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

Add ons manager hangs after doing a Windows 7 System Restore.

  • 4 replies
  • 4 have this problem
  • 6 views
  • Last reply by awcraig37

more options

Firefox was restored from Version 23 back to Version 20. Now, none of my Extensions or PlugIns show up and when I click on "Get Add Ons" I just get a"Loading" and it hangs. I tried deleting the extension.ini and extensions.sqlite files and restarting Firefox but that did not work. It seems like the add ons and extensions are there, but just not accessible through the Add On Manager.

Firefox was restored from Version 23 back to Version 20. Now, none of my Extensions or PlugIns show up and when I click on "Get Add Ons" I just get a"Loading" and it hangs. I tried deleting the extension.ini and extensions.sqlite files and restarting Firefox but that did not work. It seems like the add ons and extensions are there, but just not accessible through the Add On Manager.

Chosen solution

You wouldn't lose personal data like installed extensions as long as you wouldn't choose to remove personal data in case you would uninstall Firefox.

You should always be cautious with using System Restore because Windows doesn't show you which files are restored.
It is quite likely that some .ini. and .js files in the Firefox profile folder were restored to older versions.


What kind of problems did you have with Firefox 23?

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (4)

more options

Note that using System Restore can cause your Firefox installation to get corrupted because not all files are restored (only files in a white-list), so be cautious with using System Restore.

  • You may lose data in the Firefox profile folder like .js and .ini files.
  • You may need to (re)install software that was affected.

Do a clean reinstall and delete the Firefox program folder before (re)installing a fresh copy of the current Firefox release.

Download a fresh Firefox copy and save the file to the desktop.

Uninstall your current Firefox version, if possible, to cleanup the Windows registry and settings in security software.

  • Do NOT remove personal data when you uninstall your current Firefox version, because all profile folders will be removed and you lose personal data like bookmarks and passwords from profiles of other Firefox versions.

Remove the Firefox program folder before installing that newly downloaded copy of the Firefox installer.

  • (32 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\"
  • (64 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\"

Your bookmarks and other personal data are stored in the Firefox profile folder and won't be affected by an uninstall and (re)install, but make sure that "remove personal data" is NOT selected when you uninstall Firefox.

If you keep having problems then also create a new profile.


more options

Thanks for the reply - but I was having problems with ff version 23 and really do not want to reinstall it, besides I would lose all of my add ons if I uninstall version 20.

more options

Chosen Solution

You wouldn't lose personal data like installed extensions as long as you wouldn't choose to remove personal data in case you would uninstall Firefox.

You should always be cautious with using System Restore because Windows doesn't show you which files are restored.
It is quite likely that some .ini. and .js files in the Firefox profile folder were restored to older versions.


What kind of problems did you have with Firefox 23?

more options

Thanks much - uninstalled ff 20 and associated files and reinstalled ff 23. All working fine now - including previous problem with ff 23 now fixed.

Modified by awcraig37