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Firefox says it is running but doesn't show up anywhere that it is?

  • 11 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by Shelaelae13

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I tried to start firefox (the newest version) in safe mode, but I accidentaly pushed the restart button instead of the start in safe mode button. After that, a loading bar appeared, and then we lost power before it could do whatever it was doing. After we got power back, I tried to start firefox again, but it keeps saying that it is running. I've already tried looking through the task manager, but firefox doesn't appear anywhere in it. I've also tried deleting the parent lock thing, but it still says that it's running. What can I do to fix it? I've got windows 7 if that helps.

All help is appriciated! Thanks!

I tried to start firefox (the newest version) in safe mode, but I accidentaly pushed the restart button instead of the start in safe mode button. After that, a loading bar appeared, and then we lost power before it could do whatever it was doing. After we got power back, I tried to start firefox again, but it keeps saying that it is running. I've already tried looking through the task manager, but firefox doesn't appear anywhere in it. I've also tried deleting the parent lock thing, but it still says that it's running. What can I do to fix it? I've got windows 7 if that helps. All help is appriciated! Thanks!

All Replies (11)

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Hi Shelaelae13

try to delete the Profiles.ini file in Profile folder .

[If you delete the profiles.ini file, a new default profile will be created the next time you start the application and a new profiles.ini file will be generated that references the new profile]

OR Use the Profile Manager to create a new profile it is the same .


thank you

Please mark "Solved" the answer that really solve the problem, to help others with a similar problem.

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There's 3, which do I delete?: Firefox/Profiles

Firefox/Profiles/u8ql800h.default-1348984475587

Firefox/Profiles/ymf3wnfc.shelly

I can't just create another profile, it says that firefox has to completely closed first, which is what I'm having problems with.

Deleting the profile(s) will delete everything right? Is there anything I can try, so that I won't lose all the information?

Modified by Shelaelae13

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See : Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles

you have 3 profiles, back up and then delete the profiles.ini in the profile you mostly use, check it if this solve the problem, if no delete in other profile....etc.

thanks again

Modified by ideato

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It says that you have to get into firefox to back it up. I can't get it to do anything besides tell me that it's running. Deleting profiles didn't help either.

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you can't right-click on your profile folder (e.g. Firefox/Profiles/ymf3wnfc.shelly), and select Copy and then right-click the backup location (e.g. a USB-stick), and select Paste ?

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No, I've already tried that. It just copies the folder, but nothing in it.

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rename the profiles.ini file to profiles.iniOLD instead of the containing folder, you may also want to rename the existing default profile folder (e.g., to ymf3wnfc.shellyOLD).

After you rename the profiles.ini file when you next start Firefox it will open with a new default profile, just as though you installed Firefox for the first time. Your existing Firefox user profile data, which includes bookmarks, passwords, cookies etc, will no longer appear in the new profile but you can transfer the data from the old profile folder to the new default profile folder.

Modified by ideato

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Thanks for your help, but I just went ahead and completely uninstalled and reinstalled Firefox. I found most of my information on Opera. I don't know why it wouldn't respond, but completely uninstalling it fixed it.

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you are welcome

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You appear to have more than one profile already. Maybe these will turn out to belong to other users, or you have used Reset Firefox.

When looking for Firefox and trying to kill it with task manager, also look for plugincontainer that could also be running.

You have not said what your OS is. Possibly an upgrade is trying to complete and failing,no doubt it is possible to kill that but I am not sure how. (IIRC someone recently posted about how to do that in Windows 7 but I can not find that post, at present, and I do not know what your OS is)

Deleting profile.ini will create a new profile ,but a better alternatives may be

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I put that I have Windows 7. I couldn't reset firefox because to do that you have to first get into firefox, which I couldn't. It would keep saying that it was running but not responding. Firefox also has to be completely closed before you can create a new profile, which I couldn't do. Firefox also didn't show up anywhere (including the task manager) that it was running. I've already fixed the problem by completely uninstalling and reinstalling firefox.