Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

I just downloaded 82 after being bugged by the "can't update" notice...82 does the same thing immediately after loading?????

  • 6 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 20 views
  • Last reply by bhcva

more options

I just downloaded 82 after being bugged by the "can't update" notice...82 does the same thing immediately after loading????? I'm getting close to giving in and going to another browser. Bruce

I just downloaded 82 after being bugged by the "can't update" notice...82 does the same thing immediately after loading????? I'm getting close to giving in and going to another browser. Bruce

Chosen solution

Hi Bruce, in each window -- the Firefox 82 window and the Firefox 80 window -- open the Troubleshooting Information page. Either:

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

In the first table on the page, there will be a row labeled Application Binary that indicates where that Firefox is installed.

Over the past year, a number of users of 64-bit Firefox on 64-bit Windows have ended up with two installs:

  • C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox -- in 64-bit program folder
  • C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox -- in 32-bit program folder (for 32-bit Firefox and legacy upgrade location for long-time Firefox users)

Before getting rid of the legacy folder, you need to make sure no programs are using it as their default browser. It may be safest to switch the system default browser to Internet Explorer temporarily before uninstalling/deleting the unwanted version.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (6)

more options

Hi Bruce, sorry to hear about this problem.

If an update is stuck, you can delete it from the following folder:

C:\ProgramData\Mozilla\updates\identifier\updates

ProgramData is a hidden folder. To make it visible, see this Microsoft support article:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/14201/windows-show-hidden-files

Within

C:\ProgramData\Mozilla\updates

you should have separate folders for each different flavor of Firefox that has been installed on your computer over the past few years -- regular, beta, 32-bit, 64-bit, etc. If you click into the folder(s) and then click into the updates sub-folder, you should be able to clean out any staged updates waiting for your next Firefox restart. So for example:

C:\ProgramData\Mozilla\updates\308046B0AF4A39CB\updates

Look for numbered folders like 0, 1, 2. Those either contain a pending update or are left over from a previous one. You can remove the numbered folders.

Any improvement?

more options

Hi Bruce, also, if there is a lock on files that Firefox needs to replace, that will prevent the update from completing. You might try again after doing a regular shut down/restart of Windows 10.

more options

Neither of those suggestions applied. The 82 update put a new icon on my desktop, but didn't remove the old one which I had clicked on. The message is now gone and 82 seems to be working. Thanks for the replies. Bruce

more options

I spoke too soon. Strangely when i click on the FF icon I get 82. When I click on a link in an email message I get FF80 with no open FF windows. I restarted the system to attempt to clear, but that didn't help? The only numeral in three files in the file you pointed me to was a 0 in on subfolder. All three had the updates.config.json file. The file with the 0 had one additional file updates.xml. I haven't deleted any of those files. Bruce

more options

Chosen Solution

Hi Bruce, in each window -- the Firefox 82 window and the Firefox 80 window -- open the Troubleshooting Information page. Either:

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

In the first table on the page, there will be a row labeled Application Binary that indicates where that Firefox is installed.

Over the past year, a number of users of 64-bit Firefox on 64-bit Windows have ended up with two installs:

  • C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox -- in 64-bit program folder
  • C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox -- in 32-bit program folder (for 32-bit Firefox and legacy upgrade location for long-time Firefox users)

Before getting rid of the legacy folder, you need to make sure no programs are using it as their default browser. It may be safest to switch the system default browser to Internet Explorer temporarily before uninstalling/deleting the unwanted version.

more options

Got rid of the old one....default browser is now 82 Thanks!