Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

my firefox is almost totally broke

more options

I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but it was somewhere around firefox 18. Firefox essentially stopped working. It would open to my home page then when i tried using a link it froze up. i am now using Chrome but i would like to get firefox fixed!

I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but it was somewhere around firefox 18. Firefox essentially stopped working. It would open to my home page then when i tried using a link it froze up. i am now using Chrome but i would like to get firefox fixed!

All Replies (2)

more options
more options

Hi ted413, did you post your question from the troubled computer or from a different computer? If the problem is on a different Firefox, is it also a Windows 7 system?

There are many possible troubleshooting steps, but to quickly check whether the problem lies more with your settings or more with the Firefox program files or external factors, you could try creating a new profile. This is an independent settings folder that will be pre-setup with the plugins on your system (e.g., Flash, PDF, QuickTime) but otherwise will be factory fresh.

If you can use the new profile normally for a while, even after exiting and restarting, then most likely you have a problem in your accumulated personal settings and add-ons. If the new profile has similar problems, then there are systemic issues we need to address first before considering personal customization.

Ready to get started? To create a new profile, first make sure all Firefox windows are closed. Using the Windows start menu, type or paste the following in the search box and press Enter:

firefox.exe -P

This is the profile manager, which allows you to create new profiles for testing, and to switch between profiles when you need to. There's more info in this article: Profile Manager - Create, remove or switch Firefox profiles.

Go ahead and create a new profile, and then start up in that new profile. Two recommendations:

  • When creating a new profile, use the default location suggested. Choosing a location with existing files can cause data loss if you ever remove the profile.
  • Don't be quick to delete old profiles; make a backup first.

Can you browse more successfully across many pages? Even after exiting and restarting Firefox? Let us know and we can move on to next steps.