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Ubuntu Linux 12.04 and Firefox 29: can't view youtube videos in firefox, but I can in Chromium

  • 2 replies
  • 6 have this problem
  • 9 views
  • Last reply by kobe

rupjohn22
rupjohn22
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I use Ubuntu Linux 12.04 and Firefox 29. For some time now I have not been able to view youtube videos in firefox, and have to resort to using Chromium which I really resent. Can I get some assistance?

If the Youtube videos are imbedded in a web page, they appear with some ugly text over the top saying 'Open in new tab' and a not well formatted drop down box appears over the top that seems to ask me what format I want to use to view them in - the options include 1. webm (up8.0,+vorbis) medium, 2. mp4, x-flv low, 3gpp. There are more details to these options but I'm not sure they are relevant. I can select different options, but no matter which I select, if I then click on the youtube embedded video image, it just disappears off the screen. If I select the 'open in a new tab' like, nothing happens other than part of a dotted box appears.

If I go to youtube.com and click on any of the videos there, I just get a black screen where the image was previously and nothing else.

Please help! Don't want to have to use Chromium!

I use Ubuntu Linux 12.04 and Firefox 29. For some time now I have not been able to view youtube videos in firefox, and have to resort to using Chromium which I really resent. Can I get some assistance? If the Youtube videos are imbedded in a web page, they appear with some ugly text over the top saying 'Open in new tab' and a not well formatted drop down box appears over the top that seems to ask me what format I want to use to view them in - the options include 1. webm (up8.0,+vorbis) medium, 2. mp4, x-flv low, 3gpp. There are more details to these options but I'm not sure they are relevant. I can select different options, but no matter which I select, if I then click on the youtube embedded video image, it just disappears off the screen. If I select the 'open in a new tab' like, nothing happens other than part of a dotted box appears. If I go to youtube.com and click on any of the videos there, I just get a black screen where the image was previously and nothing else. Please help! Don't want to have to use Chromium!

All Replies (2)

kobe
kobe
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Hello,

Try Firefox Safe Mode to see if the problem goes away. Firefox Safe Mode is a troubleshooting mode that turns off some settings, disables most add-ons (extensions and themes).

If Firefox is open, you can restart in Firefox Safe Mode from the Help menu:

  • In Firefox 29.0 and above, click the menu button New Fx Menu, click Help Help-29 and select Restart with Add-ons Disabled.
  • In previous Firefox versions, click on the Firefox button at the top left of the Firefox window and click on Help (or click on Help in the Menu bar, if you don't have a Firefox button) then click on Restart with Add-ons Disabled.

If Firefox is not running, you can start Firefox in Safe Mode as follows:

  • On Windows: Hold the Shift key when you open the Firefox desktop or Start menu shortcut.
  • On Mac: Hold the option key while starting Firefox.
  • On Linux: Quit Firefox, go to your Terminal and run firefox -safe-mode
    (you may need to specify the Firefox installation path e.g. /usr/lib/firefox)

When the Firefox Safe Mode window appears, select "Start in Safe Mode".
Safe Mode Fx 15 - Win

If the issue is not present in Firefox Safe Mode, your problem is probably caused by an extension, and you need to figure out which one. Please follow the Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems article to find the cause.

To exit Firefox Safe Mode, just close Firefox and wait a few seconds before opening Firefox for normal use again.

When you figure out what's causing your issues, please let us know. It might help others with the same problem.

kobe
kobe
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You can also try to reload the plugin database, instructions are in the Troubleshoot issues with plugins like Flash or Java to fix common Firefox problems article (deleting pluginreg.dat in the profile folder and reloading firefox)