How to get out of the Firefox loop with only 2 options: SAFE MODE or REFRESH
Hello, My partner's laptop has a strange issue that he cannot solve - and me neither. When he starts Firefox it asks to be started in either SAFE MODE or REFRESH. Whatever you choose, this never ends. I have no clue what actually is 'refreshed' when you select that option. And it is also not clear what trouble could be shooted while in safe mode. I read numerous articles about 'Mozilla being stuck in safe mode' but none of them works. I already have done several laptop restarts, deleted history and cookies, uninstalled Firefox, downloaded a fresh copy, no result at all...
The problem started with a minor issue: when opening a new window, a new window was opened - and not a TAB as said in the general options. Attempts to repair this failed. And after quitting Firefox and restarting it the annoying SAFE MODE or REFRESH loop began.
Any help? Thanks, Wim/Indonesia
All Replies (2)
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-is-stuck-in-safe-mode
Let’s do a full clean re-install; Download Firefox For All languages And Systems {web link} Save the file. Then Close Firefox.
Using your file browser, open the Programs Folder on your computer.
Windows: C:\Program Files
C:\Program Files (x86)
Mac: Open the "Applications" folder.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-download-and-install-firefox-mac
Linux: Check your user manual.
Do Not remove the profiles folder.
Look for, and rename any Mozilla or Firefox program folders by adding .old to them. Do not rename the Mozilla Thunderbird folder.
After rebooting the computer, run a registry scanner. Then run the installer. If all goes well, remove the OLD folders when you are done.
If there is a problem, start your Computer in safe mode and try again.
Try allowing it to start in SafeMode, because it will not cause harm and may help. It may be the easiest way of breaking out of that cycle.
Note the Firefox SafeMode is a temporary troubleshooting option, as long as you do not use the Refresh option it does not make any permanent changes, but it may enable an otherwise broken Firefox to work.
You have probably already seen and read the help article, but it may benefit other readers of this thread:
Tips
- Try restarting the Computer before resorting to a reinstall of Firefox
- Try giving Firefox a long time, at least 10 minutes to complete its shutdown process. If the problem is at closedown it will eventuallly time out and then try to generate a Crash Report. (If Firefox has issues at closedown, they may carry over to the subsequent startup process, cause a crash and result in a safemode restart)