Don't panic.

You can uninstall the buggy 6.0 and reinstall 5.0.1. Just uninstall and then do a quick search for "download FireFox 5.0.1" and follow the link.

Make sure to turn "automatic updates" OFF.

In fact, with the bugginess of the new, rushed releases, I recommend this for everyone. Don't let FF automatically update until YOU CHOOSE to update it.

I don't recommend any updating until you come here and find a reasonably bug-free release.

That way, you can still enjoy the FF version you love, without having to be "forced" to update anything.

thank you for trying to solve my issues. I uninstalled and came back to reinstall 5.0.1. I havent been on long enough to see if it still freezes, but everything else is still the same. fonts are small, directing me to a weird beta yahoo home page, etc. again, if I browse with IE, everything is normal as it was. my normal yahoo home page, normal font sizes, etc. I just dislike IE with a passion and it is inferior to FF.

nothing has changed. everything is still messed up. I've even been in contact with my a/v company to inquire about any incompatibilities with ff. I've run spyware scans. this is going from bad to worse and I'm getting really discouraged. I've also been unable to successfully find a way to shut off that STUPID upgrade popup. even upon reinstallation (several times) of firefox I've checked the "do not show this again" button, opened properties and made sure everything is shut off in there and it STILL pops up every time to upgrade to 6.0. I've almost relented to using IE but that stupid thing doesnt work right either.

It could be as simple as this:

Hold down ctrl and push + button to magnify and hold down ctrl and press - (minus) to de-magnify.

Solved your problem?

My FF6 problems were solved when I updated my Flash plugin. Go to FF help homepage, scroll down to the blue box on the right that says "Check your plugins" and click "Find out more>>" It checks your plugins and supplies links to update the most common ones.

Mackowski, yes that will increase the entire size of my browser page. that's not the problem. all the icons, menu bars etc remain the correct/original size. all the text has been downsized to perhaps 7 or 8 pt size. its ridiculously small. the rest of the system (i.e., desktop, other non email related fonts) are as they're supposed to be.

Violentendency, I opened that checklist and updated everything that it said was outdated or required upgrading. there were only two items. then there are a half dozen other things that suggested to "research". I clicked the research option and it opened to a google page of 15oo+ listings of crap I have to read through and I look at it and just go DUH. I opened the first few and it tells me nothing.

I am beyond frustrated and angry with this. even my a/v company is having me run cleanings and scans thru specific programs they're linking me to and submitting reports for them to review to try to identify anything out of place or the ordinary. I opened the area to communicate with firefox about the problem but my patients with alllllllllllll the hoops they want me to jump thru in order to hook up with them directly is about gone. I'm sick of screwing with this. sorry, I'm venting. even the most invasive garbage like AOL or IE has never ripped into my puter like this one has. its a NORMAL operating system so I dont understand why the extent of the malfunction.

@ dipchitblonde

I use Kaspersky AV & they really helped me overcome the FF issue going from 5 to 6 & back to 5 again.. Still have issues with FF now with the 5 & I have the auto updates turned off since day one..

All of these sites need to stop with the FBook interface because I will tell you that is lousing (being polite) every site up with loading pages its the load blocker.. Obviously I'm not a FB fan & don't use it but every page has the FB interface & it stalls the page load & creates issues.. Hate when someone tries to shove something down my throat.. I have AddBlockPlus as an Add-On I'll have to ck how I have it handle FB..

Personally speaking since the FF5 update & this back & forth with end users doing the patching I am getting really disappointed in FF.. I did try Chrome two weeks ago & then uninstalled it but I may bite the bullet & go back to it & give it more time to get used to; I'm just not comfortable with the security/privacy with Chrome.. JMO

@ violetendency... did that update with Flash didn't help..

I had the same problem and discovered that at the same time FF updated Microsoft pushed out another of their millions of updates. I removed update KB979332 and PROBLEM SOLVED!

It seems mighty strange that the drop down menu issue was in EVERY browser BUT IE. Verwy, verwy strange.

I appreciate your reply, ziftav. its not just my drop down menus. its everything. I pretty much just use IE now  :( but some things I need to go back into FF because I havent moved my favorites and stuff, and its still freezing frequently. I twittle my thumbs and wait until it decides to release and try to get in what I need to do as quickly as possible before it freezes again (which is about every 5 minutes and now for as long as one minute lock up). I shall try to find the KB979332 update and remove it and see if that changes anything and post back. thank you again  :)

dipchitblonde If you haven't tried the FF 7 update you might want to try it I did it last week & what a world of difference.

zlftcav re: update KB 979332 I just searched my list of installed updates & didn't see that one so I looked that update up to see its relevance & that update is for Windows Vista & wouldn't apply to me I use Windows 7..

thanks, nana41. I noticed FF was giving me another update notification in this past week and suspected it was yet another level but I kept declining it. after reading your post I updated to FF7 and got on to send an email and it locked up in the middle of my email, but only for maybe 20 seconds this time. I suppose that's some progress. I'm not real puter savvy but I cant help but wonder if something crept deep into my system, FF related, and isnt coming out with typical FF uninstall/reinstall and is beyond the realm of my antispyware or antivirus capabilities. (I switched a/v programs AFTER the problems began and nothing abnormal has been detected)

I wonder if my only other option is to hit the big F button and start all over again. I havent the mental energy or patience to go thru the burning hoops to hash it all out with FF tech support, nor to figure out how to format the system since HP tech support is not only language impaired, but no longer supports this system or any other system they've sold longer than 8 months ago. (that's kind of a joke. kind of) and I STILL have that STUPID beta yahoo page exclusively showing up in the FF browser and not any other of my browsers. sigh, I feel helpless, outdated again, and it doesnt feel worth the effort. have I mentioned I hate updates?

dipchitblonde... I don't know what antivirus you use but I use Kaspersky's A/V protection now switched last year from Norton & Kaspersky is great for me but I know that after I do any type of update I have to do a restart so that may help you also..

When I did the FF7 upgrade I didn't do an uninstall of the other version I just clicked on the upgrade button & let it do its own thing which is what I usually do.. I used to have HP laptops & had no love for them because they don't last long IMO this laptop a Christmas present from my great son is a Toshiba & I love it ♥ ..

I'm still in good shape with the FF7 & they did a quick update to that yesterday so its now 7.0.1 whoopee (?) but its running good; now if I could get a better ISP I'd be in hog heaven as they say. I have my cable company Brighthouse as my ISP & they favor IE over the browsers so I fight with them constantly..

Not sure what the HP toolbar looks like but on my toolbar with the FF7 I click on Help> About FireFox> Check For Updates> and then let it do its own thing for the update.. Good luck & keep in touch..

weird. I went to the help/about menu you just mentioned and when I updated earlier it seems it only took me from 6 to 6.02 and is now currently in the process of downloading another. we shall see what it gives me. to be continued...

good luck...

okay, that one did take me to 7.0.1. once it installed, a pop up window read the following:

The following add-ons are not compatable with this version and have been disabled: HP Detect 1.0.5.1 (have no idea what this is) HP Smart Web Printing 4.5 (shoved down my throat with printer software and dont use) Java Console 6.0.21 Java Console 6.0.22 Java Console 6.0.23 Java Console 6.0.25 Java Console 6.0.26

in re to all those java consoles, in an effort to use IE some weeks ago after developing the FF problems, I cleaned, defragged, did a few backflips, and uninstalled every java file I could find and reinstalled it with the latest greatest version. now after having seen this add-ons conflict list, I'm wondering where in the heck all those java files came from and why they're there. when I do a search for java in my system I have 1.6.0_27-b07 which I'm going to take a wild guess means 6.0.27? oy I'm so confused.

I got the Java Console conflict issue to & put my retired systems hat on & did some research & emailed my son who works as an IT about it.. According to what I found out that Java Console thing is not an issue as far as daily use is concerned & I am up to date on my other Java app's so I'm not concerned about it & have been doing fine so far & it can update that app when they get to it.. I defrag every other night but that's just me & I clean the cache & dump my files every night too .. With the other FF browser I used to clean the cache & dump files every couple of hours since I am on the PC a lot but now with 7 I find that's not necessary end of night only(Lord don't jinx me)..

Usually with Java when there's an update you will get a pop up screen message telling you about the update & if you play or use any online games you will need Java .. I'm a fan of the site www.pogo.com because I like word games but Java has to be updated to use it & I've been fine .. Let me know how you do with the 7 maybe that was their lucky number..

I will say this about 7 I work with a lot of tabs open at the same time anywhere from 5/6/7 tabs & no hanging up & not as much memory usage.. This was a good article if you are interested & it almost talked about my PC use since I'm on it about 14hrs a day & use the poor little thing a lot no wonder it wears out:

http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-20112253-12/memory-comes-to-the-fore-in-firefox-7/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

I lost this HP Smart Web Printing too because I have an HP printer but it didn't bother me since I never used that function & waiting for the printer to die & that's my last HP product. I don't really print that much so I muddle thru my issues with this printer

I use java for that reason as well - I like to play word games on pogo. I read that article including all of the comments, which I found interesting and enlightening. I was thinking of disabling every single add-on to see if that might help. I only use a couple and some have mysteriously appeared on my list for no particular reason and I have no idea of the purpose they serve.

I think my system automatically defrags every night and also constantly dumps the cache - at least while using IE, seeings how every time I open my email and other apps, even tho I always ask for it to keep me signed in and remember my log-in, it signs me out and I have to manually relog in again. I feel like I really went stupid when I upgraded to W7 with a new pc. well, truthfully, the operating system has dumbed me down by making all my pc activity decisions for me. I feel like I'm operating a thousand dollar mcdonalds' cash register with a fancy big display.