I've tried every tip posted and I cannot get the stub.exe or the setup.exe to execute. Task manager says the file is running but absolutely nothing happens.
I used to have firefox installed. The last update ran for hours saying it was applying. I uninstalled firefox and now I cannot get it installed again. I think I've tried everything. The stub file and/or the setup file will download, but they do not execute. I tried to create a profile using the %appdata% idea. Nothing happens. Need some serious help.
Chosen solution
Before I posted my question, I had done all of the above except I did not reboot after uninstalling firefox. However, I have rebooted numerous times since. I don't leave my computer booted if I am not using it. Second, somehow, I must have deleted my profile. Following the instructions, I could not find it.
No matter. I tried something different. I restored my computer to a restore point sometime in January. Lo and behold, I had a firefox icon when the restore completed. It would not run, however. Said it couldn't find XPCOM. I used the control panel to uninstall firefox. Didn't happen. But, I tried the full download from 'Download firefox in your language' page. It worked, it worked!!!! Yeehaw!
My thanks to you who answered this specific question and to all who have answered similar questions. I think I tried them all. Restore was the thing that did the trick for me. Now, I better go set a new restore point since this I am in firefox right now doing this response. Thanks again.
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- 1 Download Firefox Full Installer For All languages And Systems {web link}
- 2 Uninstall Firefox from your computer {web link}
DO NOT remove your profiles. - 3 After, reboot the computer. Then run the full installer.
First, have you shut down and restarted Windows since this problem started? Sometimes the Windows Installer accumulates too much of a backlog of deferred updates and needs to complete those before it starts running normally again.
The "stub" installer sometimes is blocked by firewall software, so I would avoid that one for now.
The "full" installer (https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/all/) should not have that problem because it doesn't need to download any additional files from the web.
However, it's possible that the installer can't run if it has "hung" in memory. You could try to "kill" it in the Windows 8.1 Task Manager:
Ctrl+Shift+Esc launches the Task Manager (or you can choose it from the Ctrl+Alt+Del screen), then:
- try the Processes tab, and End Task on any Firefox Setup windows you find there
- if that does not work, try the Details tab, and End Process on setup.exe (you can add the Path column to the set of columns displayed if there is any doubt about which setup.exe it is)
Hopefully if that's the problem, it will run normally after that.
Chosen Solution
Before I posted my question, I had done all of the above except I did not reboot after uninstalling firefox. However, I have rebooted numerous times since. I don't leave my computer booted if I am not using it. Second, somehow, I must have deleted my profile. Following the instructions, I could not find it.
No matter. I tried something different. I restored my computer to a restore point sometime in January. Lo and behold, I had a firefox icon when the restore completed. It would not run, however. Said it couldn't find XPCOM. I used the control panel to uninstall firefox. Didn't happen. But, I tried the full download from 'Download firefox in your language' page. It worked, it worked!!!! Yeehaw!
My thanks to you who answered this specific question and to all who have answered similar questions. I think I tried them all. Restore was the thing that did the trick for me. Now, I better go set a new restore point since this I am in firefox right now doing this response. Thanks again.
That was a lot of hard work. Well Done.