Try Firefox Safe Mode to see if the problem goes away. Safe Mode is a troubleshooting mode, which disables most add-ons.

(If you're not using it, switch to the Default theme.)

• You can open Firefox 4.0+ in Safe Mode by holding the Shift key when you open the Firefox desktop or Start menu shortcut.
• Or open the Help menu and click on the Restart with Add-ons Disabled... menu item while Firefox is running.

Once you get the pop-up, just select "'Start in Safe Mode"

If the issue is not present in Firefox Safe Mode, your problem is probably caused by an extension, and you need to figure out which one. Please follow the Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems article for that.

To exit the Firefox Safe Mode, just close Firefox and wait a few seconds before opening Firefox for normal use again.

When you figure out what's causing your issues, please let us know. It might help other users who have the same problem.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-hangs-or-not-responding

If it is specifically Firefox version 19.0.2 causing a problem, you could use FF 17.0.4esr instead. It has the same security updates as 19.0.2, but works like FF 17.

• http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/all.html

The only add-on I had was AdBlock Plus. After reinstalling 19.02 I restarted in safe mode -- the problem did not go away. No extensions installed.

I installed 17.0.4esr as suggested. I got exactly the same freezing behavior as under 19.0.2. I then tried 19.0.1 -- same problem. As described in a separate reply I also tried safe mode under 19.0.2 -- no joy. I have reinstalled 14.0.1 and everything is fine, but I don't want to keep this option for long for security reasons.

Thanks to both for replying.

Any other suggestions? I am stuck with this issue and really don't want to have to go back to IE. Is there something about this security update that is causing the processes to lock? Google loads but a site like FT.com locks as it Firefox pulls in various links as the main page loads. Thanks.

Try to boot the computer in Windows Safe mode with network support (press F8 on the boot screen) as a test to see if that helps.

Update: It WAS Flash related. I reinstalled Firefox 19.0.2. Both Flash 10.3 and 11.6 froze. I then uninstalled Flash. No problem. Reinstalled Flash 10.3, froze again. Downgraded Firefox to 14.01 again. Flash 10.3 runs with no problem. On my PC 14.01/Flash 10.3 is the workable solution, for now. Fix please.

Update: I was unable to get the PC to start in safe mode. However I CAN say that the problem is Flash related. With Flash uninstalled Firefox 19.0.2 is fine. With Flash (either 10.3 or 11.6) it freezes. The only combination I've been able to get to work is Firefox 14.0.1/Flash 10.3. OK for now, but need a fix to make Firefox viable for me under Win 8.

Try to "disable the hardware acceleration" in the Flash Player.

• http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/video-playback-issues.html

See also:

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/keep-flash-up-to-date-and-troubleshoot-problems

Flash "Display settings" window:

• http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/help01.html

I cannot get there to do this. The whole thing freezes up. I have to kill Firefox in task manager to close the application.

This should work automatically without having to play with Flash settings.

Dear Support, Y messed up sometning. I have Win 7 64bit Ultimate. Same configuration FF 19.02 Used 10.3.183.20 and .68. "Dot" .20 no issues but it was disabled due security issue. "Dot" .60 Crashes. Newest also crashes 11.6.602.180. As it seems. Before BSOD, FF slows down. It does not eat ram. I have quad core, 8 gigs of ram. As it seems, y have some non compatibility issue betwen FF and Flash. I also need to enter taskmgr and kill FF, if not, i am getting BSOD. So, it affects also Win7. It is not definatley user isue. It is something with new flash release. AS ALWAYS :D

Angelos_yu : Please Ask A New Question so we can assist you better. Thanks!

It's same issue. I do not need to aks a question. Take VMWare, make test enviroment. Install new FF and new flash, play radio in the background (create app tab), put it on for few hours. When it starts to slow down. Go to YT, play few videos.Try to close, and BSOD VOILA! ;) Same issue. Need patch! :(

Angelos_yu:

1 of our guidelines state the following:
Create one thread and only one thread for each subject you want to discuss. For support requests, do not re-use existing threads started by others, even if they are seemingly on the same subject.
Upon sign up, you agreed to them. You can find then here

There is no mention of BSOD from the original poster. Also, there are a lot of things we can try to isolate the issue as it's not always and issue of Firefox. Please Ask A New Question as instructed.

Thank you.

Not an issue with Firefox per se, but no application is an island. It is an issue with Firefox playing nice with Flash. In today's world, if the two cannot play together and Firefox developers cannot quickly acknowledge there is a problem, then that will be the end of Firefox as users migrate away. A quick search of Flash issues with Firefox indicate that this is an ongoing and entrenched problem.

Some Firefox users are migrating, but many are deciding to stick with a version they can live with, as the developers keep dumbing it down. I have decided to stick with FF 17 ESR, which means that the interface is not changing, but I still get the security updates.

I did try v17ESR with the security updates but that froze too, if memory serves me right (I've done so many installations to work with this), with Flash 10.3 and 11.6. I'm stuck with 14.0.1 and Flash 10.3.

This happens for me too due to flash. After making plugins click to play pages at least load without freezing the entire browser window.

Example sites that freezes firefox: grooveshark.com nbrdevelopers.com/nbr_golden_valley/

After lots of trial and error and head banging, this is how I resolved the issue. Disable protected mode on flash: http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1018071#TemporaryWorkaround

SCREW ADOBE AND THEIR HALF ASSED FIXES.