Correction (sorry)....I should have said that I don't have Nvidia Forceware Network Access Manager installed.

I do have Nvidia PhysX installed

Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web Link} by holding down the <Shift>
(Mac=Options) key, and then starting Firefox. Is the problem still there?

As a test, disable your protection programs.

There is security software like Avast and Kaspersky and BitDefender and ESET that intercept secure connections and send their own certificate.

http://www.ehow.com/how_11385212_troubleshoot-reset-connection-firefox.html

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/server-not-found-connection-problem

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-cant-load-websites-other-browsers-can

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/secure-connection-failed-error-message

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/connection-untrusted-error-message

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Error_loading_websites

This Connection is Untrusted is sometimes caused because the computer system clock is wrong. Check the time / date / time zone settings.

Firefox 42+ has a Tracking Protection feature that is enabled by default in Private Browsing mode. When you are in private browsing mode then Firefox can show a shield icon at the left end of the location/address bar that some content is affected.

You can disable this feature in "Options/Preferences > Privacy" or via the about:privatebrowsing page that get when you open a New Private Window.

• Options/Preferences > Privacy: "Use Tracking Protection in Private Windows"

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/tracking-protection-firefox
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/control-center-site-privacy-and-security-firefox

@cor-el

Thank you for the reply. I don't use Private Browsing, my issue occurs in normal usage.

@FredMcD

Yes, it happened in Safe Mode, too (I did mention that in my opening post).

Thank you for all your other suggestions...I do use Avast, so that might be a candidate.

Oddly, I am not experiencing the problems this morning. Everything seems to be working fine. Whether that is because of the reboot (I should have tried that before posting) or because something has changed in someone else's server, I don't know.

Either way, I shall keep your links and try them when/if the problem recurs.

Very many thanks.

@FredMcD

Reboot was not the answer.

In the end, I "fixed" it by creating a new Firefox profle. It is still not really a solution. We know that it was not caused by an addon, but clearly there is something in my configuration that is interfering with displaying pages properly.

It is a problem I have had intermittently in the past (I now recall). I also had problems with FF on Facebook in the past (I no longer use it), leading to me creating a profile just for FB. Now, it appears that I need one just for the Guardian. Maybe.

Or maybe I just reset FF and start over.

Also had the same problem this morning. Am not using Private Browsing. Did a restart (iMac) with no luck. Interesting that Safari Browser shows text only - no photos/videos. Don't want to create a new profile.

What did work for me was to do a search for Guardian past articles which pulled up site (US version). Then switched to UK version and all appeared. Bookmarked that and it continues to work in FF but Safari still only loads text.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk?INTCMP=CE_UK

Wonder if this is related to the web attack on BBC site yesterday? Read somewhere today that Guardian US version uses a different server route. Still having some intermittent problems accessing BBC today on FF.

Pollik said

In the end, I "fixed" it by creating a new Firefox profle

Or maybe I just reset FF and start over.

If the new profile works, great. If you decide to do a reset on Firefox, Look on your desktop. Do you see a folder called; Old Firefox?

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recovering-important-data-from-an-old-profile

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/back-and-restore-information-firefox-profiles

No - there's no Old FF file. Went thru that a number of mos ago when last iMac was dying so get what you're advising. Believe it's on Guardian site that's a problem since it affects FF + Safari.

Thanks for paying attention

I think that I may have narrowed it down, to the extent that I can recreate the issue in Firefox (whichever the profile) and in Chrome.

I think that it has to do with how the Guardian website displays comments below the line, how threads may be collapsed (as opposed to expanded) and how many threads are displayed and how individual posts are referenced.

For example, a link in the Guardian may try to send me to http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jan/01/publishers-apple-ad-blockers-target-google#comment-12345678 ... that link will fail as already described (I have changed the 8 digit number at the end for privacy).

But...

... if I change the address to http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jan/01/publishers-apple-ad-blockers-target-google, at the moment that will always work, but of course won't take me the right part of the page identified by #comment-12345678 .

The problem of identifying the exact problem is compounded by the fact that list of comments might be curtaile with "See more" link and can also either be expanded or collapsed, and finally, may be one of several pages of comments.

To me, it is starting to look like a Guardian website issue...I think there might be a staffing issue, also, because they have been "hiring" for quite a while now. I need to play around with it some more...try a couple of other browsers, OSs, machines, ISPs if I can.

That is where I am right now, though

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jan/01/publishers-apple-ad-blockers-target-google#comment-12345678

As far as I can tell, there is no way to link to any of the replies. How did you get the link?

Found it: it's the date and time http://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/12345685

@FredMcD

Top left hand side of the banner, where your login/sign in is shown...click on your user name and select Comment Activity

Pollik said

@FredMcD Top left hand side of the banner, where your login/sign in is shown...click on your user name and select Comment Activity

Then click View Discussion

The reference number doesn't look like date and time to me?

Compare the link I posted to the link you posted

Notice the comment-permalink/

I don't have an accout, but it did not matter.

Compare your permalink format with link format I provided.

This is a live/genuine link to one of my posts: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/29/deluge-farmers-flood-grouse-moor-drain-land#comment-65827557

If I remember my HTML, the # denotes a link to a particular place on the page? Is that right?

For me, the link I have provided here, taken from my Comment Activity, will load most of the page, but comments will not load. Only if I then click on Threads Expanded (or Collapsed) will comments actually load. (I have only just found this work around)

If it works, it works. Please flag your last post as Solved Problem so others will know.

Yes, I will do. I want to play around with it a bit more, make sure that none of the settings on the site will interfere with the work around. I set myself a note to come back and mark it solved tomorrow, if that is OK

Thanks for all your help...I don't think that I would have got there without this conversation

Summary

The problem occurs when using links under "Comment Activity".

The problem occurs when the comments are set to order by "Recommendations". If set to Newest or Oldest, there seem to be no problems.

If you leave comments set to order by Recommendation, then you might find comments won't load. A work around is to click on "Collapsed" (or "Expanded"

I think that the problem lies with coding on site rather than with Firefox

Comments on The Guardian are showing on the link that fixed my problem in FF (my initial post) http://www.theguardian.com/uk?INTCMP=CE_UK

And have no SIGN IN

Still no success in Safari. Emailed them - userhelp@the guardian.com - with link to all these discussions.

Auto reply requested User Agent String. Gave them both FF + Safari. They'll be back at work 3 Jan.