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Firefox Error with Roaming Profiles "Could not initialize the application's security component"

  • 13 replies
  • 11 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by xgretsch

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Hi there

I get the common error "Could not initialize the application's security component" when I startup Firefox.

I tried this manual: http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/couldnt-initialize-applications-security-component

I have enough space left, i have read/edit/write-rights, created a new firefox profile and also reset all the settings, nothing works.

BUT I dont have a cert8.db File in my %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles

What can I do?

Like I said in my description, its about Users that are logged in with a Roaming-Profile. Every User has this problems, it doesn't matter if or without Admin-Rights.

Also this problem exists since Firefox 4.0.0, the last working Version was 3.6.13 I guess.

Hi there I get the common error "Could not initialize the application's security component" when I startup Firefox. I tried this manual: http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/couldnt-initialize-applications-security-component I have enough space left, i have read/edit/write-rights, created a new firefox profile and also reset all the settings, nothing works. BUT I dont have a cert8.db File in my %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles What can I do? Like I said in my description, its about Users that are logged in with a Roaming-Profile. Every User has this problems, it doesn't matter if or without Admin-Rights. Also this problem exists since Firefox 4.0.0, the last working Version was 3.6.13 I guess.

All Replies (13)

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You can read? ;)

I already wrote "created a new firefox profile"... It doesn't help

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Hello,

Try disabling graphics hardware acceleration. Since this feature was added to Firefox, it has gradually improved, but there still are a few glitches.

You might need to restart Firefox in order for this to take effect, so save all work first (e.g., mail you are composing, online documents you're editing, etc.).

Then perform these steps:

  • Click the orange Firefox button at the top left, then select the "Options" button, or, if there is no Firefox button at the top, go to Tools > Options.
  • In the Firefox options window click the Advanced tab, then select "General".
  • In the settings list, you should find the Use hardware acceleration when available checkbox. Uncheck this checkbox.
  • Now, restart Firefox and see if the problems persist.

Additionally, please check for updates for your graphics driver by following the steps mentioned in the following Knowledge base articles:

Did this fix your problems? Please report back to us!

Thank you.

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Hi AjayJogawath

Sorry, that also didn't help

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I used the Profile Manager to create different Profiles now.

Like I said, standard-path is %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles

This points to:

\\Server-Path\Username\profiles\arch-roaming7\AppData\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles

If this is the case, Firefox starts with the Error-Message! I can create, edit and delete files there, but Firefox doesn't creates a cert8.db.

If I change the profile-path to:

\\Server-Path\Username\Firefox

it works! WTF?!?


PS. Of course it also works when I point the profile path to C:\Users\Username\Appdata\Roaming\Firefox

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

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

Try to remove or rename secmod.db (secmod.db.old) in the Firefox profile folder.

If that didn't help then also rename the cert8.db file to cert8.db.old or delete the cert8.db file to remove intermediate certificates that Firefox has stored.

If that helped to solve the problem then you can remove the renamed cert8.db.old file.
Otherwise you can rename (or copy) the cert8.db.old file to cert8.db to restore the previous intermediate certificates.
Firefox will automatically store intermediate certificates when you visit websites that send such a certificate.


Do a clean reinstall and delete the Firefox program folder before (re)installing a fresh copy of the current Firefox release.

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

Uninstall your current Firefox version, if possible, to cleanup the Windows registry and settings in security software.

  • Do NOT remove personal data when you uninstall your current Firefox version, because all profile folders will be removed and you lose 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.

  • (32 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\"
  • (64 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\"

Your bookmarks and other personal data are stored in the Firefox profile folder and won't be affected by an uninstall and (re)install, but make sure that "remove personal data" is NOT selected when you uninstall Firefox.

If you keep having problems then also create a new profile.


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I have no secmod.db or cert8.db File in the profile with the error.

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Those files should be in the current profile folder

What is the path of that profile?

Did you use the button on the troubleshooting page to go to the Firefox profile folder?

The "Application Data" folder in XP/Win2K and the "AppData" folder in Windows Vista and Windows 7 and later versions are hidden folders.


Did you try to create a new profile as I suggested above?

See "Creating a profile":

If the new profile works then you can transfer some files from an existing profile to the new profile, but be cautious not to copy corrupted files to avoid carrying over the problem.

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Dear cor-el, please read (all) my posts carefully... I did alot of research on my own and tried to explain EVERYTHING carefully here.

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Did you try a clean reinstall?

Boot the computer in Windows Safe mode with network support (press F8 on the boot screen) as a test to see if that helps.

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Yes I did a clean re-install, but it didn't help, also the boot in Safe Mode with network support didn't change anything.

It has something to do with the Server-Share. But I have read/write-Access there!

Why can the Profile-Manager create a Firefox-Profile with all the common files but without the cert8.db and secmod.db in it?

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Something new I found out.

If you create your firefox-profile like this:

\\server-path\username\firefox

it works!

but as soon as you do this in another subfolder like here:

\\server-path\username\xxx\firefox

error is back!

WTF?!?

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I tried deleting secmod.db, which had no effect, and then deleted cert8.db, which was successful.

Thanks for the post.

This on Mac OS X 10.9.1

Modified by xgretsch