Is the Firefox program folder (C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\) still there?

If so then try to delete that folder.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Standard_diagnostic_-_Firefox#Clean_reinstall

Thank you for the help. I am unable to delete the folder in question because of a (cyclic redundancy check) error. I was able to delete most other files in that article, but set up still locked up at the same place, do a little housekeeping. Any other ideas? I am totally at a loss for ideas!

You can do a disk check with the chkdsk.exe program.

If you run the chkdsk.exe program from a cmd.exe Command window then you can read the response from the chkdsk.exe program.
Open a cmd.exe window:
Start > Run: cmd.exe <press Enter>
At the command prompt (>) type or Copy&Paste: chkdsk.exe /f /r <press Enter> (put a space before /f and /r)

If you get something like: Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? y/n then answer the question with "Y" and close all programs and reboot the computer.

Cor-el.....You are THE MAN! (or WOMAN if that applies). I would never have known to do that....after running chkdsk, Firefox loaded in seconds.....can't thank you enough!

You're welcome

The solution for this issue, after uninstalling FF8 and deleting the C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox and rebooting, is to run the installer again but this time selecting NOT to make Firefox your default browser. Then the installation will complete successfully. The first time you launch Firefox, it will then ask you if you want to make Firefox the default browser and you can do so if desired.