Extensions dissappear in Firefox 33.1.1
The issue occured two days ago. After updating to Firefox 33.1, most of my extensions have dissappeared. List of extensions: NoScript, Adblock plus, Adblock plus pop-up addon, Element hiding helper for Adblock plus, Multirow bookmarks toolbar, X-notifier, WOT, VKfox, вконтакте.ру downloader, Avast (switched off), Epubreader, Add to search bar.
My antivirus software: Avast 2015 free edition with all the updates.
Extensions which do not dissappear: Adblock plus, WOT, Epubreader, Avast online security (switched off).
What happens: yesterday I launched browser (Firefox 33.1) and found out that most of my extensions had dissappeared. I looked through Firefox system folders (Appdata/ and Program files/) - there were no signs of extensions, as if I had never installed them. I added them back. Surprisingly, all settings of extensions were okay. The next day this issue happened again. I thought it was some malware, so I ran antivirus checking. Avast found nothing. Next thing I thought of was: maybe Firefox does that itself? So, I installed all the extensions. Then I closed browser and immediately opened it again. Extensions were at their place. I thought that the issue was solved. Today, I switched my computer on, opened Firefox, guess what happened? Correct, no extensions (except for the four abovementioned ones). I re-installed Firefox, issue still exists. The only thing I found out - extensions dissappear with time. Today, my computer was switched on the whole day. I closed Firefox, left the computer for few hours. When I came back, there were no extensions, again.
What I am going to do now - check the system for malware again, with Dr.Web's CureIt utility. If it doesn't find anything, then, I will install the older version of Firefox and try it. Google Chrome works well, no problems with extensions (but I have only 2 installed for Chrome).
P.S. Almost forgot, bookmarks are okay, settings do not change, search engines are at their place too. But DuckDuckGo keeps appearing in list of search engines after uninstallation. So, I think that issue is in Firefox.
Isisombululo esikhethiwe
It seems that Avast has created a multitude of issues recently with its Firefox add-ons. http://www.ghacks.net/2014/10/31/avasts-https-scanning-interferes-with-firefox-and-other-programs/ http://www.ghacks.net/2014/11/16/latest-avast-reportedly-deleting-firefox-add-ons/
Try forcing a manual update for Avast, repeatedly if necessary to get the latest version of those add-ons. Or see Avast support.
Funda le mpendulo ngokuhambisana nalesi sihloko 👍 3All Replies (8)
It is possible that there is a problem with the file(s) that store the extensions registry.
Delete the extensions.* files (e.g. extensions.json, extensions.sqlite, extensions.ini) and compatibility.ini in the Firefox profile folder to reset the extensions registry.
New files will be created when required.
You can use this button to go to the currently used Firefox profile folder:
- Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Show Folder (Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder)
See "Corrupt extension files":
- http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_install_themes_or_extensions
- https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Unable+to+install+add-ons
If you see disabled or not compatible extensions in "Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions" then click the Tools button at the left end of the Search bar to check if there is a compatibility update available.
You can check for problems with preferences.
Delete possible user.js and numbered prefs-##.js files and rename (or delete) the prefs.js file to reset all prefs to the default value including prefs set via user.js and prefs that are no longer supported in the current Firefox release.
"Delete the extensions.* files (e.g. extensions.json, extensions.sqlite, extensions.ini) and compatibility.ini in the Firefox profile folder to reset the extensions registry." - I have tried, it didn't help.
I do not have an issue with not compatible or disabled extensions. They get installed properly and work properly. But dissappear few hours later.
Next thing I am going to try is to delete user.js. Hope this will help. If not, then I consider Firefox 33.1.x as the browser not for me and get back to older version.
Update.
When I faced this extensions issue, FIrefox version was 33.1. Then it have updated to 33.1.1. So I found out new issue: when I launch the browser, there are no extensions buttons (x-notifier's button, for example). If I go to extensions menu, I can see the whole list of extensions as installed and working. But when I try to do anything with them (go to extension's settings), browser freezes. It does not react any actions, so I have to close the firefox process via task manager. After I launch browser back, extensions dissappear from extensions menu as well.
having this issue, though my extensions are 'forgotten' entirely.
The same problem is reported by several users at https://forum.mozilla-russia.org/viewtopic.php?pid=668217#p668217.
I know this is in Russian, so not many will be able to read this. There are only 4 messages regarding the matter. There is also a link, which make situation more or less clear.
http://www.ghacks.net/2014/11/16/latest-avast-reportedly-deleting-firefox-add-ons/
Comments to those news add some information.
As for myself, I am going to wait for couple of weeks till the issue is solved either by Avast or by Mozilla. If not, I am going to change my antivirus protection and see what happens. If it doesn't help, I will have to move to Chrome, although I find it less comfortable to use.
Isisombululo Esikhethiwe
It seems that Avast has created a multitude of issues recently with its Firefox add-ons. http://www.ghacks.net/2014/10/31/avasts-https-scanning-interferes-with-firefox-and-other-programs/ http://www.ghacks.net/2014/11/16/latest-avast-reportedly-deleting-firefox-add-ons/
Try forcing a manual update for Avast, repeatedly if necessary to get the latest version of those add-ons. Or see Avast support.
Manual update of Avast program itself looks like a help.
At least, I have all of the extensions at their places after reboot. If anyone still has this problem, try manual update of Avast, as it was suggested above by the-edmeister
The Avast update issue was the cause for me. ''''Thanks a ton for finding this and for posting the solution''''. It was as simple as manually updating Avast.
Everytime I opened FF (regardless of which profile), I'd lose at least 3 of my most important extensions (Tab Mix Plus/Session Mgr., Multiple Tab Handler, Classic Theme Restorer). In conjunction with that, I'd lose all my tab configurations, toolbar configurations, and so forth. It was definitely a headache I didn't need, so thanks for the solution.