If there are problems with updating then best is to download the full version of the Firefox installer.

• (32 bit Windows) C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Installation_directory

Download a fresh Firefox copy and save the file to the desktop.

• Firefox 18.0.x: http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all.html

Uninstall your current Firefox version, if possible, to cleanup the Windows registry and settings in security software.

• Do NOT remove personal data when you uninstall your current Firefox version, because all profile folders will be removed and you will also lose your personal data like bookmarks and passwords from profiles of other Firefox versions.

Remove the Firefox program folder before installing that newly downloaded copy of the Firefox installer.

• It is important to delete the Firefox program folder to remove all the files and make sure that there are no problems with files that were leftover after uninstalling.
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Uninstalling_Firefox

Your bookmarks and other profile data are stored in the Firefox Profile Folder and won't be affected by an uninstall and (re)install, but make sure that "remove personal data" is NOT selected when you uninstall Firefox.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_backup

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Standard_diagnostic_-_Firefox#Clean_reinstall

I have uninstalled Firefox 18 and downloaded/installed a new version 18 as suggested. Firefox on my side of our PC still stuck in the update channel. My wife's side running OK as before.

Where do I go next?

Did you both uninstall Firefox and removed the Firefox program folder?

You may have other Firefox program folders if there have been problems with updating in the background, so you can check that as well.
Also uninstall the Maintenance service in case this service isn't installed properly.

Uninstalled Firefox and Maintenance Service; deleted Firefox Program folder: no other program folders found. I also ran Microsoft Safety Scanner which found and fixed 7 infected files.

Problem still exists. What else might I try?

Try run the Firefox program once as Administrator (right-click: Run as Administrator).

You can also check if files already have been downloaded and remove the files in the updates and updates\0 folder.
You can also delete active-update.xml and possibly updates.xml (this will clear the update history).

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Updates_reported_when_running_newest_version
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Software_Update (Software Update not working properly)

C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox\updates
(%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox)

Run as Administrator didn't fix the problem. Updates and Updates\0 folders empty or cleaned out. Deleted active-update and updates.xml files that I could find.

Then uninstalled and re-installed Firefox again. I even changed Tools/Options/Advanced/Update to Never check. for updates. Still not working on my side of XP.

Might the problem be somewhere in the personal data that is not removed during uninstall?

If this had to be removed is there some way to print/save our existing bookmarks before uninstall is done?

One more thing...When I open Firefox and click on Tools/Add-Ons/Get Add-ons the display reads "Loading" ...forever. Extensions, Appearance and Plugins display results that I presume are correct.

Has anyone looked more into my problem? Thanks

You can select another tab on the about:addons page (Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) if Firefox doesn't display any content on the "Get Add-ons" tab.
This "Get Add-ons" tab makes Firefox send a request to the server that includes the currently installed extensions and may not always work properly or respond in a timely matter.

Greetings!

 Maybe not the proper way here but pobably can help.

(It is the closest I found to my problem.) It seems that there are some glitches around the 18.0.1 upgrade of ff. In your case probably the rebuild of the profile would be the easiest. You can create a backup even with a copy or with MozBackup util. Do a clean profile and check if the problem persists.

The similar problem usually solved by a clean reinstall of FF (or usually stuck with ESR version.) Anyhow on other hand I have eliminated two lines of user.js in my profile with stuck plugin check and first start page offering always came back. These were:

user_pref("extensions.lastAppVersion", "17.0.1"); user_pref("browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone", "17.0.1");

Deleting the above linse stopped the check for plugin updates and the promo tab always came.

So, method a: backup profile, backup user.js (or the file you temper with) and find settings could couse your problem. method b: Do a clean profile and build up your settings once again. (if it works with a clean profile.) (upd.: you can use windiff or winmerge or something similar tool to compare a working and a problematic text file.)

If that is not a profile problem than look at the file rights. I hope you can find useful info here.

(Warning: The above example is not a solution for your problem but an example how to find a solution of your own. Please update us if you find one!)

Best Wishes and Goodspeed!

I have this same problem (on Win XP, Mozilla 18.0.1 with automatic update). Luckily I navigated to this page on a different (much less cool) browser, and saw all the trouble the poster is having. I'm not as savvy, but I did manage to do two things:

1) rename the "0" folder in C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox\updates

2) launch Firefox (hooray!) and immediately turn off automatic updates

Now I can at least use Firefox. BUT I CAN'T UPDATE IT. If I do, I have to try to find that pesky folder again.

Hopefully I can skip one version update and will be able to update to the next?

Last week when Firefox updated it put me on the Update Channel. Now several times a day when Firefox updates I lose all my settings for my internet options. I have removed firefox and all instances off my computer that I could find, cleaned the registry ..reinstalled firefox and I'm still on the update channel. I edited the channel-prefs.js ...that worked for a day or so but now I'm back to having to keep setting up all my internet options every time I open up Firefox. Does anyone have any idea what I can do to get off of this update channel ?? Running XP and Firefox 20.0 now.

If you want to switch the update channel to release then you should uninstall the current version and and remove the Firefox program folder and install a full release version.

You can find the latest Firefox 20.0.x release in all languages and for all Operating Systems here:

• http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all.html

I thought I had removed the Firefox program folder ..if this is the answer obviously I did not. Can you please elaborate on HOW to remove the remove the Firefox program folder ? Thank you !

Never mind I found the program folder..I will try this again.

That did not work either..what I finally did was change app.update.channel to default. I hope this stops this constant updating all day long. The downside is I won't get any updates. Grrrrrrrr But I guess it is either this or resetting my internet options several times a day.

If files already have been downloaded then remove the files in the updates and updates\0 folder.

You can also delete active-update.xml and possibly updates.xml (this will clear the update history).

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Updates_reported_when_running_newest_version
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Software_Update (Software Update not working properly)

C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox\updates
(%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox)

Updating to the latest version of FIrefox solved the problem.