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Firefox is not Installing/Uninstalling/Disabling/Enabling any addon, while there is a constant message to restart firefox?

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  • 261 have this problem
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  • Last reply by 2crone

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I am getting the message to restart firefox under Tools, Addons. With that all the extensions below display that they're going to be uninstalled when firefox will be restarted. Though they never get so.

I tried installing flashgot meanwhile it won't get installed, it just magically disappears after i restart Firefox.

Xmarks won't get enabled. Free Download Manager's addon won't disable.

I double checked if firefox was closing properly, it does closes properly. I tried Safe mode, all options ticked. Deleted my profile for the sake to bring back health to Firefox. I even downloaded Firefox 4, but none of it worked.

I am getting the message to restart firefox under Tools, Addons. With that all the extensions below display that they're going to be uninstalled when firefox will be restarted. Though they never get so. I tried installing flashgot meanwhile it won't get installed, it just magically disappears after i restart Firefox. Xmarks won't get enabled. Free Download Manager's addon won't disable. I double checked if firefox was closing properly, it does closes properly. I tried Safe mode, all options ticked. Deleted my profile for the sake to bring back health to Firefox. I even downloaded Firefox 4, but none of it worked.

Chosen solution

A likely cause for this is one of the files that stores details of installed add-ons has become corrupt. You can delete those files and Firefox will re-create them.

First go to your profile folder using the method shown in the profiles article. Then close Firefox and delete extensions.cache, extensions.ini, extensions.rdf, compatibility.ini and if it exists extensions.sqlite. Now re-start Firefox and see if it lets you add or remove extensions.

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Where the heck is people from firefox to help us resolve issues? That is what I want to know !!!!!!

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When we try to uninstall firefox from "programs and features" in windows and then it doesn't uninstall, then we immediately move to "mozila firefox" folder, and in the "uninstall" folder ( present in mozila firefox folder ) we click "helper.exe" in order to try to uninstall the program.

Now, In almost, most cases the "helper.exe" doesn't work and we are unable to uninstall our firefox.

Then!, what to do?

The best solution of this problem is as follows-

1- Download a fresh and new same version of firefox from the internet.( or get it from any personal C.D ) so that you have a new setup file of the same version of firefox.

2- Run the setup file and follow the installation wizard.Now, instead of new installation of firefox, it will upgrade your existing firefox .( if you correctly follow the installation wizard ).

3- Now, after upgradation( in step 2 ), try to uninstall firefox from "programs and features".

4-Your firefox will definitely uninstall.

5-Remember to delete the existing files of previous firefox manually.i.e Shortcuts from desktop and start menu, unpin the firefox icon from taskbar( if you have already pinned it to your taskbar, otherwise no! ),Delete firefox named folder/folders from your drives by searching the term Mozila Firefox/Firefox in the search box.

6-Lastly, fix the registry problems ( I recommend you to download CCleaner from CNET )to fix the registry issues caused by firefox.

7-Now, the task has completed and you can use the newly downloaded file to reinstall firefox on your P.C.( Do not use the old setup file of firefox, delete the old setup file immediately after completing the above 6 steps ).

It will better that you do not use any other software to use the option "force uninstall" for firefox.

This post is the best solution when helper.exe doesn't work.

You may try this for other programs too!

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