pc rebooting when updating firefox, thats new for me

pc rebooting when updating firefox??? thats new for me

There have been 4 new releases in the last month which is unusual. There is generally a new release every 6 to 8 weeks to correct security and stability issues and to add new features. The developers are keeping on top of any stability and security issues and getting them corrected quickly. For myself, I am thankful for that.

On or about 06/22/2010-Firefox 3.64 was released which included the new plugin-container (aka Out-of-Process-Plugins (OOPP), or crash protection feature) to keep your entire browser from crashing when Adobe Flash, Silverlight or Apple Quicktime crashes. Only the tab(s) with the crashing plugin will crash, not the whole browser. Other plugins will be added later. Several stability and security issues were also corrected (see below). Also see: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Plugin-container_and_out-of-process_plugins

On or about 06/26/2010-Firefox 3.6.6 was released; the version numb 3.6.5 was used for another Firefox product, the mobile version, I believe. Firefox 3.6.6 fixed a problem with the crash protection feature introduced in Firefox 3.6.4. The crash protection feature was incorrectly identifing a plugin as having crashed much too soon (10 seconds; the length of time was extended to 45 seconds). There were no stability or security issues corrected in this release.

On or about 07/19/2010-Firefox 3.6.7 was released to correct several stability and security issues (see below).

On 07/23/2010-Firefox 3.6.8 was released to correct a single, but critical, security issue (see below).

See: https://www.mozilla.org/security/known-vulnerabilities/firefox36.html

Hope this information helps you to understand the reason for so many updates in such a short period of time.

From TxGuy at https://support.mozilla.com/tiki-view_forum_thread.php?locale=en-US&comments_parentId=734822&forumId=1#threadId734868

See also http://kb.mozillazine.org/Software_Update (Software Update not working properly)

Your PC does NOT need to reboot after an update. Most of these updates are security related in any case, as pointed out above.

What's the big deal anyway?

I have the same problem. In my view there have been alot more updates than Firefox4life suggests. Often it has been daily. I know this for certain. I always leave User account control on in Vista and I'm regularly being asked to give permission for Firefox to update.

As a user it's very annoying and doesn't give the impression of a stable, trustworthy or secure development system using thorough in house testing before general release to end users.

Either

There have been a lot more updates than the Firefox team are prepared to admit .... Look into my eyes, Look directly into my eyes, not around the eyes, into the eyes, you are feeling sleepy .... all those updating messages you know you've seen ... you didn't really see them.

Thought: Don't try to pull the wool over peoples eyes we know what we're seeing. It makes us feel like you think we're idiots and it's very likely to drive us away.

or

Firefox is failing to update itself properly and is just continuing without notifying the end user that the update has failed so the update it retried next time firefox is started.

Thought: We definitely don't want to return to the uncontrollable updating, failing, updating, failing, ..., issue that I've seen on firefox before. So continuing is good, .... but .... If somethings failed just let me know and offer me the choice to retry now or to continue and expect to see the update message again later.

or

The update went fine but there is a problem with the update registration process so Firefox is sometimes updating itself even when it's already done so successfully.

See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Software_Update (Software Update not working properly)
Remove the files in the updates and updates\0 folder:
XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox\updates
%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox\updates
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\updates
.....
Vista/Windows7:
C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox\updates
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox\updates
C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\updates
..........
C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox\updates.xml
C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox\updates.xml

cor-el I take it from the number of posts you've made that you work for Firefox. Your post is completely unhelpful in the style of the old "Format/Reinstall/Reboot" answer for solving everything. Fair enough and just what you'd expect from MS or Apple or Google.

However that's not what most people would expect from Firefox.

The problem being discussed is the number of updates. If you're suggesting that there aren't that many updates and it's all down to updates failing somehow then that's not clear because you don't actually say. You just posted a blind repetition of a standard manual answer.

If that is what you're saying then you're not reading ... The problem is that what people are seeing is lots of updates not failed updates. With no apparent failure there would be no need to follow the advise that you post.

This therefore remains a problem of either too many updates or inability of firefox to notify the user or otherwise deal with failed updates.

If the answer is as simple as you suggest why doesn't the update process delete those files each time it finishes and/or check for and delete those files each time it starts.

I understand the problems of viruses and spyware, etc, but the add-ons and updates constantly seem a little overdone, like trying to keep up with other programs for competition not real problems. Is there some reason that the updates are happening every day or are there that many viruses and trojan horses out there that you cant keep up with? Seems like by now there would be a way to combat the problems and get ahead of the "game".

There aren't updates every day.
See http://wiki.mozilla.org/Releases

If you get an update alert that often then you have a problem and the link that I posted above addresses update issues. Either the update fails and Firefox tries again or you are updated, but not properly and Firefox thinks that you still have an old version and tries another time.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Software_Update
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Updates_reported_when_running_newest_version

+1 at least give me a choice ................ rather than just doing it