There was a security release: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox.../releasenotes/ on July 22, 2014, however it is strange that the server never makes the connection for the update.

Two resources: ESR FAQ and Firefox ESR Mailing list that have a great place to ask this questions as well.

Note that Firefox version that are bundled and come via the repositories of your Linux distribution can possibly be special branded versions that can only be updated via the software installation of your Linux distribution. In such a case it is always better to install the version from the Mozilla servers. Note that there are currently two supported ESR version, 24.7.0 ans 31.0.0 that both can be found here:.

• https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/all.html

• https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/24.7.0/releasenotes/
• https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/31.0.0/releasenotes/
• https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/system-requirements/

OK, so the popup is legit, and presumably from Mozilla since Debian doesn't notify about updates in that manner. I didn't understand why it is always better to install from the Mozilla servers. I was under the impression that what is in the repositories, especially for a stable distro, is tweaked and tested to ensure compatibility and that what is on the developers' servers is not, necessarily. I did go to the Mozilla download page and found a Ver 24 download, unlabelled as to which sub-number it was (when I downloaded it, the file did identify that it was 24.7.0). So now I have Firefox esr 24.4.0 that checks with Mozilla to see if it is the latest release and then says that it is. I have Debian looking at its repository and saying that 24.4.0 is the latest "approved" release. I have a Mozilla update link that doesn't connect to anything, and an archive containing 24.7.0 sitting in the root tmp folder. The only right-click option offered is to look at all of the pretty files in the archive. There are no instructions that I can find on how to install it, or even if the appropriate method of update is to replace the entire package. I can't imagine that this is the intended way updates are supposed to work. Should I just keep occasionally trying the popup update link and Firefox's internal update link in the hope that this update will eventually work in the normal way?

It is not uncommon that Firefox version that are offered via the repositories lag behind the official release. In case of the ESR version that may easier happen as those version probably aren't used by many. I don't know how many version Debian offers via their repositories and which are kept up to date as much as possible. I assume that the current release (31.0) is up to date, but I think that it will take a long time before the 31.0.0 ESR version will appear.

"Lagging" may be an understatement. The only versions of Firefox in the Debian stable repository are esr 17.0.11 and esr 24.4.0.

Looks like they have a contact email: I'll try to contact them and report back here, but the most up to date ESR version is actually 31 and can be downloaded from here: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox.../all/

Both ESR versions can be downloaded via that link (page).

• https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/all/

There is a button on the page to toggle between the two version as both are still supported (both were released at the same time): Show | Firefox 31 | Firefox 24

Version 31.0.0, first offered to ESR channel users on July 22, 2014

• https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/31.0.0/releasenotes/

Version 24.7.0, first offered to ESR channel users on July 22, 2014

• https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/24.7.0/releasenotes/

That link page is the one I referred to in an earlier reply. It does not provide an installation package or instructions. It appears to be a source page for developers. It downloads an archive that appears to contain all of the component files comprising an initial installation of Firefox, but no mechanism to install or update an existing installation.

On Linux you can extract all the files in the archive to a specific folder (either in a 'root' location or in the home (~) folder) and create a launcher to run Firefox from that directory. If you install Firefox in the same directory to replace an older version or in another existing directory then make sure to first remove all the files in that folder.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Installing_Firefox#Linux

It's good to know that there is a way to manually install Firefox on a one-time basis if all else fails and you are desperate to have it. However, no other program requires routine updates to be installed like this. Also, installing manually like that puts the process outside all of the automated processes for maintaining the system, so it is not a desireable way to do it.

It appears that several aspects of the update are broken. One is the pop-up link. The other is that Firefox/Mozilla doesn't recognize that 24.7.0 exists and considers 24.4.0 the latest. Fixing either problem would allow a normal update.

You should be able to update Firefox in the usual way via Help > About, provided that you start Firefox if necessary as root in case Firefox is installed in a location that requires root permissions. Otherwise you see a message that updates are available. If you use a version from the repositories then either updating is disabled or you may get an update offered. I'm not familiar with how Debian behave in this aspect. I'm on Linux as well and avoid Firefox from the repositories as it is always uncertain when an update will be available and there are usually unwanted extras in such a special branded version.

Via the methods you mentioned, both say no updates are available, that 24.4.0 is the latest version.

The Debian build of Firefox 24.4.0esr is Not updated by Mozilla but by Debian.

If the 24.4.0esr you are trying to update is actually from Mozilla and not a third-party build then make sure the folder has read/write permissions for that Linux user.

The Firefox tarball from Mozilla.org is certainly not a one time install. If you put it in a folder in Home or make sure the folder has read/write permissions if you put it elsewhere then you should get updates from Mozilla as they are released. The updates are by .mar files whether on Windows, Mac OSX or Linux.

"The Debian build of Firefox 24.4.0esr is Not updated by Mozilla but by Debian." Correct.

"If the 24.4.0esr you are trying to update is actually from Mozilla and not a third-party build then make sure the folder has read/write permissions for that Linux user." It never gets as far as permissions or actually trying to download an update. When Firefox checks with Mozilla using Firefox's internal update check, it comes back as 24.4.0 being the latest version.

"The Firefox tarball from Mozilla.org is certainly not a one time install. " What I meant by one time install is that nobody would go through the effort more than once, and then only if there were extraordinary circumstances.

"If you put it in a folder in Home or make sure the folder has read/write permissions if you put it elsewhere then you should get updates from Mozilla as they are released. " The current version received an update notice from Mozilla. The link tries but never connects with the update server.

"The updates are by .mar files whether on Windows, Mac OSX or Linux. " I've used Firefox for years, with both Windows and Linux. I've never had to deal with .mar files or .tar files, or manually installing. Everything has always been a one-click automated install for both initial installation and updates.

Also, I don't want to perform a manual install unless it is for critical software, like needed drivers, and there is no other way. I would like to let the system do the work of keeping track of everything installed and its update status. I switched to Debian stable for the stability and am generally trying to avoid introducing software from outside of the tested stuff in their repository. The only reason I've pursued this update at all is that it is a security update and installing it shouldn't really affect Debian's status tracking (unless I stick the new version somewhere else).

I'm assuming that sooner or later, Mozilla will fix whatever problems are preventing the update from working correctly, or Debian will put 24.7.0 in their repository.

I'll close the loop on this question since I found a simple solution and it appears that a number of other people have the same problem. The gist of this method appears on a number of sites. I'll extract the key pieces from superuser.com . Linux Mint has a Debian-based version and that repository has Firefox V32. This method loads and installs it from there with just a few commands.

First, you need to preserve the current profile and remove the current version of Firefox. Use the file manager to temporarily rename the profile directory home/.mozilla/firefox to something like home/.mozilla/firefoxsave. Use the software manager to uninstall Firefox 24.4 and it will prompt with any associated files that can also be deleted. Theoretically, you can do this with a terminal command, but my installation had trouble with some kind of naming confusion with Iceweazel even though that wasn't installed.

Use the file manager to open /etc/apt/sources.list. There is a provision under Other Software to add a repository. In that box, paste:

   deb http://packages.linuxmint.com debian import

and close the file. From the terminal:

get the public key (paste these lines):

   sudo gpg --keyserver pgp.mit.edu --recv-keys 3EE67F3D0FF405B2
   sudo gpg --export 3EE67F3D0FF405B2 > 3EE67F3D0FF405B2.gpg
   sudo apt-key add ./3EE67F3D0FF405B2.gpg
   sudo rm ./3EE67F3D0FF405B2.gpg

Then:

   sudo apt-get update

Now you can install Firefox either with another command:

   apt-get install firefox

Or use the software manager. Search on Firefox. The V32 will now be listed along with the 24.4.

After installation, go back to the Firefox profile directory. There will be a new one named firefox created by the installation. Rename or delete that one. Then rename the original directory back to firefox. Use the file manager to go back and open /etc/apt/sources.list and uncheck the Linux Mint entries. Then reboot.