Blocked for your graphics driver version. Try updating your graphics driver to version 6.1400.1000.5218 or newer. Vendor ID: 0x8086 WebGL Renderer: Blocked for your graphics driver version. Try updating your graphics driver to version 6.1400.1000.5218 or newer. windowLayerManagerRemote: false AzureCanvasBackend: skia AzureContentBackend: cairo AzureFallbackCanvasBackend: cairo AzureSkiaAccelerated: 0

JavaScript


Incremental GC: true

Accessibility


Activated: false Prevent Accessibility: 0

Library Versions


NSPR Expected minimum version: 4.10.6 Version in use: 4.10.6

NSS Expected minimum version: 3.16 Basic ECC Version in use: 3.16 Basic ECC

NSSSMIME Expected minimum version: 3.16 Basic ECC Version in use: 3.16 Basic ECC

NSSSSL Expected minimum version: 3.16 Basic ECC Version in use: 3.16 Basic ECC

NSSUTIL Expected minimum version: 3.16 Version in use: 3.16

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Closing solved thread.

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