Could you clarify the "it loads and then nothing". The page stays blank? Does a reload (Ctrl+r) finish the job? (Not that you should have to do that very often.)

You can see the link name loading and then it disappears. Nothing happens.

Oh, I see. Firefox keeps displaying the earlier page as though you canceled the request. Does Ctrl+click work to open the page in a new tab, or only right-click > Open Link in New Tab or middle-click?

If you haven't already, could you test in Firefox's Safe Mode to test whether extensions are a factor.

If Firefox is running, you can restart Firefox in Safe Mode using

Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

If Firefox is not running, you can start Firefox in Safe Mode by holding down the Shift key while starting Firefox.

In the small dialog that should appear, click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Reset)

Any difference?

It's a crap shoot with what links it won't open by clicking on them. Yes, I can right click and then open in a new tab but I don't understand WHY it won't open. One link in particular is the link to Mozilla support forums!!!!! Another for an example was Olive Garden.com. It's just random links. It will say waiting for google.ca and then it then shows the Olive Garden link and then nothing........disappears and won't take me to the site.

QUESTION When I click on a link nothing happens. Any clues??

I'm still getting it a lot. So frustrating and no one has any answers.

Hi renascent, did Safe Mode make any difference?

Hi Ridgwell, where are the links you are having problems with. Any page? particular sites? Can you also try the Safe Mode test:

Firefox's Safe Mode is a standard diagnostic tool to deactivate extensions and some advanced features of Firefox. More info: Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode.

You can restart Firefox in Safe Mode using either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
• Help menu > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

Not all add-ons are disabled: Flash and other plugins still run

After Firefox shuts down, a small dialog should appear. Click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Reset).

Any difference?

Safe mode didn't solve the problem. When I want to click on a link in an email the cursor changes to the pointing hand but nothing happens when I click. Richard

Hi Ridgwell, what email site is it that has the problem? Are there any security messages in the header area indicating that the links have been deactivated?

Nothing in header. Email from booking.com. Richard

Hi Ridgwell, are you reading your email in Firefox on a webmail site (e.g., Yahoo, Gmail) or in a stand-alone application (e.g., Thunderbird, MS Outlook)? Need to know how/where you are reading your email.

Also, is it only the message from booking.com that has inoperable links, or does it affect other messages?

No it did not.

Hi renascent, have you cleared Firefox's cache since this problem started?

Sometimes a problem loading a site you have visited before can be due to corrupted files in the cache. You can use either:

• "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Options > Advanced
  On the Network mini-tab > Cached Web Content : "Clear Now"
• History > Clear Recent History... > uncheck everything other than Cache, set the time frame to Everything

If you have a large hard drive, this process might take a few minutes during which Firefox locks up and can't do anything else.

Also, I know you said it's a crapshoot. If you can spot any pattern at all, that might be helpful.

I am using MS outlook to read my emails. The problems only exists on my desktop. I can read the emails on my iPad. Ridgwell

Hi Ridgwell, some users experience long delays or problems with links in MS Outlook. Usually this is a problem with your default browser setting. If you open IE and have IE make itself the default browser, then have Firefox make itself the default browser, this should refresh the relevant registry entries. Newer versions of Windows may manage this differently. But either way, this is a different problem from the one renascent posted about.

. Thanks for your help. Really appreciate it. Ridgwell