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Firefox will not start

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  • 3 have this problem
  • 6 views
  • Last reply by Llaurin

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I just had to do a System Restore using a restore point from several months ago. Now when I click the Firefox icon nothing happens - no error messages and no Firefox window.

I have tried the 'Firefox will not open' page but all the suggestions require opening Firefox! I can't create a new profile or restore Firefox to the defaults because I can't open ANY firefox page. I don't want to delete FireFox and re-install it as I don't want to lose my bookmarks.

I just had to do a System Restore using a restore point from several months ago. Now when I click the Firefox icon nothing happens - no error messages and no Firefox window. I have tried the 'Firefox will not open' page but all the suggestions require opening Firefox! I can't create a new profile or restore Firefox to the defaults because I can't open ANY firefox page. I don't want to delete FireFox and re-install it as I don't want to lose my bookmarks.

Chosen solution

Using "System Restore" can cause your Firefox installation to get corrupted because not all files are restored (only files in a white-list), so be cautious with using System Restore. You need to (re)install software that was affected.

Do a clean (re)install and delete the Firefox program folder (C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\).

Download a fresh Firefox copy and save the file to the desktop.

Uninstall your current Firefox version, if possible.

  • Do NOT remove personal data when you uninstall your current Firefox version, because all profile folders will be removed and you will also lose your personal data like bookmarks and passwords from profiles of other Firefox versions.

Remove the Firefox program folder before installing that newly downloaded copy of the Firefox installer.

Your bookmarks and other profile data are stored elsewhere in the Firefox Profile Folder and won't be affected by a reinstall, but make sure that you do not select to remove personal data if you uninstall Firefox.


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Chosen Solution

Using "System Restore" can cause your Firefox installation to get corrupted because not all files are restored (only files in a white-list), so be cautious with using System Restore. You need to (re)install software that was affected.

Do a clean (re)install and delete the Firefox program folder (C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\).

Download a fresh Firefox copy and save the file to the desktop.

Uninstall your current Firefox version, if possible.

  • Do NOT remove personal data when you uninstall your current Firefox version, because all profile folders will be removed and you will also lose your personal data like bookmarks and passwords from profiles of other Firefox versions.

Remove the Firefox program folder before installing that newly downloaded copy of the Firefox installer.

Your bookmarks and other profile data are stored elsewhere in the Firefox Profile Folder and won't be affected by a reinstall, but make sure that you do not select to remove personal data if you uninstall Firefox.


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Fantastic, thank you, that worked.