UPDATE: For the record, reverting to FireFox 19.0.2 fixed the problem. The program now responds to all bookmarks and manually entered web addresses in the URL bar.

I've disabled the maintenance service that "silently" updates Firefox. The plan now is to simply ignore any prompts from Mozilla asking me to upgrade to version 20.

Problem solved, for now.

I am having a similar problem, all though it only has the problem when I'm working from a locked profile, and other profile works absolutely fine.

This problem occurs in both 20.0 and 21.0{beta} releases, but does not happen with 19.0.2

this problem will be addressed in a firefox 20.0.1 release.

Hi ManchesterHustler, As far as I've been able to determine based on KB articles, the profile wasn't locked. That's based on some of the symptoms described in those articles, which weren't happening on my PC.

However, when I downgraded to 19.0.2 I may have changed that profile status. I honestly don't know.

Whatever - as philipp reports, this issue will be addressed in a 20.0.1 release. I'll keep a copy of the 19.0.2 installation programs just in case.

@philipp,

The 20.0.1 release did not fix the problem. Neither did following the instructions to unlock my profile here: Resolve profile in use startup problem

and here: KB - Firefox Profile Folder

When I restarted Firefox after deleting the .lock file, it simply created a new .lock file.

Once again I've downgraded to FireFox 19.0.2, and have disabled the service that "silently" upgrades Firefox.

The latest releases of Firefox are still broken as far as I'm concerned.

Hi AlanMintaka, there was a Windows 8-specific bug that was fixed in 20.0.1, so that wouldn't explain your problem on Windows 7.

When you're ready for more troubleshooting:

Did you try Firefox's Safe Mode? That's a standard diagnostic tool to bypass interference by extensions (and some custom settings). More info: Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode.

You can restart Firefox in Safe Mode using

Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

In the dialog, click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Reset)

Safe mode does not automatically disable plugins. If you want to rule those out as well, you can disable them here:

orange Firefox button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons > Plugins category

Any difference?

Hi Alan, as you said in your post it should be fixed in 20.0.1 yet the problem still occurs in the version 21 Beta test, I myself checked this before posting the comment. I tried this update on 3 separate computers, just too make sure it wasn't an error on the machine.

Hi ManchesterHustler, what do you mean by a "locked profile"?

Hi jscher2000,

Unfortunately I've already downgraded to 19.0.2, so I don't have an installed copy of 20.0.1 to debug. I got as far as verifying that the solution for a "locked profile" didn't work.

However, I'm not sure that I "unlocked" my profile using the suggested method. From what I understand, the status of a profile as "locked" or "unlocked" has something to do with the "profile.lock" file in the Profile folder. Refer to the links in my previous post - maybe they can shed some light on that for you. All they did for me was recommend deleting of that file to unlock a profile.

When I did this and restarted 20.0.1, the bookmarks were all still unresponsive. I also got a message from the LastPass add-on saying that it couldn't connect to the server after I logged in to my LastPass account.

That latter message suggests a connectivity problem in addition to bookmarks that don't even seem to attempt a connection in the first place.

In any case, I'm back to a working version of FireFox in Windows 7 Home Premium, and will keep it until I verify that future upgrades have solved this problem. Guess I jumped on 20.0.1 too fast because of that earlier post saying it fixed the problem.

Browsingly, Alan Mintaka

Hi ManchesterHustler, Thanks for doing all that work. You sure spent a lot more time on it than I did.

BTW were the profiles on those test machines also locked, as far as you know?

Also, regarding that profile.lock file: is a profile locked if that file is present, or is there a setting in the file that controls the locking?

I've also been wondering if there's a setting to lock or unlock profiles in about:config, but I haven't found any.

Back to the news. I live in the Boston area, so I've had other things besides FireFox on my mind lately.

Alan Mintaka

Hi Jscher2000 and AlanMintaka,

I work in an office, we have "locked" profiles so that settings cannot be tampered with, these profiles disable certain aspects which would usually be accessible on windows XP, also redirecting the "my documents" to a specific folder on our servers.

The version 20.0.1 has worked on a domain administrator account, be still cannot be implemented into the rest of our systems, meaning we cannot upgrade further than 19.0.2.

And to AlanMintaka, I hope yourself, your family and friends are all well, lets just hope they catch the B@$%£"!$'s who did it, and move them too a state where criminals can still be euthanized.

Thank you.

Hi ManchesterHustler,

I grew up in MA but now live just over the border in NH - still a stone's throw from Beantown. Fortunately I and the folks close to me were all working in NH that day and thus not directly affected. The sad exception for NH residents is the poor guy who lost both his lower legs ("rescued by the guy in the cowboy hat" in the now famous photo). His dad is from Concord NH.

Those of us in MA or with MA heritage prefer to keep criminals of this type alive, and allowed to "mingle" with the other inmates. The thing about euthanasia is that the punishment ends. For criminals like that who "mingle", it never will - especially with Boston gangs, who see this as a turf invasion of their town.

But it may be out of MA's hands anyway. With the FBI on the case, it's under Federal jurisdiction. That could mean that the case won't be tried in MA courts. And, depending on how the suspects shake out, they could even be declared as "enemy combatants" and sent to Gitmo - actually the safest place in the world for them.

Sorry, Mozilla. It's hard not to talk about this right now. I'll get back on topic.

Alan Mintaka