Hi, what happens when you try to load https://www.pinterest.com/

Do you get...

• blank page (try to reload bypassing the cache, Ctrl+Shift+r)
• error message (what's the message?)
• broken display (please describe)
• other?

If a site is generally known to work in Firefox, these are general suggestions to try when it stops working normally:

Double-check content blockers: Firefox's Tracking Protection feature and extensions that counter ads and tracking may break websites that weren't built to operate normally without the blocked components.

Do you see a shield icon toward the left end of the address bar, near the lock icon? More info on managing the Tracking Protection feature in this article: What happened to Tracking Protection?.

Extensions such as Adblock Plus, Blur, Disconnect, Ghostery, NoScript, Privacy Badger, uBlock Origin or uMatrix should provide toolbar buttons to manage blocked content in a page. There may or may not be a number on the icon indicating the number of blocked items; you may need to click the button to see what's going on and test whether you need to make an exception for this site.

Cache and Cookies: When you have a problem with one particular site, a good "first thing to try" is clearing your Firefox cache and deleting your saved cookies for the site.

(1) Clear Firefox's Cache

See: How to clear the Firefox cache

If you have a large hard drive, this might take a few minutes.

(2) Remove the site's cookies (save any pending work first). While viewing a page on the site, try either:

• right-click (on Mac Ctrl+click) a blank area of the page and choose View Page Info > Security > "Clear Cookies and Site Data"
• (menu bar) Tools > Page Info > Security > "Clear Cookies and Site Data"
• click the padlock or "i" icon in the address bar, then the ">" button, then More Information, and finally the "Clear Cookies and Site Data" button

In the dialog that opens, you will see one or more matches to the current address so you can remove the site's cookies individually without affecting other sites.

Then try reloading the page. Does that help?

Testing in Firefox's Safe Mode: In its Safe Mode, Firefox temporarily deactivates extensions, hardware acceleration, and some other advanced features to help you assess whether these are causing the problem.

If Firefox is not running: Hold down the Shift key when starting Firefox. (On Mac, hold down the option/alt key instead of the Shift key.)

If Firefox is running: You can restart Firefox in Safe Mode using either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
• (menu bar) Help menu > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

and OK the restart.

Both scenarios: A small dialog should appear. Click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Refresh).

Any improvement?

Hi jscher; earlier when I googled I came across a previous post of yours on this topic, and followed the instructions as far as I could. You have added a couple more tips today, and I have tried them, but no change. All I get is a completely blank page, no message. Thanks very much for your advice - do you have anything else that might help?

Hmm, I got a blank page but it appeared when I reloaded.

You could check for messages in Firefox's Web Console. You can open the Web Console in the lower part of the tab using either:

• "3-bar" menu button > Web Developer > Web Console
• (menu bar) Tools > Web Developer > Web Console
• (Windows) Ctrl+Shift+k

Then reload the page in the upper part of the tab and watch for error or security messages. (The lines with blue triangles generally are not significant unless you suspect a style rule problem.) Anything that sounds like it could be relevant?

Hi again Jscher Thanks for replying (sorry for delay, think we are in different time zones). I have done as you advised and am copying to you the Web Console page as it appeared following your directions:

Content Security Policy: Couldn’t process unknown directive ‘prefetch-src’ Content Security Policy: Couldn’t parse invalid host 'report-sample' Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://www.pinterest.co.uk” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.pinterest.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.pinimg.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.google.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://connect.facebook.net” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.google-analytics.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.accountkit.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.facebook.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.googleadservices.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.doubleclick.net” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.twitter.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.bizographics.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.ads-twitter.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.googletagmanager.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.licdn.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.linkedin.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.online-metrix.net” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.bnc.lt” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://bnc.lt” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.branch.io” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.yozio.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://cdn.ampproject.org” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.cdn.ampproject.org” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://radar.cedexis.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “https://*.cedexis-test.com” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified Content Security Policy: Ignoring “'unsafe-inline'” within script-src: ‘strict-dynamic’ specified

Does this tell you anything?? Many thanks -

Hi joprobs, I get those warnings, too. I have no idea what they mean, but I don't think we found the source of the problem yet.

Next tool: Network Monitor. To open the Network Monitor in the lower part of the tab, you can use either:

• "3-bar" menu button > Web Developer > Network
• (menu bar) Tools > Web Developer > Network
• (Windows) Ctrl+Shift+e

When you reload the page, Firefox should start listing all the files it is requesting, along with information about whether the request was successful. I am attaching two very long lists showing what is loading on mine. Do you notice any retrieval failures on yours?

Hi again

The page took ages to reload; I took a screen shot of what was going on then, BUT when it had re-loaded, THIS (first attachment) is what came up - much different from yours; the second file uploaded here is what it looked like while Pinterest was still loading.

I hope you can see these - bigger files would not load.

Hi joprobs, it looks like all the requests to the servers i.pinimg.com and s.pinimg.com are failing.

It's hard to read with the right panel open; you can click the rectangle with the right-pointing triangle (immediately left of the word Headers) to close that section so more of the list shows.

What does Firefox say if you try one of these addresses directly?

https://s.pinimg.com/webapp/js/vendor-react-d20f99c48b5d58e4821c.js

The expected result is a "wall of text" starting with:

webpackJsonp(["vendor-react"],{"+/tp":function(e,t)

When I tried the link you gave, I just got this message;

Secure Connection Failed

"The connection to the server was reset while the page was loading.

   The page you are trying to view cannot be shown because the authenticity of the received data could not be verified.
   Please contact the website owners to inform them of this problem""

and when I tried the Web Developer>Network route as previously after trying to connect to Pinterest then refreshing the page, I got a much shorter chain than before, see attached:

I think we're making progress, thanks.

Has Firefox indicated problems making a secure connection to any other sites?

Does anything in the following article help: Secure connection failed and Firefox did not connect?

No, Firefox has not had problems with any other site.

I read the article to which you gave the link; at the moment my security is via Norton, but I did have AVG installed originally. When I looked for AVG I could not find it under 'All Progammes', but I typed AVG into the search function and it found over 400 files relating to AVG on my laptop, for example:-

"""C:\Users\jo\Desktop\Desktop\Firefox profile folder 2014 - 16\jo\extensions\avg@toolbar""" modified as recently as this year. This is just a random example, I have no idea of its significance.

Should I remove all these files and folders? And how? !!

Hi joprobs, the folder on your desktop probably is not your currently active profile folder. ??

You can view and disable (and often remove) extensions from your currently active Firefox profile through the Add-ons page. Either:

• Ctrl+Shift+a (Mac: Command+Shift+a)
• "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons
• type or paste about:addons in the address bar and press Enter/Return

In the left column of the Add-ons page, click Extensions.

Then cast a critical eye over the list on the right side. Any extensions Firefox installs for built-in features are hidden from this page, so everything listed here is your choice (and your responsibility) to manage. Check for AVG, as well as anything else that might affect your ability to connect to sites. If in doubt, disable (or remove).

Is the error message always with the same explanation -- "The connection to the server was reset while the page was loading."? It just doesn't give us a lot to go on, unfortunately.

Hi jscher Unfortunately with my limited understanding I can't tell if those AVG files are current or not, but I thought as some showed 'modifications' this year, they must be. Googling AVG removal, I saw a lot of people liken it to a virus and say it has hooks everywhere. I will follow your instructions to remove.

That error message has not popped up since. The (Pinterest) pages take a long time to (not) load and usually end up with a blank page; this happened only because I tried that link you gave, ie:- https://s.pinimg.com/webapp/js/vendor-react-d20f99c48b5d58e4821c.js

I just tried it again, this time the message was

...."The connection has timed out

The server at s.pinimg.com is taking too long to respond.

   The site could be temporarily unavailable or too busy. Try again in a few moments.
   If you are unable to load any pages, check your computer’s network connection.
   If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or proxy, make sure that Firefox is permitted to access the Web."

Folllowing the final instruction in the last sentence above, I have tried to look at what my Firewall is permitting, or not, but there is a notice above it that says that my security settings are being managed by Norton...

Have just checked my Extensions on Add-Ons page, and I appear to only have two! - AdBlock, which I have disabled for Pinterest, and , rather sadly, the Pinterest button! So no joy there...

I'm not familiar with Norton in recent years. Does it have a list of sites that it blocked, or a way to enter exceptions so that it won't block sites?

Of course, if Norton were the culprit, I would expect the problem to occur in all browsers. Since other browsers work normally, Norton might be innocent.

I'm running out of ideas.

Do a malware check with several malware scanning programs on the Windows computer.

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-firefox-issues-caused-malware

Please scan with all programs because each program detects different malware. All these programs have free versions.

Make sure you update each program to get the latest version of their databases before doing a scan.

• Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware:
  http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
• AdwCleaner:
  http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/
  http://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivirus/Removal-Tools/AdwCleaner.shtml
• SuperAntispyware:
  http://www.superantispyware.com/
• Microsoft Safety Scanner:
  https://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-us/default.aspx
• Windows Defender:
  https://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/using-defender
• Spybot Search & Destroy:
  http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
• Kasperky Free Security Scan:
  https://www.kaspersky.com/security-scan

You can also do a check for a rootkit infection with TDSSKiller.

• Anti-rootkit utility TDSSKiller:
  https://support.kaspersky.com/viruses/disinfection/5350

https://support.kaspersky.com/viruses/utility

Thanks again jscher and cor-el; I will try all of these tomorrow - closing down now as it is late! - will get back to you tomorrow.

It looks like there were others that reported it failing logging in as well over the past few days: https://outage.report/pinterest#2018-08-19 and http://www.isitdownrightnow.com/pinterest.com.html

What does the site do from a new private window today?

Hi Jscher and cor-el, took me a while to work all through those sites, install and run etc, one of the first ones did find several (tens of) areas 'of interest' and removed them all, all of the latter ones reported no problems, but still can't get into Pinterest.

Guigs, thanks for posting but still can't login, and have had the problem for quite a long time.