Further to my initial question, this problem extends to url links in email. Exact same behaviour; Firefox needs to already be open in order to process the url. Firefox will not process the url if the url triggers Firefox to open.

This happens on both my desktop and laptop that are updated to the same versions of Firefox and Windows (as described in my initial post).

Normally, not accessing the web could mean a firewall problem. But it works with a window already open . . . .

Experiment: Close the browser. Hold down the <Shift> key, then try using a shortcut. This should open Firefox in Safe Mode and display the webpage.

Type about:support in the address bar and press Enter. Under the main banner, press the button; Copy Text To Clipboard.. Now in the Reply Box on the forum page, do a right-click in the box and select Paste.

This will show us your system details. No Personal Information Is Collected.

Thank you for your response. I can confirm that <shift>url click does work normally in Firefox safe mode on both my desktop and laptop. The same behaviour as I intially reported persists afterwards.

As requested, find the contents of my about:support...

Application Basics

Name: Firefox Version: 67.0 Build ID: 20190516215225 Update Channel: release User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:67.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/67.0 OS: Windows_NT 10.0 Launcher Process: Disabled forcibly Multiprocess Windows: 1/1 Enabled by default Web Content Processes: 2/8 Enterprise Policies: Inactive Google Location Service Key: Found Google Safebrowsing Key: Found Mozilla Location Service Key: Found Safe Mode: false

Crash Reports

All Crash Reports Firefox Features

Name: Firefox Monitor Version: 3.0 ID: fxmonitor@mozilla.org

Name: Firefox Screenshots Version: 37.1.0 ID: screenshots@mozilla.org

Name: Form Autofill Version: 1.0 ID: formautofill@mozilla.org

Name: Web Compat Version: 4.0.0 ID: webcompat@mozilla.org

Name: WebCompat Reporter Version: 1.1.0 ID: webcompat-reporter@mozilla.org

Extensions

Security Software

Type: Windows Defender Antivirus

Type: Windows Defender Antivirus

Type: Windows Firewall

Graphics

Features Compositing: Direct3D 11 (Advanced Layers) asyncPanZoom: wheel input enabled; scrollbar drag enabled; keyboard enabled; autoscroll enabled webgl1WSIInfo: EGL_VENDOR: Google Inc. (adapter LUID: 0000000000008a49) EGL_VERSION: 1.4 (ANGLE 2.1.0.eff6bfdb1db9) EGL_EXTENSIONS: EGL_EXT_create_context_robustness EGL_ANGLE_d3d_share_handle_client_buffer EGL_ANGLE_d3d_texture_client_buffer EGL_ANGLE_surface_d3d_texture_2d_share_handle EGL_ANGLE_query_surface_pointer EGL_ANGLE_window_fixed_size EGL_ANGLE_keyed_mutex EGL_ANGLE_surface_orientation EGL_ANGLE_direct_composition EGL_NV_post_sub_buffer EGL_KHR_create_context EGL_EXT_device_query EGL_KHR_image EGL_KHR_image_base EGL_KHR_gl_texture_2D_image EGL_KHR_gl_texture_cubemap_image EGL_KHR_gl_renderbuffer_image EGL_KHR_get_all_proc_addresses EGL_KHR_stream EGL_KHR_stream_consumer_gltexture EGL_NV_stream_consumer_gltexture_yuv EGL_ANGLE_flexible_surface_compatibility EGL_ANGLE_stream_producer_d3d_texture EGL_ANGLE_create_context_webgl_compatibility EGL_CHROMIUM_create_context_bind_generates_resource EGL_CHROMIUM_sync_control EGL_EXT_pixel_format_float EGL_KHR_surfaceless_context EGL_ANGLE_display_texture_share_group EGL_ANGLE_create_context_client_arrays EGL_ANGLE_program_cache_control EGL_ANGLE_robust_resource_initialization EGL_ANGLE_create_context_extensions_enabled EGL_MOZ_create_context_provoking_vertex_dont_care EGL_EXTENSIONS(nullptr): EGL_EXT_client_extensions EGL_EXT_platform_base EGL_EXT_platform_device EGL_ANGLE_platform_angle EGL_ANGLE_platform_angle_d3d EGL_ANGLE_device_creation EGL_ANGLE_device_creation_d3d11 EGL_ANGLE_experimental_present_path EGL_KHR_client_get_all_proc_addresses EGL_KHR_debug EGL_ANGLE_explicit_context WebGL 1 Driver Renderer: Google Inc. -- ANGLE (Intel(R) HD Graphics Direct3D11 vs_5_0 ps_5_0) WebGL 1 Driver Version: OpenGL ES 2.0 (ANGLE 2.1.0.eff6bfdb1db9) WebGL 1 Driver Extensions: GL_ANGLE_client_arrays GL_ANGLE_depth_texture GL_ANGLE_explicit_context GL_ANGLE_explicit_context_gles1 GL_ANGLE_framebuffer_blit GL_ANGLE_framebuffer_multisample GL_ANGLE_instanced_arrays GL_ANGLE_lossy_etc_decode GL_ANGLE_pack_reverse_row_order GL_ANGLE_program_cache_control GL_ANGLE_request_extension GL_ANGLE_robust_client_memory GL_ANGLE_texture_compression_dxt3 GL_ANGLE_texture_compression_dxt5 GL_ANGLE_texture_usage GL_ANGLE_translated_shader_source GL_CHROMIUM_bind_generates_resource GL_CHROMIUM_bind_uniform_location GL_CHROMIUM_color_buffer_float_rgb GL_CHROMIUM_color_buffer_float_rgba GL_CHROMIUM_copy_compressed_texture GL_CHROMIUM_copy_texture GL_CHROMIUM_sync_query GL_EXT_blend_minmax GL_EXT_color_buffer_half_float GL_EXT_debug_marker GL_EXT_discard_framebuffer GL_EXT_disjoint_timer_query GL_EXT_draw_buffers GL_EXT_frag_depth GL_EXT_map_buffer_range GL_EXT_occlusion_query_boolean GL_EXT_read_format_bgra GL_EXT_robustness GL_EXT_sRGB GL_EXT_shader_texture_lod GL_EXT_texture_compression_dxt1 GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc_srgb GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic GL_EXT_texture_format_BGRA8888 GL_EXT_texture_rg GL_EXT_texture_storage GL_EXT_unpack_subimage GL_KHR_debug GL_KHR_parallel_shader_compile GL_KHR_robust_buffer_access_behavior GL_NV_EGL_stream_consumer_external GL_NV_fence GL_NV_pack_subimage GL_NV_pixel_buffer_object GL_OES_EGL_image GL_OES_EGL_image_external GL_OES_compressed_ETC1_RGB8_texture GL_OES_depth32 GL_OES_element_index_uint GL_OES_get_program_binary GL_OES_mapbuffer GL_OES_packed_depth_stencil GL_OES_rgb8_rgba8 GL_OES_standard_derivatives GL_OES_surfaceless_context GL_OES_texture_float GL_OES_texture_float_linear GL_OES_texture_half_float GL_OES_texture_half_float_linear GL_OES_texture_npot GL_OES_vertex_array_object OES_compressed_EAC_R11_signed_texture OES_compressed_EAC_R11_unsigned_texture OES_compressed_EAC_RG11_signed_texture OES_compressed_EAC_RG11_unsigned_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_RGB8_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_RGBA8_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_punchthroughA_RGBA8_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_punchthroughA_sRGB8_alpha_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_sRGB8_alpha8_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_sRGB8_texture WebGL 1 Extensions: ANGLE_instanced_arrays EXT_blend_minmax EXT_color_buffer_half_float EXT_disjoint_timer_query EXT_float_blend EXT_frag_depth EXT_shader_texture_lod EXT_sRGB EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic OES_element_index_uint OES_standard_derivatives OES_texture_float OES_texture_float_linear OES_texture_half_float OES_texture_half_float_linear OES_vertex_array_object WEBGL_color_buffer_float WEBGL_compressed_texture_s3tc WEBGL_compressed_texture_s3tc_srgb WEBGL_debug_renderer_info WEBGL_debug_shaders WEBGL_depth_texture WEBGL_draw_buffers WEBGL_lose_context WebGL 2 Driver WSI Info: EGL_VENDOR: Google Inc. (adapter LUID: 0000000000008a49) EGL_VERSION: 1.4 (ANGLE 2.1.0.eff6bfdb1db9) EGL_EXTENSIONS: EGL_EXT_create_context_robustness EGL_ANGLE_d3d_share_handle_client_buffer EGL_ANGLE_d3d_texture_client_buffer EGL_ANGLE_surface_d3d_texture_2d_share_handle EGL_ANGLE_query_surface_pointer EGL_ANGLE_window_fixed_size EGL_ANGLE_keyed_mutex EGL_ANGLE_surface_orientation EGL_ANGLE_direct_composition EGL_NV_post_sub_buffer EGL_KHR_create_context EGL_EXT_device_query EGL_KHR_image EGL_KHR_image_base EGL_KHR_gl_texture_2D_image EGL_KHR_gl_texture_cubemap_image EGL_KHR_gl_renderbuffer_image EGL_KHR_get_all_proc_addresses EGL_KHR_stream EGL_KHR_stream_consumer_gltexture EGL_NV_stream_consumer_gltexture_yuv EGL_ANGLE_flexible_surface_compatibility EGL_ANGLE_stream_producer_d3d_texture EGL_ANGLE_create_context_webgl_compatibility EGL_CHROMIUM_create_context_bind_generates_resource EGL_CHROMIUM_sync_control EGL_EXT_pixel_format_float EGL_KHR_surfaceless_context EGL_ANGLE_display_texture_share_group EGL_ANGLE_create_context_client_arrays EGL_ANGLE_program_cache_control EGL_ANGLE_robust_resource_initialization EGL_ANGLE_create_context_extensions_enabled EGL_MOZ_create_context_provoking_vertex_dont_care EGL_EXTENSIONS(nullptr): EGL_EXT_client_extensions EGL_EXT_platform_base EGL_EXT_platform_device EGL_ANGLE_platform_angle EGL_ANGLE_platform_angle_d3d EGL_ANGLE_device_creation EGL_ANGLE_device_creation_d3d11 EGL_ANGLE_experimental_present_path EGL_KHR_client_get_all_proc_addresses EGL_KHR_debug EGL_ANGLE_explicit_context WebGL 2 Driver Renderer: Google Inc. -- ANGLE (Intel(R) HD Graphics Direct3D11 vs_5_0 ps_5_0) WebGL 2 Driver Version: OpenGL ES 3.0 (ANGLE 2.1.0.eff6bfdb1db9) WebGL 2 Driver Extensions: GL_ANGLE_client_arrays GL_ANGLE_depth_texture GL_ANGLE_explicit_context GL_ANGLE_explicit_context_gles1 GL_ANGLE_framebuffer_blit GL_ANGLE_framebuffer_multisample GL_ANGLE_instanced_arrays GL_ANGLE_lossy_etc_decode GL_ANGLE_multiview GL_ANGLE_pack_reverse_row_order GL_ANGLE_program_cache_control GL_ANGLE_request_extension GL_ANGLE_robust_client_memory GL_ANGLE_texture_compression_dxt3 GL_ANGLE_texture_compression_dxt5 GL_ANGLE_texture_usage GL_ANGLE_translated_shader_source GL_CHROMIUM_bind_generates_resource GL_CHROMIUM_bind_uniform_location GL_CHROMIUM_color_buffer_float_rgb GL_CHROMIUM_color_buffer_float_rgba GL_CHROMIUM_copy_compressed_texture GL_CHROMIUM_copy_texture GL_CHROMIUM_sync_query GL_EXT_blend_minmax GL_EXT_color_buffer_float GL_EXT_color_buffer_half_float GL_EXT_debug_marker GL_EXT_discard_framebuffer GL_EXT_disjoint_timer_query GL_EXT_draw_buffers GL_EXT_frag_depth GL_EXT_map_buffer_range GL_EXT_occlusion_query_boolean GL_EXT_read_format_bgra GL_EXT_robustness GL_EXT_sRGB GL_EXT_shader_texture_lod GL_EXT_texture_compression_dxt1 GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc_srgb GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic GL_EXT_texture_format_BGRA8888 GL_EXT_texture_norm16 GL_EXT_texture_rg GL_EXT_texture_storage GL_EXT_unpack_subimage GL_KHR_debug GL_KHR_parallel_shader_compile GL_KHR_robust_buffer_access_behavior GL_NV_EGL_stream_consumer_external GL_NV_fence GL_NV_pack_subimage GL_NV_pixel_buffer_object GL_OES_EGL_image GL_OES_EGL_image_external GL_OES_EGL_image_external_essl3 GL_OES_compressed_ETC1_RGB8_texture GL_OES_depth32 GL_OES_element_index_uint GL_OES_get_program_binary GL_OES_mapbuffer GL_OES_packed_depth_stencil GL_OES_rgb8_rgba8 GL_OES_standard_derivatives GL_OES_surfaceless_context GL_OES_texture_float GL_OES_texture_float_linear GL_OES_texture_half_float GL_OES_texture_half_float_linear GL_OES_texture_npot GL_OES_vertex_array_object OES_compressed_EAC_R11_signed_texture OES_compressed_EAC_R11_unsigned_texture OES_compressed_EAC_RG11_signed_texture OES_compressed_EAC_RG11_unsigned_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_RGB8_texture

continued...

OES_compressed_ETC2_RGBA8_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_punchthroughA_RGBA8_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_punchthroughA_sRGB8_alpha_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_sRGB8_alpha8_texture OES_compressed_ETC2_sRGB8_texture WebGL 2 Extensions: EXT_color_buffer_float EXT_disjoint_timer_query EXT_float_blend EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic OES_texture_float_linear WEBGL_compressed_texture_s3tc WEBGL_compressed_texture_s3tc_srgb WEBGL_debug_renderer_info WEBGL_debug_shaders WEBGL_lose_context Direct2D: true Off Main Thread Painting Enabled: true Off Main Thread Painting Worker Count: 3 Target Frame Rate: 60 DirectWrite: true (10.0.17763.168) GPU #1 Active: Yes Description: Intel(R) HD Graphics Vendor ID: 0x8086 Device ID: 0x0152 Driver Version: 10.18.10.5069 Driver Date: 12-27-2018 Drivers: igdumdim64 igd10iumd64 igd10iumd64 igdumdim32 igd10iumd32 igd10iumd32 Subsys ID: 308617aa RAM: Unknown

Diagnostics AzureCanvasBackend: direct2d 1.1 AzureCanvasBackend (UI Process): skia AzureContentBackend: direct2d 1.1 AzureContentBackend (UI Process): skia AzureFallbackCanvasBackend (UI Process): cairo GPUProcessPid: 3092 ClearType Parameters: Gamma: 1.8 Pixel Structure: RGB ClearType Level: 100 Enhanced Contrast: 50 Decision Log WEBRENDER: opt-in by default: WebRender is an opt-in feature WEBRENDER_QUALIFIED: blocked by env: Unsupported vendor

Media

Audio Backend: wasapi Max Channels: 2 Preferred Sample Rate: 48000 Output Devices Name: Group Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio): HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0662&SUBSYS_17AA3086&REV_1003\4&1efe80f8&0&0201 Digital Output (Intel WiDi Audio Device): {4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\*IntAudWaveEx\1&79f5d87&2&06 Intel(R) Display Audio HDMI 1 (Intel(R) Display Audio): SHARP HDMI (Intel(R) Display Audio): HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_8086&DEV_2806&SUBSYS_80860101&REV_1000\4&1efe80f8&0&0301 Headphones (High Definition Audio Device): HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0662&SUBSYS_17AA3086&REV_1003\4&1efe80f8&0&0201 Digital Output (2- Intel WiDi Audio Device): {4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\*IntAudWaveEx\1&79f5d87&2&02 Internal AUX Jack (High Definition Audio Device): HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0662&SUBSYS_17AA3086&REV_1003\4&1efe80f8&0&0201 Speakers (High Definition Audio Device): HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0662&SUBSYS_17AA3086&REV_1003\4&1efe80f8&0&0201 Input Devices Name: Group SPDIF Interface (Intel WiDi Audio Device): {4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\*IntAudWaveEx\1&79f5d87&2&06 Microphone (High Definition Audio Device): HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0662&SUBSYS_17AA3086&REV_1003\4&1efe80f8&0&0201 Microphone (Realtek High Definition Audio): HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0662&SUBSYS_17AA3086&REV_1003\4&1efe80f8&0&0201 MIDI (Intel WiDi Audio Device): {4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\*IntAudWaveEx\1&79f5d87&2&06 SPDIF Interface (2- Intel WiDi Audio Device): {4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\*IntAudWaveEx\1&79f5d87&2&02 MIDI (2- Intel WiDi Audio Device): {4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\*IntAudWaveEx\1&79f5d87&2&02 Microphone (Realtek High Definition Audio): HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0662&SUBSYS_17AA3086&REV_1003\4&1efe80f8&0&0201 MIDI (Intel WiDi Audio Device): {4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\*IntAudWaveEx\1&79f5d87&2&06 MIDI (2- Intel WiDi Audio Device): {4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\*IntAudWaveEx\1&79f5d87&2&02 Stereo Mix (Realtek High Definition Audio): HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0662&SUBSYS_17AA3086&REV_1003\4&1efe80f8&0&0201

Important Modified Preferences

accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar: 0 browser.cache.disk.capacity: 153600 browser.cache.disk.filesystem_reported: 1 browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false browser.display.background_color: #ffffff browser.download.useDownloadDir: false browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion: 8 browser.sessionstore.upgradeBackup.latestBuildID: 20190504212614 browser.startup.homepage_override.buildID: 20190516215225 browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone: 67.0 browser.tabs.warnOnClose: false browser.urlbar.placeholderName: Google browser.urlbar.searchSuggestionsChoice: false browser.urlbar.suggest.searches: false dom.push.userAgentID: 1ecfaf48da894d9b8b13f2a6f03629cf extensions.lastAppVersion: 67.0 gfx.crash-guard.status.wmfvpxvideo: 2 gfx.crash-guard.wmfvpxvideo.appVersion: 67.0 gfx.crash-guard.wmfvpxvideo.deviceID: 0x0152 gfx.crash-guard.wmfvpxvideo.driverVersion: 10.18.10.5069 idle.lastDailyNotification: 1558529325 layers.mlgpu.sanity-test-failed: false media.benchmark.vp9.fps: 116 media.benchmark.vp9.versioncheck: 5 media.gmp-gmpopenh264.abi: x86_64-msvc-x64 media.gmp-gmpopenh264.lastUpdate: 1558506481 media.gmp-gmpopenh264.version: 1.8.1 media.gmp-manager.buildID: 20190516215225 media.gmp-manager.lastCheck: 1558524244 media.gmp-widevinecdm.abi: x86_64-msvc-x64 media.gmp-widevinecdm.lastUpdate: 1552109588 media.gmp-widevinecdm.version: 4.10.1146.0 media.gmp.storage.version.observed: 1 media.hardware-video-decoding.failed: false network.cookie.lifetimePolicy: 2 network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true network.predictor.cleaned-up: true places.database.lastMaintenance: 1558142960 places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 112348 plugin.disable_full_page_plugin_for_types: application/pdf privacy.history.custom: true privacy.sanitize.pending: [{"id":"shutdown","itemsToClear":["cache","cookies","history","formdata","downloads","sessions"],"options":{}},{"id":"ne privacy.sanitize.sanitizeOnShutdown: true security.remote_settings.intermediates.checked: 1558587400 security.sandbox.content.tempDirSuffix: {8b3a0046-0e21-4043-8f74-8ad6e14ec99e} security.sandbox.plugin.tempDirSuffix: {438cdbd3-34f0-45ea-a04c-f6f68f26247b} services.sync.declinedEngines: forms,history,passwords,prefs,tabs,addons services.sync.engine.addons: false services.sync.engine.history: false services.sync.engine.passwords: false services.sync.engine.prefs: false services.sync.engine.tabs: false services.sync.lastPing: 1558592595 services.sync.lastSync: Thu May 23 2019 23:09:59 GMT+1000 (Australian Eastern Standard Time) signon.importedFromSqlite: true storage.vacuum.last.index: 0 storage.vacuum.last.places.sqlite: 1553267460 ui.osk.debug.keyboardDisplayReason: IKPOS: Touch screen not found.

Important Locked Preferences

Places Database

JavaScript

Incremental GC: true

Accessibility

Activated: false Prevent Accessibility: 0 Accessible Handler Used: true Accessibility Instantiator:

Library Versions

NSPR Expected minimum version: 4.21 Version in use: 4.21

NSS Expected minimum version: 3.43 Version in use: 3.43

NSSSMIME Expected minimum version: 3.43 Version in use: 3.43

NSSSSL Expected minimum version: 3.43 Version in use: 3.43

NSSUTIL Expected minimum version: 3.43 Version in use: 3.43

Sandbox

Content Process Sandbox Level: 5 Effective Content Process Sandbox Level: 5

Internationalization & Localization

Application Settings Requested Locales: ["en-US"] Available Locales: ["en-GB","en-US"] App Locales: ["en-US","en-GB"] Regional Preferences: ["en-AU"] Default Locale: "en-US" Operating System System Locales: ["en-GB"] Regional Preferences: ["en-AU"]

It could be Hardware Acceleration. How to disable Hardware Acceleration {web link}

No luck with that. I wouldn't have expected it to work.

I'll just live with having to open a url link twice when FF isn't already open.

Your problem is very odd. When I am going thru my e-mails ( I use Thunderbird, an e-mail browser ) I first open Firefox, then drop it to the taskbar. This way, I sm not opening and closing the browser continuously. Just a window that the e-mail opened.