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Under Wndows XP, Firefox will no longer start, and won't reinstall or install

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  • آخر ردّ كتبه FredMcD

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I had been running the latest version (52.8) of Firefox supported under Windows XP, but now I can no longer run Firefox, and, worse, cannot reinstall it.


On June 7, Firefox lost all the tabs from the previous day. This happens from time to time, and it's simplest first to try restoring Windows to the previous checkpoint: this is sometimes successful in that Firefox then does display tabs. I restored Windows to the then most recent checkpoint, June 6, only to find the attempted cure worse than the disease: Firefox would not even start. There were no messages of any type.

Attempts either to create a new Firefox profile (-p) or to start Firefox in safe mode (Shift) were no different. Windows Task Manager showed no evidence, however transient, of either any Application or Process for Firefox. Again, there were no messages of any type.

Restoring Windows to still earlier dates produced the same situation: Firefox would not run, exactly as after the initial restoration.

Deleting the (only) Firefox profile made no difference.


All subsequent attempts to reinstall Firefox--whether or not Firefox had been uninstalled--have been equally unsuccessful, and equally mute.

Program Firefox Installer.exe (306 KB in size, downloaded from https://stubdowloader.cdn.mozilla.net, for example) begins a process which occupies either 2,484KB or 2,488KB of storage, but which does nothing. I tried several Firefox installers (all downloaded via various links from Mozilla): all are bit-for-bit identical, albeit with one occasional exception, i.e., sometimes a string is "duckduckgo.", and sometimes it's "getfirefox-". None of these installers produces any message, and each creates a process which occupies c. 2.5MB and then does nothing.

Knowing that it would not run successfully under Windows XP, I nonetheless tried later Firefox installers (e.g., Firefox Setup 60.0.2.exe downloaded from https://download-installer.cdn.mozilla.net). Rather than my receiving the expected message saying that 60.0.2 isn't supported on Windows XP, this installer, too (once it's used some amount of both CPU and storage), is simply suspended occupying 2,544KB and staying silent.


The following may or may not be relevant.

1. Running any of these installers (and also firefox.exe itself) from a CMD window confirms instant termination. Even from the CMD window, it remains the case that the installers create a process occupying c. 2.5MB. (I didn't try Firefox Setup 60.0.2.exe from the CMD window.)

2. Things are essentially the same in Windows Safe Mode, with the following differences. (a) The 306 KB installers occupy slightly less storage: c. 2.2 MB instead of c. 2.5 MB. (2) Clicking on the Firefox shortcut and selecting "Run As" with the same account produces the message "A device attached to the system is not functioning"; a 'Web search for his message turns up nothing relevant.


The current situation is that Windows was restored to the most recent checkpoint, June 6, as in the second paragraph (although obviously Windows has taken later checkpoints, so that the June 6 checkpoint has been overwritten), and Firefox is installed. Firefox still won't run, and none of the installers produces any output.

FWIW, I'd wondered whether Firefox might simply be refusing to run any longer on Windows XP, but recent tests show that the Firefox-based TOR browser runs from a memory stick just as normal.

I had been running the latest version (52.8) of Firefox supported under Windows XP, but now I can no longer run Firefox, and, worse, cannot reinstall it. On June 7, Firefox lost all the tabs from the previous day. This happens from time to time, and it's simplest first to try restoring Windows to the previous checkpoint: this is sometimes successful in that Firefox then does display tabs. I restored Windows to the then most recent checkpoint, June 6, only to find the attempted cure worse than the disease: Firefox would not even start. There were no messages of any type. Attempts either to create a new Firefox profile (-p) or to start Firefox in safe mode (Shift) were no different. Windows Task Manager showed no evidence, however transient, of either any Application or Process for Firefox. Again, there were no messages of any type. Restoring Windows to still earlier dates produced the same situation: Firefox would not run, exactly as after the initial restoration. Deleting the (only) Firefox profile made no difference. All subsequent attempts to reinstall Firefox--whether or not Firefox had been uninstalled--have been equally unsuccessful, and equally mute. Program Firefox Installer.exe (306 KB in size, downloaded from https://stubdowloader.cdn.mozilla.net, for example) begins a process which occupies either 2,484KB or 2,488KB of storage, but which does nothing. I tried several Firefox installers (all downloaded via various links from Mozilla): all are bit-for-bit identical, albeit with one occasional exception, i.e., sometimes a string is "duckduckgo.", and sometimes it's "getfirefox-". None of these installers produces any message, and each creates a process which occupies c. 2.5MB and then does nothing. Knowing that it would not run successfully under Windows XP, I nonetheless tried later Firefox installers (e.g., Firefox Setup 60.0.2.exe downloaded from https://download-installer.cdn.mozilla.net). Rather than my receiving the expected message saying that 60.0.2 isn't supported on Windows XP, this installer, too (once it's used some amount of both CPU and storage), is simply suspended occupying 2,544KB and staying silent. The following may or may not be relevant. 1. Running any of these installers (and also firefox.exe itself) from a CMD window confirms instant termination. Even from the CMD window, it remains the case that the installers create a process occupying c. 2.5MB. (I didn't try Firefox Setup 60.0.2.exe from the CMD window.) 2. Things are essentially the same in Windows Safe Mode, with the following differences. (a) The 306 KB installers occupy slightly less storage: c. 2.2 MB instead of c. 2.5 MB. (2) Clicking on the Firefox shortcut and selecting "Run As" with the same account produces the message "A device attached to the system is not functioning"; a 'Web search for his message turns up nothing relevant. The current situation is that Windows was restored to the most recent checkpoint, June 6, as in the second paragraph (although obviously Windows has taken later checkpoints, so that the June 6 checkpoint has been overwritten), and Firefox is installed. Firefox still won't run, and none of the installers produces any output. FWIW, I'd wondered whether Firefox might simply be refusing to run any longer on Windows XP, but recent tests show that the Firefox-based TOR browser runs from a memory stick just as normal.

الحل المُختار

Thank you, Fred McD, for your comprehensive suggestions. I now have Firefox running, although not as a result of the more straightforward of those suggestions.


First, what didn't work (although it might, notwithstanding, have set the scene for what did work later).

I took the following steps, as suggested.

1. Downloaded the 52.8.1 Firefox Installer.exe. 2. Deleted the folder c:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox. 3. Rebooted. 4. Ran my Registry checker, which (no surprise) found six invalid links, which it fixed.

This new copy of Firefox Installer.exe, for 52.8.1, did nothing but create a process occupying c. 2.5MB--just like its predecessors cited in the initial report. No messages.

After restarting Windows in Safe Mode, rerunning this new copy of Firefox Installer.exe still did nothing other than to create a process, again without messages. (Again like its predecessors, its process while in Safe Mode occupied slightly less memory.)

Both in Safe Mode and not, it made no difference whether or not the folder "Documents and Settings\user name\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles" contained a profile or not. (That is, the folder always exists. Either it's empty or it contains a profile.)

FWIW, this new copy of Firefox Installer.exe is the same size as the two copies I'd previously used (which themselves were bit-for-bit identical other than the name of the source). This new one contains 110 bytes of binary zeroes where the other two have the following data.

campaign%3D%25 28not%2Bset%2529 %26content%3D%25 28not%2Bset%2529 %26medium%3Drefe rral%26source%3D

Again FWIW, all these installers do work when run under Windows 10, but that's of negligible value when the target is Windows XP.


Second, what did work.

Following a series of links provided by Fred McD, I chose 52.1.esr from "Directory of other versions and languages", and downloaded the 43MB Firefox Setup 52.8.1esr.exe. This installed Firefox successfully.

But Firefox still would not run, complaining about the profile. The message text, which referred to either absence or invalidity, did not seem to fit the situation (except when there was indeed no profile--but then isn't there always no profile when installing Firefox for the first time?). Copying back the very profile in use a week ago made no difference to the error. So I created a new profile, and that did the trick.

I restored my bookmarks from a backup less than 10 days old. I've installed the two Firefox add-ons I use.

Of course, there are no recent tabs (the original problem), no history, and no tiles, but these are only minor inconveniences. The most serious thing I'm missing is the website log-in passwords which I'd had Firefox save for me. (Perhaps it's time to install--and use--the Password Exporter add-on?)


It could not be less clear why none of the installers worked for me. Programs that don't run but don't say why are anathema.

And it's frustrating that none of the many searches I did at Mozilla turned up any reference to a list of older versions of Firefox, which was in Fred McD's response, and was ultimately the key piece of info.

Regardless, all's well that ends well. Thanks again to Fred McD.

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All Replies (4)

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Well in the first place Windows XP is not supported by Microsoft (and neither is my Windows Vista Computer) so you should upgrade to Windows 7, 8, or 10. Do you have a Windows 10 computer? Maybe you should use that if you do.

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As of Firefox 53 in March 2017, WinXP and Vista won't be supported any longer. That is why Firefox 60.0.2 failed.


Let’s do a full clean re-install; ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Install Older Version Of Firefox {web link} Be sure to read everything here.

If you still want to downgrade, look under; I still want to downgrade. Click the Directory of other versions and languages link. Look for the directory of the version that you want. But, remember that old versions may have security issues.

You should also check out ESR

Firefox; Extended Support Release {web link} ESR Notes System Requirements +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Download the program you want to use and save the file. Then Close Firefox.

Using your file browser, open the Programs Folder on your computer.

Windows: C:\Program Files C:\Program Files (x86)

Mac: Open the "Applications" folder. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-download-and-install-firefox-mac

Linux: Check your user manual. If you installed Firefox with the distro-based package manager, you should use the same way to uninstall it. See Install Firefox on Linux; https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/install-firefox-linux

If you downloaded and installed the binary package from the Firefox download page, simply remove the folder Firefox in your home directory. http://www.mozilla.org/firefox#desktop ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Look for, and remove any Mozilla or Firefox program folders. Do not remove the Mozilla Thunderbird folder if there is one.

Do Not remove any profile folders.

After rebooting the computer, run a registry scanner if you have one. Then run the installer. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ If there is a problem, start your Computer in safe mode and try again.

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Linux+Safe+Mode This shows how to Start all Computers in Safe Mode; Free Online Encyclopedia

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الحل المُختار

Thank you, Fred McD, for your comprehensive suggestions. I now have Firefox running, although not as a result of the more straightforward of those suggestions.


First, what didn't work (although it might, notwithstanding, have set the scene for what did work later).

I took the following steps, as suggested.

1. Downloaded the 52.8.1 Firefox Installer.exe. 2. Deleted the folder c:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox. 3. Rebooted. 4. Ran my Registry checker, which (no surprise) found six invalid links, which it fixed.

This new copy of Firefox Installer.exe, for 52.8.1, did nothing but create a process occupying c. 2.5MB--just like its predecessors cited in the initial report. No messages.

After restarting Windows in Safe Mode, rerunning this new copy of Firefox Installer.exe still did nothing other than to create a process, again without messages. (Again like its predecessors, its process while in Safe Mode occupied slightly less memory.)

Both in Safe Mode and not, it made no difference whether or not the folder "Documents and Settings\user name\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles" contained a profile or not. (That is, the folder always exists. Either it's empty or it contains a profile.)

FWIW, this new copy of Firefox Installer.exe is the same size as the two copies I'd previously used (which themselves were bit-for-bit identical other than the name of the source). This new one contains 110 bytes of binary zeroes where the other two have the following data.

campaign%3D%25 28not%2Bset%2529 %26content%3D%25 28not%2Bset%2529 %26medium%3Drefe rral%26source%3D

Again FWIW, all these installers do work when run under Windows 10, but that's of negligible value when the target is Windows XP.


Second, what did work.

Following a series of links provided by Fred McD, I chose 52.1.esr from "Directory of other versions and languages", and downloaded the 43MB Firefox Setup 52.8.1esr.exe. This installed Firefox successfully.

But Firefox still would not run, complaining about the profile. The message text, which referred to either absence or invalidity, did not seem to fit the situation (except when there was indeed no profile--but then isn't there always no profile when installing Firefox for the first time?). Copying back the very profile in use a week ago made no difference to the error. So I created a new profile, and that did the trick.

I restored my bookmarks from a backup less than 10 days old. I've installed the two Firefox add-ons I use.

Of course, there are no recent tabs (the original problem), no history, and no tiles, but these are only minor inconveniences. The most serious thing I'm missing is the website log-in passwords which I'd had Firefox save for me. (Perhaps it's time to install--and use--the Password Exporter add-on?)


It could not be less clear why none of the installers worked for me. Programs that don't run but don't say why are anathema.

And it's frustrating that none of the many searches I did at Mozilla turned up any reference to a list of older versions of Firefox, which was in Fred McD's response, and was ultimately the key piece of info.

Regardless, all's well that ends well. Thanks again to Fred McD.

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That was very good work. Well done.