In what way do the downloads fail?

Note that your System Details List shows multiple Adobe Reader PDF plugins.

• Adobe PDF Plug-In For Firefox and Netscape 11.0.8
• Adobe PDF Plug-In For Firefox and Netscape "9.5.5"

You can find the installation path of all plugins on the about:plugins page.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Issues_related_to_plugins#Identifying_installed_plugins

Try to rename (or delete) the mimeTypes.rdf file in the Firefox profile folder to reset all file actions.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/mimeTypes.rdf
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/File_types_and_download_actions#Resetting_download_actions

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/change-firefox-behavior-when-open-file

Firefox 34.0 is currently on the Beta channel (with one Beta build so far) and 32.0.3 was on the Release channel. The current Release is Firefox 33.0 on https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/all/will get you back on Release channel.

The only way you could go from 32.0 to 34.0 was if you installed one of the old Beta builds of 32.0 (there were nine) to be on Beta channel to get a update to the current Beta build which is 34.0b1.

Hello James. Your reply will be much quicker than to cor-el, since I'm going to have to attempt some of his solutions before I can say I'm cured.

But thank you for noting I (inadvertently) ended up on the Beta channel. Tale of woe for that was I opted to update FF from my 32.0.3 to 33 (XP desktop) when I saw the update alert. At that time, I noticed my aspx download fail problem. When I saw it was still working on my Windows 7 32.0.3 laptop, I uninstalled 33 and the Mozilla folder, then downloaded what I thought was 32.0.03 (apparently it had a "b" in it I ignored...).

Despite having the Advanced options "Update" section selected to "alert but don't download" type function, when I clicked on the "about FF" in the Help section, it took my 32.0.3(b) right to FF 34 without my choosing.

So this AM, I downloaded the 33 set up, removed the 34 beta, and I assume I am back to the "release" channel by using the main page's "download free" file. But I've archived your link as a just in case.

Oh... BTW... yesterday afternoon, when I went to my laptop for a second test on the aspx download, I checked the FF version in "about", and the dang thing updated it to FF 33, despite my options "do not update" being checked. So now I can't get the aspx files on either computer, and I need them desperately for work.

Not so see if this ol' addled brain can suss out cor-el's suggestions INRE mime types.

Hi TerriF, Firefox associates downloads with applications based on content-type information from the server (e.g., application/pdf) rather than the page's or file's extension (.aspx). If Firefox 33+ cannot associate the downloads with Adobe Acrobat for some reason, you might need to save them to disk with a .pdf extension.

To change your PDF preference, you can use the Options dialog. Try changing to "Always Ask". Then to gain control of the file name at the time of saving, if necessary, switch from automatically saving to the Downloads folder to choosing where the save, which allows you to edit the file name.

Relevant help articles:

• View PDF files in Firefox or choose another viewer
• Startup, home page, tabs, and download settings

Once you see the blue arrow animation to indicate that your PDF download is complete, you can click that and click the download to launch it in Acrobat. I realize that's an extra step, but without knowing more about what's going on in the plumbing, it's the best workaround that comes to mind.

jscher2000, I cannot "save" any of these downloads since that option is not given on a right click. I can copy the link location, open in new tab, etc. However all choices result in the same end... specific error message is:

"ReportViewer.asap-15.pdf Failed - helioncentral.com (time)"

All my options for various PDF default openings are set to the defaults. My XP Folder Options is set to open all aspx extensions with my Adobe software. Options are not the problem.

The problem is I click on the file link, the red arrow disappears up to the "download" error, but it ends there. When you open the downloads, the error message above appears associated with that download attempt.

As I said, all this works just fine with my prior FF 32. This all started with FF 33. In fact, even when I went back to the FF 32 beta version, it worked find.

Right now I'm truly baffled and furiously reading thru a gazillion articles on profiles, profile management, rdfs etc that cor-el sent me on. This isn't easy in between my real work load.

What I may just do is try to find the final FF 32, uninstall 33, and reverse direction. One shouldn't have to go thru all this just to get a former feature working with an upgrade.

Sorry... typo in the error message. Should be "aspx", not asap. "Freudian" error. LOL

ATTN ALL! I found the problem. After at least starting FF in Safe mode, still finding the problem there, I decided to take another detective route.

This helioncentral link is used by one county. However I thought I would check another county that uses the same type of system, identical in aspx extension downloads and physical appearance. When I went to that county's site and attempted the same, the downloads work as is usual... letting any FF upgrades off the hook. I did, however, notice they have a different domain where the aspx is displayed upon downloading.

So it appears I need to contact the county's webmaster and point out the problems with their system, and put the onus on them.

My thanks for all your suggestions. cor-el... you just about burned out my remaining brain cells after all this with your approach. But again, this thread is archived so that if I experience more problems, I'll attempt that route.

Again my thanks.

Just to confirm, a regular click initiates an automatic download, and gives the same error as the other methods you tried?

That is what I had in mind when suggesting the possible settings changes. Those are changes within Firefox, not at the Windows level. I have no idea whether they will make any difference, but they are not completely irrelevant.

When you check the link, does it go to a different site or server using an HTTPS link or a regular HTTP link? Firefox 33 has a possibly relevant change regarding HTTPS sites.

To see the retrieval information in more detail, you can try opening Firefox's Web Console in the bottom of the tab before clicking the link (press Ctrl+Shift+k). Then you should see the URL requested, any applicable redirect, and possibly other error information.

ARRRRGH! Sorry... frustrated.

jscher2000, the single click just starts the download process, which goes to a new tab/download scene. If I wanted to just save the file prior to downloading, I'd right click and use the "save link as" option. That hasn't been working because I get an error that the file couldn't be saved because "the source file could not be read".

And yes, I see where that file source comes from. Each of the two sites has a different site/server for their document storage. At this moment, one works, the other doesn't in FF 33.

Now... the plot thickens. I uninstalled FF 33 and reinstalled FF 32. Voila... life is good on both of the county sites using the same front end interface, but different storage services. At this moment, I have FF 32 on my XP desktop, and FF 33 on my Windows 7 laptop.

Bottom line, the one county's site works only in FF 32. The other county (at this moment) work in both FF 32 and 33. It could be that the county is busy updating tax records at this time of year, and the other county hasn't started. Don't know. But I called helioncentral's tech people (as well as alerted the webmaster for the county site) to see if they knew what was up.

The Helion software guy tried the site using IE 11, which works fine as well.

So I don't know whether the problem lies with FF 33 vs 32, or something with the county. But I have a temporary workaround at least, so I can get what I need for work!

Try to clear the Windows temp folder would use save link as.

Note that you can see the current update channel in Help > About.

Hi cor-el. I clear my temp file cache manually multiple times per day. Especially when I have problems. I also use Powersuite system maintenance for reg key corrections, and more thorough cleaning of things. I also clear the download attempts regularly, and reset FF more times than I care to remember, rebooted after etc.

Here's the latest from the Helion software people to my additional troubleshooting input. They noted that the county where the aspx downloads fail is using an older version of the same interface that the second county is using, where FF 33 works. It could be old interface vs new FF.

I think I've come to the conclusion that it isn't solely FF. So at this moment, I'm running dual FF versions... FF 33 on the laptop, and FF 32 on the desktop. This way I can keep experimenting, but still function for business needs.

Hi TerriF, you mentioned getting "the source file could not be read" error message.

That is an old error message relating to corrupted downloads (http://kb.mozillazine.org/Source_file_could_not_be_read), but has become more prevalent in Firefox 33.

To make a long story short... before, if the server sent a response that was smaller than the stated size, the discrepancy was ignored and the download was treated as okay. Starting in Firefox 33, a file smaller than the stated size is treated as corrupted.

This comment in the bug tracking system has more information: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1083090#c8

As a workaround, could you test this setting change, which will stop Firefox from telling the web server that you will accept compressed files? Here's how:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter. Click the button promising to be careful.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste enco and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the network.http.accept-encoding preference and

(A) If it has the default value (line is not bolded), delete all of the text and click OK.

(B) If it has a customized value, copy the current value to a safe place for potential later use, then delete all of the text and click OK.

When you visit the site again, Firefox should omit the usual headers saying that it accepted gzip/deflate encoded responses. Any difference?

Happy Hump Day, jscher2000.

Since I still have FF 33 on my laptop, while functioning with FF 32 on my desktop, I did your suggested test, with no difference. The error message still reads:

"ReportViewer.aspx.pdf Failed - helioncentral.com - 1:20pm"

I have, in the past attempts, tried to save it as the aspx file, and I do get the error that the file appears corrupted.

When I got to the network.http.accept-encoding string in about:config, the default was gzip,default. The line was not bolded, which usually indicates I have a custom setting in there.

I cleared the field of any text and hit okay, but still had a failed download attempt.

Do you think there should be a value there that should make a difference, other than the default gzip,default?

Correction on my senior moment typo... default value was gzip, deflate (not default).... duh

I'll have to research it more later, but I think this is the only way that Firefox indicates to the site whether it accepts encoded files.

Another article suggested instead of leaving it blank using this:

gzip;q=0,deflate;q=0

which apparently also informs the server that you don't want those methods used.

Just tried the alternative you mentioned above, again with no success. I am, of course, assuming there no spaces between the gzp;q=0 etc.

I just checked my FF 32 enco string, which as the same default value of the gzip, deflate.

Also, I've done custom config changes before. There is nothing to "save" that I am aware of. Generally the line just goes bold. But just want to make sure I'm not missing something.

Hi TerriF, clicking OK in the dialog is enough to save the change. Sorry to hear those don't work. Maybe Windows servers work differently in this regard.

No problem, jscher2000. Happy that you are actively trying to debug, and I'm happy to play beta tester, as long as I can still get my work done. I'm in that happy medium now using both FF versions on two different computers.

I'll be interested in seeing if the county updates their version of that interface, and if it makes a difference. I emailed the webmaster contact, explaining the two different FF versions and different results, as well as the server host's feedback about them using an older version. But it's a small rural county... who knows when they'd get around to it.

One thing is for certain tho. FF 33 behaves the same on that site, using with either XP or Windows 7 OS.

jscher2000, I just had a few moments to go read thru the more recent thread of those affected by the upgrade to FF 33. I notice that Matt Helm, comment #15, mentions having that same problem via government sites. This is the same genre entity I am dealing with.

I don't know what the solution is yet, but you might put the bug in their ear that the temporary cure is to revert back to FF 32 until the situation is resolved (either by FF or the govt agency sites... not holding breath on the latter....). Apparently one commenter - David Laight, #13 - is unaware that you can uninstall FF33 and go back to FF 32. You will, of course, have to change your Advance/Upgrade settings to make sure the system doesn't automatically throw you right back in to FF33.