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When starting Firefox 36 I Sometimes Get a Full Screen Black Screen

  • 4 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 27 views
  • Last reply by CyberWolf64

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OK, I have NEVER before had this iisue with Firefox. ONLY after the use of Firefox 36 has it been happening. I have seen similar issues mentioned on some other web sites, but no real answers. What happens is after I have been surfing, a while, I shut down Firefox, and there are NO issues. When I restart Firefox, it will sometimes come up with the ENTIRE screen black. The monitor power LED indicates I have signal and all that but nothing on screen I have to try various things and then I get my screen back. Now, as I stated, I have seen mention of this on other sites, BUT, no solid usable answers to how to fix let alone why it happens. They seem to mention that with as they call it "some types of web sites" cause some sort of issue with FF. Oh and it always was with older versions of FF (usually from FF 28 to FF 33) which also claim that "this issue should be cleared up with the next release". Now, I do NOT have use hardware acceleration checked as I know it is an issue on my machine. And NO safe mode does not appear to anything, but may ahve to do a bit more research. BUT, what I really would like to know is if it is an addon, why is this issue SO random. I can surf a bunch of sites and quit FF, and restart FF and no issue, yet other times black screen again. This is why I am leaning toward it NOT being an addon, but instead something else. As to what? I have NO clue. That is why I am posting here to see if any useful ideas crop up.

OK, I have NEVER before had this iisue with Firefox. ONLY after the use of Firefox 36 has it been happening. I have seen similar issues mentioned on some other web sites, but no real answers. What happens is after I have been surfing, a while, I shut down Firefox, and there are NO issues. When I restart Firefox, it will sometimes come up with the ENTIRE screen black. The monitor power LED indicates I have signal and all that but nothing on screen I have to try various things and then I get my screen back. Now, as I stated, I have seen mention of this on other sites, BUT, no solid usable answers to how to fix let alone why it happens. They seem to mention that with as they call it "some types of web sites" cause some sort of issue with FF. Oh and it always was with older versions of FF (usually from FF 28 to FF 33) which also claim that "this issue should be cleared up with the next release". Now, I do NOT have use hardware acceleration checked as I know it is an issue on my machine. And NO safe mode does not appear to anything, but may ahve to do a bit more research. BUT, what I really would like to know is if it is an addon, why is this issue SO random. I can surf a bunch of sites and quit FF, and restart FF and no issue, yet other times black screen again. This is why I am leaning toward it NOT being an addon, but instead something else. As to what? I have NO clue. That is why I am posting here to see if any useful ideas crop up.

All Replies (4)

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You are talking about the whole screen, not just the Firefox window, yes?

Do you keep FF full screen? Try using the Restore Down (next to the red X) to have FF in a smaller window. Then close / reopen.


Check this:

  • see if there are updates for your graphics drive drivers

https://support.mozilla.org/kb/upgrade-graphics-drivers-use-hardware-acceleration

  • disable protected mode in the Flash plugin (Flash 11.3+ on Windows Vista and later)

https://forums.adobe.com/message/4468493#TemporaryWorkaround

  • disable hardware acceleration in the Flash plugin

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/891337 See also:

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FredMcD said

You are talking about the whole screen, not just the Firefox window, yes? Do you keep FF full screen? Try using the Restore Down (next to the red X) to have FF in a smaller window. Then close / reopen.

Check this:

  • see if there are updates for your graphics drive drivers

https://support.mozilla.org/kb/upgrade-graphics-drivers-use-hardware-acceleration

  • disable protected mode in the Flash plugin (Flash 11.3+ on Windows Vista and later)

https://forums.adobe.com/message/4468493#TemporaryWorkaround

  • disable hardware acceleration in the Flash plugin

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/891337 See also:

OK, first item, NO I never use FF fullscreen EVER. Second. I am using a nVidia GeForce FX 5200 PCI 128MB card. I have the last driver EVER released for it installed. Third hardware acceleration is OFF in Flash as well as FF. And lastly, the items I see listed in the FAQ for Flash Protected Mode DO NOT apply to me as this is when starting FF not when viewing YouTube videos. And yes, back to your 1st question it is the ENTIRE screen. And like I stated in OP it happens randomly I have never even tried to figure out which sites cause it because I simply surf so many in the course of a session that would literally be impossible.

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I have not heard of an issue like this that was not caused by the computer.

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


Start your Computer in safe mode with networking. Then start Firefox. Try Safe web sites.

Starting The Computer In Safe Mode;
Free Online Encyclopedia


You may have ad / mal-ware. Further information can be found in the Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware article.

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OK, I have been updated to FF 36.0.1 for a bit, and SO FAR no blacks screens....yet.

Will keep you posted.