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why isn't download helper working?

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I have been successfully using download helper for weeks. All of a sudden it just stopped working. The icon will animate for an advertisement but not for a video. I have been downloading from project free tv and have successfully downloaded over 100 videos in the last month. I have completely uninstalled and re-installed both firefox and download helper. Nothing seems to help.

I have been successfully using download helper for weeks. All of a sudden it just stopped working. The icon will animate for an advertisement but not for a video. I have been downloading from project free tv and have successfully downloaded over 100 videos in the last month. I have completely uninstalled and re-installed both firefox and download helper. Nothing seems to help.

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I am wondering if anyone has suggestions for me. Could I have too many plug ins? I am somewhat illiterate and when I was looking for a downloader and converter I did install several products before I decided that download helper worked best. It did. I would appreciate any help or suggestions from anyone. I am really missing my daily downloading and burning.  :-(

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Does it work if you do not use the converter and reset all dwhelper prefs on the about:config before reinstalling the extension?

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Um ok not sure  :-) I can't even get the icon to animate other than if it is an advertisement but not for any of the shows I have tried. I have clicked on shows from multiple sites (on project free tv) and the same thing. I am wondering if it could be their website issue?

In any case I am not sure how to reset all download helper prefs - could you explain?

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Download helper works for me.

You can try to check for problems with the RealPlayer that offers a similar feature to download and save file.


Type about:config in the location (address) bar and press the "Enter" key to open the about:config page, just like you open a website by typing the URL in the location bar.

  • If you see a warning message then you can confirm that you want to access the about:config page.
  • use the Search bar at the top of the about:config page to locate preferences more easily
  • preferences that have been modified and do not have the default value show as bold (user set)
  • preferences that are user set (bold) can be reset to the default value via the right-click context menu
  • preferences can be changed via the right-click context menu: Modify (String or Integer) or Toggle (Boolean) or by double-clicking the line with the pref
  • preferences can be created via the right-click context menu: New -> String, Integer, Boolean

See also:

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There are a number of dwhelper prefs - I should reset each one of them separately?

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Oh I just tried several and the reset button is not lighlighted - not giving me that option.

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Still looking for help or suggestions. I have tried again today to uninstall and reinstall. I even did a search for all random mozilla files and deleted them. I was able to create a new profile - I did not import anything - fresh profile and still the download helper does not work at all. If I click on a show that run an advertisement - the icon will animate for the advertisement but not for any of the actual shows. I am not a skilled computer user but am trying to follow any and all suggestions.

I just don't get it. Does anyone know if there could be something else in my system that could be conflicting with this program? I have spent hours on this and am getting so frustrated!!!

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Only prefs that show as bold user set can be reset.
Prefs that have the default value can't be reset, but should disappear if you uninstall the extension that added them.

Did you try to disable all other extensions?

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Ok so for the ones that are user set I should change each one to a new one of whatever it is? This is a little above my scope of knowledge but willing to try anything at this point. I think I have made more of a mess. Now I have 2 profiles - download helper doesn't work on either one. I have all of the extensions disabled except download helper and even went in and disabled half the plug ins. No clue there were so many on there so I disabled any that were installed several years ago. Not sure if that was the best. There is a plug in for flash that keeps telling me I need to update - it is in red - and I update but it still shows as not being updated. I am wondering if that could be the problem. Still says it is vulnerable. Not sure where to start at this point.

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Ok so far I have uninstalled and reinstalled - created a new profile - gone into about:config and reset the user set browser files according to the help article. I still have no downloading - can anyone help me at all? What am I missing or not doing thoroughly or right?