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Multiple Firefoxes, but only when it wants to.

StickBoy
StickBoy
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I have Firefox open. Yay. Oops, I accidentally clicked the Firefox icon in the Quick Launch ... and now I have two Firefoxes open. Presumably this will continue, though I haven't tried it. Always just close the second, accidental Firefox.

OK, I've closed Firefox. It has disappeared from my screen. As far as I know, it's shut down. Oh, I forgot to look up something. Click that Firefox icon in the Quick Launch. Error message: can't open Firefox because it is already running.

insert Jackie Chan wtf image here:

So how can it open a second browser when I don't want it to. But when I want it to open while the other one takes its sweet time closing, it won't? Makes no sense to me!

I have Firefox open. Yay. Oops, I accidentally clicked the Firefox icon in the Quick Launch ... and now I have two Firefoxes open. Presumably this will continue, though I haven't tried it. Always just close the second, accidental Firefox. OK, I've closed Firefox. It has disappeared from my screen. As far as I know, it's shut down. Oh, I forgot to look up something. Click that Firefox icon in the Quick Launch. Error message: can't open Firefox because it is already running. :insert Jackie Chan wtf image here: So how can it open a second browser when I don't want it to. But when I want it to open while the other one takes its sweet time closing, it won't? Makes no sense to me!

All Replies (3)

Shadow110
Shadow110
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Please consider turning on send info to Mozilla from within Firefox before Posting. Information is rather useful to help with your issues.

It shows just version 57 so now have to ask you to please update to 57.0.2 (even though might already be running that) https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/update-firefox-latest-version

Should possibly use the 3 Bar Menu to do what you want instead of confusing a Program launcher for a 2nd Window button.

Basically you are answering your own question.

Stop confusing a Program Launcher with a 2nd Window.

The Program is meant to be launched once then Tabs or 2nd Windows Opened from within Firefox, not 2nd instances of the Whole Program.

Please let us know if this solved your issue or if need further assistance.

Shadow110
Shadow110
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Note : Also instead of Clicking the Program Launch, Right Click the Icon for Options to Launch Windows, Tabs and Private Browsing.

Please let us know if this solved your issue or if need further assistance.

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 10 Contributor
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While Firefox is running normally, if you click its icon, you normally get a new Firefox window. This is not a separate instance of Firefox, it is just a new window in the same instance of Firefox.

If you exit Firefox and then decide you wanted to start it up again 10 seconds later, it's possible Firefox is still running, doing some kind of file maintenance, and it makes you wait until it is fully shut down before you start it up again. The situation should not go on indefinitely: Firefox has a 60-second limit on how long it can take to shut the program down. After 60 seconds, it kills itself and displays the Mozilla crash reporter. Or possibly the self-kill didn't work...

I realize this probably happens randomly, but try to keep an eye on the clock and see how long Firefox makes you wait in case it's much more than expected and might indicate a shutdown problem.