Did you try with Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode? https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/diagnose-firefox-issues-using-troubleshoot-mode

Did you clear the browser cache and startup? see screenshot https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-clear-firefox-cache

tnx to jonzn4SUSE for the suggestion of using troubleshoot mode. i found that firefox started much faster with the various bits disabled. what i dont understand is when i start firefox ordinarily, i have no pop-up blockers etc enabled anyway and that includes the inbuilt pop-up blocker, ie, all are switched off, so what has changed from how i have firefox start and how trouble shoot mode starts? this is very perplexing!

kevpc

Post a screenshot so we can see how many add-ons are installed when in normal mode?

hope i've added the images correctly.

may i also ask, why is it that when i turn off the options for firefox to collect and use data, when i check the next day, all 3 options are ticked again? surely i shouldn't have to do this every day. once selected or de-selected, that's how things should stay unless i change them

My options have been unchecked for sometime. see screenshot For the slow startup, I would disable Mcafee, restart and see if it makes a difference.

Mcafee... I'm not a fan and it's not in the add-on store. If it's not on the add-on site, there must be security reasons.

i dont use Mcafee, it isn't on my machine. the 'M' you can see is for gmail.

any idea on the other issue i've mentioned?