Don't confuse Win Internet Explorer with Win Explorer (Desktop). All I do is start FF from the desk-top ICON pinned to the task bar. After FF executes, the task bar freezes, and after a couple minutes I get the "Windows Explorer Not Responding" message. I can restart Windows Explorer from within the same error pop-up window. The desktop will rebuild and all is well. The other message concerning this problem is: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1394887. The problem can be intermittent, at times. Mostly continuous.

Thanks, Joe

Same here but I'm using Windows 8.1.

Firefox updated this week. Windows Explorer now crashes every time I open Firefox. Event Viewer says due to application hang. I had to use another browser which doesn't produce this problem. Opera and Edge doesn't do it.

I don't get any error on the screen but my taskbar freezes and the little swirl thing can be seen on the desktop. I have to close Firefox and click on the desktop and everything goes blank for a second and the desktop comes back.

Event Viewer Event 1002 Application Hang''

The program explorer.exe version 6.3.9600.18460 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed. To see if more information about the problem is available, check the problem history in the Action Center control panel.

Process ID: ef4
Start Time: 01d8eb02475cfb8c
Termination Time: 31
Application Path: C:\Windows\explorer.exe
Report Id: 0a1edb0c-56f7-11ed-82ee-4851b751c8cb
Faulting package full name: 
Faulting package-relative application ID:

Deleted double post.

I went to Uninstall, selected Mozilla and did a "Refresh Firefox." It worked all last night, but hung Win Explorer (desktop) again this morning. I uninstalled Firefox and will wait for a fix.

Same problem here - it started around a month ago. I've tried refreshing Firefox, and even completely uninstalling Firefox and re-installing from scratch, and the problem persists. Anytime I open Firefox the Windows Explorer (the desktop - NOT IE!) hangs and then restarts. I've tried switching my default browser to IE (yes, shudder!) and the problem goes away so it must be Firefox related.

 Windows 8.1, all the latest updates.  Firefox 106.0.2!

 Please help - if I can't fix this I'm going to have to switch to Chrome or Edge...

After searching around to find an answer to this problem, I ran across the following FireFox site: ( https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all/#product-desktop-esr ). You can download a Extended Support Release that contains the security features without all the bells-and-whistles. This release is 102.4.0esr (64-bit), and so far after several reloads, I have not had any issues. I hope I'm not jumping to any conclusions, but this version doesn't show any signs of locking up Windows Explorer (desktop).

I'll report back if I see anything strange. Thank you.

Edit: See update to this post/thread....

There was an update today. 106.0.3. I didn't know how I was going to install it because my desktop and taskbar show the little swirl thingy the minute I open Firefox but Firefox works while nothing else does.

So I clicked to update and it took a while to restart but finally did and updated to 106.0.3.

I restarted my pc but it's the same thing. Desktop and taskbar stop working.

Firefox is not playing well with something.

I also installed all the Windows Updates I had and Firefox still works (or doesn't work) the same.

Windows 8.1, 64 bit

I thought about trying it, but now glad I didn't. I am still using 102.4.0esr (64-bit) mentioned above, and have NOT had any issues. I guess we just wait. I also don't think Mozilla folks read these messages...

Hold the phone.... I decided to completely shut down my pc and restart it. It seems to have worked. Firefox 106.0.3 is behaving at the moment. I'll post an update later if it's still okay or not.

106.0.3 Fix - All good! I uploaded a video to YouTube. Played games. Visited a variety of websites and had the tv screen on the desktop while doing it.

Thanks for the update Firefox!

Worked OK on 106.0.3 then restarted computer and executed FF again. Problem of locked Win Explorer desktop is still there, so I returned to 102.4.0esr (64bit).

Ugh! I don't know what to say or do because on starting my computer today and opening Firefox, it did it again. (Windows 8.1 / 64bit) It had worked fine last night after a complete shutdown and restart after downloading the FF update.

In trying to fix this problem (and I'm by far no tech) I've realize how much stuff Firefox has added that I need to look at now and figure out just what it is and what it does.

Now I don't know if it's configured properly to be safe and secure online. Password, accounts, backups, more passwords...

One thing I've always hated about tech, the internet, computers is if I have to read the equivalent of a book for each little thing I use.

At the rate of all the updates and changes on FF, someone will have to write a Firefox for Dummies.

Update 106.0.4 didn't fix anything and I'm thinking I have to completely uninstall Firefox until I get a new PC or they fix this.

Long way around to my question but how do I backup my passwords securely to install them in a new version of FF?

I've updated to 106.0.4 and I'm experiencing the same issue with locked Windows Explorer (desktop). I've been trying the find something common to the lock up, but have been unsuccessful. Usually, after a complete reload of FF, the program will work as expected. The second time the program is executed is when the problem starts. It appears that after I receive the "not responding" window and click on "restart windows explorer," all is OK. To get the "not responding window," left-click on the taskbar a couple times then right-click. Seems to be a delay in that window coming up probably due to a Windows wait time to make sure Windows Explorer (desktop) is not responding. (Started in 106.0.2 update?)

Here are the last two problem reports:

Description A problem caused this program to stop interacting with Windows. Faulting Application Path: C:\Windows\explorer.exe

Problem signature Problem Event Name: AppHangXProcB1 Application Name: explorer.exe Application Version: 6.1.7601.23537 Application Timestamp: 57c44efe Hang Signature: 28aa Hang Type: 68 Waiting on Application Name: svchost.exe:{01576f39-90de-4d6e-a068-5b20c22baaee} Waiting on Application Version: 0.0.0.0 OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3 Locale ID: 1033 Additional Hang Signature 1: 28aac059180ebb2ebc9c185bc26fe9e7 Additional Hang Signature 2: 405d Additional Hang Signature 3: 405de97bd4d4a391d9e82586bac1589c Additional Hang Signature 4: ba44 Additional Hang Signature 5: ba44b908824def2bb0a441dd70128352 Additional Hang Signature 6: bd61 Additional Hang Signature 7: bd6157a45b1e73b269c79b690ff49f6b

____________ Description A problem caused this program to stop interacting with Windows. Faulting Application Path: C:\Windows\explorer.exe

Problem signature Problem Event Name: AppHangXProcB1 Application Name: explorer.exe Application Version: 6.1.7601.23537 Application Timestamp: 57c44efe Hang Signature: 28aa Hang Type: 68 Waiting on Application Name: svchost.exe:{01576f39-90de-4d6e-a068-5b20c22baaee} Waiting on Application Version: 0.0.0.0 OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3 Locale ID: 1033 Additional Hang Signature 1: 28aac059180ebb2ebc9c185bc26fe9e7 Additional Hang Signature 2: 405d Additional Hang Signature 3: 405de97bd4d4a391d9e82586bac1589c Additional Hang Signature 4: ba44 Additional Hang Signature 5: ba44b908824def2bb0a441dd70128352 Additional Hang Signature 6: e674 Additional Hang Signature 7: e6746df2254d496a99ea694c8ddc2ca8

Updated to 106.0.5

Still no love. The minute I open FF the taskbar and desktop stop working. The swirly thing is seen on the desktop and won't go away until I click on the taskbar or desktop and everything goes blank for a second (except I left FF open) and then everything comes back.

I just realized if I don't close FF, it works okay after everything reloads.....until the next time I close FF and reopen it.

Well, I've given up. I actually went to "Administrative Tools" --> "Event Viewer" and tried to see what was happening after a "restart" but there were just too many Errors, Warnings and Information Files when FF executes. (Mainly to the AppHangXProcB1 process listed in a prior email.) It doesn't happen all the time!

Since I'm not a programmer, I can't tell what is causing the problem, so I'm giving up. I'll just restart Windows Explorer (desk-top) each time it happens. I've got Chrome as my backup.

Could be time for a new machine. I think support for WIN 7 is going early next year, anyway.

Best would be to take this to a Windows oriented forum.

I doubt it's a Desk-Top issue. The problem only happens when Firefox is executed and has NEVER happened before FF 106.0.2. It doesn't happen with any other program.

I have just tried my WIN 7 laptop, which hasn't been used in a couple of months. After loading FF 106.0.5, I am seeing the exact same issue. WIN Explorer (Desk-top) locks up and I can't do anything except restart WIN Explorer. Once the desk-top returns, I'm good to go.

Troubleshooting info:

<WERReportMetadata>

   <OSVersionInformation>
       <WindowsNTVersion>6.1</WindowsNTVersion>
       <Build>7601 Service Pack 1</Build>
       <Product>(0x3): Windows 7 Home Premium</Product>
       <Edition>HomePremium</Edition>

<BuildString>7601.24545.amd64fre.win7sp1_ldr_escrow.200102-1707</BuildString>

       <Revision>1130</Revision>
       <Flavor>Multiprocessor Free</Flavor>
       <Architecture>X64</Architecture>
       <LCID>1033</LCID>
   </OSVersionInformation>
   <ProblemSignatures>
       <EventType>AppHangXProcB1</EventType>
       <Parameter0>explorer.exe</Parameter0>
       <Parameter1>6.1.7601.23537</Parameter1>
       <Parameter2>57c44efe</Parameter2>
       <Parameter3>28aa</Parameter3>
       <Parameter4>68</Parameter4>

<Parameter5>svchost.exe:{01576f39-90de-4d6e-a068-5b20c22baaee}</Parameter5>

       <Parameter6>0.0.0.0</Parameter6>
   </ProblemSignatures>
   <DynamicSignatures>
       <Parameter1>6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3</Parameter1>
       <Parameter2>1033</Parameter2>

<Parameter22>28aac059180ebb2ebc9c185bc26fe9e7</Parameter22>

       <Parameter23>405d</Parameter23>

<Parameter24>405de97bd4d4a391d9e82586bac1589c</Parameter24>

       <Parameter25>ba44</Parameter25>

<Parameter26>ba44b908824def2bb0a441dd70128352</Parameter26>

       <Parameter27>e674</Parameter27>

<Parameter28>e6746df2254d496a99ea694c8ddc2ca8</Parameter28>

   </DynamicSignatures>
   <SystemInformation>

<MID>94101B05-342C-424F-8E9A-E034CCC5E373</MID>

       <MarkerFile>1028_Dell_INS_N5010</MarkerFile>
       <SystemManufacturer>Dell Inc.</SystemManufacturer>
       <SystemProductName>Inspiron N5010</SystemProductName>
       <BIOSVersion>A13</BIOSVersion>
   </SystemInformation>

</WERReportMetadata>

Thanks, Joe

FWIW, I tried aj8mh-radio's solution of going back to the ESR release, 102.4.0esr, two weeks ago. I totally purged the 106 release, including the Mozilla local and roaming directories, and installed the 102esr version. Works great - haven't seen a single Windows desktop hang since then.

 I guess I can't upgrade Firefox anymore...