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Firefox will not update

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  • Last reply by 990rick

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Running Firefox 14.0.1 on Mac OS 10.6.8. When I get a message that I have a new update I restart FF and then get a message that it can't install the update and to be sure I have no other copy of FF running. But I have only the one copy of FF on my Mac. I tried just trashing FF so I could install the latest version, but FF is locked and I can't trash it and start fresh.

Running Firefox 14.0.1 on Mac OS 10.6.8. When I get a message that I have a new update I restart FF and then get a message that it can't install the update and to be sure I have no other copy of FF running. But I have only the one copy of FF on my Mac. I tried just trashing FF so I could install the latest version, but FF is locked and I can't trash it and start fresh.

All Replies (9)

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First reset your Firefox preferences and check the update. If you can't able to update via firefox. Go with clean install.

Reset : https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/reset-preferences-fix-problems

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If there are problems with updating or with the permissions then easiest is to download the full version and trash the currently installed version to do a clean install of the new version.

Download a new copy of the Firefox program and save the disk image (dmg) file to the desktop

Your profile data is stored elsewhere in the Firefox Profile Folder, so you won't lose your bookmarks and other personal data if you uninstall and (re)install Firefox.

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Cor-el, I can't trash my current version of FF. When I try I get a message that FF is locked and can't be trashed. Do you know how I can unlock FF in order to try your solution? Thanks.

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Did you check the settings in the Finder for the Firefox application folder?

You can also try to repair the disk permissions:

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I don't know what you mean by the settings in the Finder for the FF application folder. There's nothing about FireFox in my system preferences, so I guess you're talking about something else, but if you could be more specific it would help. Thanks.

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Chosen Solution

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Well, I've learned a bunch, but my actual solution path may be of interest to some. After finding online the key I needed to enter in Utilities:terminal, I reset FF, but still couldn't get updates. After repeated attempts to trash FF and getting messages that I couldn't trash it because it was locked, I did a 'secure empty trash' and when I got a message about locked files I selected delete all files. I then downloaded FF 16.0.2 and realized that I hadn't done anything to save my bookmarks, painstakingly assembled over several years. But when 16.0.2 opened up, there were all my bookmarks. Oh yay! Uh, except, where did FF get my old bookmarks? Do they keep all my private stuff in their files too? If anybody has an answer for this I'd sure like to hear it. I'm glad I have 16.0.2 (assuming it will do automatic updates) but I'm leery of a corporation keeping my personal info without my knowledge.

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Your personal data is stored in a different location in the Firefox Profile Folder and not in the Firefox application folder, so removing the latter doesn't affect bookmarks and other data.

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

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Cor-el, I really appreciate your help at every turn. Thanks a ton. Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving.