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Add-ons page is always empty despite having addons installed

  • 3 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 9 views
  • Last reply by cor-el
  • Solved

Using the Firefox Sync tool, I brought over extensions and etc. over from another computer a while ago. Ever since then, when I first start up the browser after booting on my computer, a million tabs pop up telling me to enable each specific add-on. When I enable everything (by closing all the tabs and going to the add-on page to enable things instead), the browser and all extensions run fine, but I have to repeat this process the next time I boot.

So I did a refresh. This got rid of all my data, so I reinstalled all my extensions, thinking that it would work this time. Unfortunately, the million tabs thing happened again. Then I did a clean reinstall of firefox. Didn't get the million tabs this time but when I got to the addons page it said "You don't have any add-ons of this type installed". It's only after I install a new extension and restart the computer that I get the tabs again. The strangest part is that all of the extensions, besides Rikaichan (which says "Error: dicPath.rikaichan-jpen@polarcloud.com does not exist") always works completely fine regardless of what the addons page says.

This is a problem I am only having on this particular computer. There's nothing special about it at all but I can't get this problem fixed no matter what I do--even upgrading my OS from Windows 7 to Windows 10 did nothing. Any suggestions?

Using the Firefox Sync tool, I brought over extensions and etc. over from another computer a while ago. Ever since then, when I first start up the browser after booting on my computer, a million tabs pop up telling me to enable each specific add-on. When I enable everything (by closing all the tabs and going to the add-on page to enable things instead), the browser and all extensions run fine, but I have to repeat this process the next time I boot. So I did a refresh. This got rid of all my data, so I reinstalled all my extensions, thinking that it would work this time. Unfortunately, the million tabs thing happened again. Then I did a clean reinstall of firefox. Didn't get the million tabs this time but when I got to the addons page it said "You don't have any add-ons of this type installed". It's only after I install a new extension and restart the computer that I get the tabs again. The strangest part is that all of the extensions, besides Rikaichan (which says "Error: dicPath.rikaichan-jpen@polarcloud.com does not exist") always works completely fine regardless of what the addons page says. This is a problem I am only having on this particular computer. There's nothing special about it at all but I can't get this problem fixed no matter what I do--even upgrading my OS from Windows 7 to Windows 10 did nothing. Any suggestions?

Chosen solution

You can check for problems with preferences.

Delete possible user.js and numbered prefs-##.js files and rename/remove the prefs.js file to reset all prefs to the default value including prefs set via user.js and prefs that are no longer supported in current Firefox releases.

There is software like Advanced SystemCare with its Surfing Protection feature that can protect files in the Firefox profile folder against changes. If you have such software then check the settings or uninstall this software.

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All Replies (3)

It is possible that there is a problem with the file(s) that store the extensions registry.

Type about:support in the address bar and press enter.

Under the page logo on the left side, you will see Application Basics. Under this find Profile Folder. To its right press the button Show Folder. This will open your file browser to the current Firefox profile. Now Close Firefox.

Delete the extensions.* files (e.g. extensions.json, extensions.sqlite, extensions.ini) and compatibility.ini in the Firefox profile folder to reset the extensions registry.

New files will be created when required.

After, restart Firefox.

See "Corrupt extension files":


You will have to approve the updating one last time.

Unforunately this doesn't solve my problem. I have already done this, as well as deleting every firefox related thing in %APPDATA% and clean installing.

Chosen Solution

You can check for problems with preferences.

Delete possible user.js and numbered prefs-##.js files and rename/remove the prefs.js file to reset all prefs to the default value including prefs set via user.js and prefs that are no longer supported in current Firefox releases.

There is software like Advanced SystemCare with its Surfing Protection feature that can protect files in the Firefox profile folder against changes. If you have such software then check the settings or uninstall this software.