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Links on BBC Website opening as blank pages or flashing momentarily on screen and going off again (only in Firefox 20.0.1 not other browsers))

  • 8 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 140 views
  • Last reply by John99

mgeorge16
mgeorge16

In the last week or so BBC have updated their website. Since then Firefox seems to have difficulty opening certain pages on the site. Links open as a blank page. Sometimes the page flashes onto the screen and disappears immediately. The pages can be found via a Google search but will still not open in Firefox. Only Firefox seems to have this problem, other browsers function normally. I've tried contacting the BBC without success. From what I read on the site there are a lot of people complaining about the appearance and content (not functionality) and I assume they are wading through a lot of complaints.

In the last week or so BBC have updated their website. Since then Firefox seems to have difficulty opening certain pages on the site. Links open as a blank page. Sometimes the page flashes onto the screen and disappears immediately. The pages can be found via a Google search but will still not open in Firefox. Only Firefox seems to have this problem, other browsers function normally. I've tried contacting the BBC without success. From what I read on the site there are a lot of people complaining about the appearance and content (not functionality) and I assume they are wading through a lot of complaints.

Chosen solution

Clear the cache and the cookies from sites that cause problems.

"Clear the Cache":

  • Firefox/Tools > Options > Advanced > Network > Cached Web Content: "Clear Now"

"Remove Cookies" from sites causing problems:

  • Firefox/Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies: "Show Cookies"

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance).

  • Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window or otherwise make changes.
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All Replies (8)

Mynry
Mynry

Hi,

Please update your Firefox to the latest version and try it again, maybe it works.

Sincerely,

Mynry | Patrick

Modified by Mynry

mgeorge16
mgeorge16 Question owner

I've updated (now version 21) and no difference I'm afraid. I'm still getting blank pages.

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator

Chosen Solution

Clear the cache and the cookies from sites that cause problems.

"Clear the Cache":

  • Firefox/Tools > Options > Advanced > Network > Cached Web Content: "Clear Now"

"Remove Cookies" from sites causing problems:

  • Firefox/Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies: "Show Cookies"

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance).

  • Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window or otherwise make changes.
mgeorge16
mgeorge16 Question owner

Well, Safe Mode stopped the problem, then systematically disabling and re-enabling add ons narrowed it down to "PageTweak" unfortunately described as "The Ultimate Web Page Enhancer" which I'd installed in an attempt to solve previous problems with Flash crashing.

Many thanks, cor-el

S1
S1

Problem solved! I downloaded and installed Firefox 24.0 Beta. Apparently Mozilla programming team made all the right changes in the new release. Now all videos starting working on Yahoo and BBC.

Link: http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/channel/#beta

John99
John99

I suspect that may be a coincidence. Or you did a clean install whilst installing Beta.

Which BBC pages are problematic for you ?

S1
S1

Maybe a coincidence, but probably not, because these videos did not work since I got a new windows 8 laptop, I've been searching for a month to find a solution. Finally happy that everything works.

I had problems with these videos, I used them as an example in other support post:

1. http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/open-road/top-five-sleeper-cars-video-205832307.html?vp=1

2. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/nightline-fix-abc-news/why-texas-bans-sale-tesla-cars-140842349.html?vp=1

3.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23792641



Apparently this solution also worked for at least 1 more person, Btw, not a clean install, I just simply updated to v24.0

Modified by S1

John99
John99

I am all for anyone other than novices using Beta

  • http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/channel/#beta/beta-desktop
  • It is almost as stable as the Release
  • Unlike the release always has a secure and supported downgrade path
  • You know downgrades work to fix problems. (Once on Beta for over 6 weeks you have already trialled the Release). And you have 6 weeks to find a workaround to any problem.
  • By finding and reporting problems it may prevent those problems ever being seen by the Hundreds of Millions of Release users.

I still think it is likely to be a coincidence. I just ran the bbc link on some test versions of Firefox I have installed. I tried from old ESR fx10 to Nightly fx26 they all played ok.