Firefox browser now longer works with my university's applications -- catastrophic errors...
I've been using Firefox browser for over a decade to do university business (e.g., submit grades, internal proposal review processing and approval, etc.). But since December, I am having catastrophic failures. Sometimes with an error message, sometimes just getting no response at all when submitting information in a browser-based university application. And yet, I can complete those functions when I immediately go to Chrome (once I remember that that might be a problem). I really don't want to use Chrome. Is there a change in Firefox (including something which I can change some settings in my browser to counteract), or a change in our university's software making Firefox incompatible? One returned error today was "Request Header Fields Too Large. The server refused this request because the request header fields are too large." [PS, I had to type this all over when I tried to share data with you about my system -- I had to click on "troubleshoot" information, which lost all the data I had previously entered... Sigh....]
Chosen solution
This "Request Header Fields Too Large..." issue can be caused by corrupted cookies or blocked cookies.
- check the permissions for the domain in the currently selected tab in "Tools -> Page Info -> Permissions"
Clear the Cache and remove the Cookies for websites that cause problems via the "3-bar" Firefox menu button (Settings).
"Remove the Cookies" for websites that cause problems:
- Settings -> Privacy & Security
Cookies and Site Data: "Manage Data"
"Clear the Cache":
- Settings -> Privacy & Security
Cookies and Site Data -> Clear Data -> [X] Cached Web Content -> Clear
- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-cookies-and-site-data-firefox
- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-clear-firefox-cache
If clearing cookies doesn't help, it is possible that the cookies.sqlite file in the Firefox profile folder that stores the cookies got corrupted.
- rename/remove cookies.sqlite (cookies.sqlite.old) and when present delete cookies.sqlite-shm and cookies.sqlite-wal in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed in case cookies.sqlite got corrupted.
You can use the button on the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page (Root directory).
- Help -> More Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Folder/Directory:
Windows: Open Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data
All Replies (2)
Chosen Solution
This "Request Header Fields Too Large..." issue can be caused by corrupted cookies or blocked cookies.
- check the permissions for the domain in the currently selected tab in "Tools -> Page Info -> Permissions"
Clear the Cache and remove the Cookies for websites that cause problems via the "3-bar" Firefox menu button (Settings).
"Remove the Cookies" for websites that cause problems:
- Settings -> Privacy & Security
Cookies and Site Data: "Manage Data"
"Clear the Cache":
- Settings -> Privacy & Security
Cookies and Site Data -> Clear Data -> [X] Cached Web Content -> Clear
- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-cookies-and-site-data-firefox
- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-clear-firefox-cache
If clearing cookies doesn't help, it is possible that the cookies.sqlite file in the Firefox profile folder that stores the cookies got corrupted.
- rename/remove cookies.sqlite (cookies.sqlite.old) and when present delete cookies.sqlite-shm and cookies.sqlite-wal in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed in case cookies.sqlite got corrupted.
You can use the button on the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page (Root directory).
- Help -> More Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Folder/Directory:
Windows: Open Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data
Thank you, this solved my problem! The problem first occurred for me when the university made an emergency fix to their grading system, so I assumed it was on the software end. That was apparently just a coincidence and the problem was on my computer -- as clearing just my cookies solved the problem (so I didn't even have to go as far as to replace the cookies.sqlite file). Many thanks!