Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance/Themes).

• Don't make any changes on the Safe mode start window.
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Safe+Mode

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes

See also:

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/new-tab-page-show-hide-and-customize-top-sites

Hello Co-rel:

The solution you provided only worked while I was in Safe Mode and when using the DEFAULT theme (i.e., the thumbnails and the "button" appeared in the new Tab page). As advised I did not make any changes on the Safe Mode start up window. Once I exited Safe Mode, (in Windows XP--File--Exit), the same problem persists as previously described. The "thumbnails" flash for a brief second in the "new Tab" page and then disappear and then it goes to the default grey screen with text, but with no "button" present.

Could you please provide further assistance to resolve this problem as I would like to use the thumbnail feature when I open a new Tab page.

Thank you in advance.

Try to disable hardware acceleration in Firefox.

• Tools > Options > Advanced > General > Browsing: "Use hardware acceleration when available"

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/how-do-i-upgrade-my-graphics-drivers

If it does work in Safe-mode then disable all extensions and then try to find which is causing it by enabling one at a time until the problem reappears.

• Use "Disable all add-ons" on the Safe Mode start window to disable all extensions.
• Close and restart Firefox after each change via "File > Exit" (Mac: "Firefox > Quit"; Linux: "File > Quit")

Hello again Co-rel:

I did try the new solutions provided but neither seemed to work. I assume that the two solutions were separate processes (to be tried on their own) and that I was suppose to disable hardware acceleration first in Firefox's regular mode and NOT its Safe mode--please clarify and/or advise otherwise. As well, that I could turn on each extension one after another (each time, checking for the thumbnails appearing) without leaving Safe mode at any time--please clarify and/or advise on this as well.

I did not notice a warning in my "Extensions" list for the following: AVG Safe Search 12.0.0.2163 and AVG Security Tool Bar 8.0.0.40. The warning says that both are incompatible with Firefox 13.0.1 and I was not able to enable them. Could this be the root of the problem in not being able to see the thumbnails on a new Tab page now?

If possible could you provide any other solutions for this problems or further advice.

Thanks again in advance.

You can try to reset Firefox.

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/reset-firefox-easily-fix-most-problems

Reset creates a new profile and tries to import some settings from the old profile leaving the old profile intact.

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Recovering+important+data+from+an+old+profile