The Reset Firefox feature can fix many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information. Note: This will cause you to lose any Extensions, Open websites, and some Preferences.

To Reset Firefox do the following:

1. Go to Firefox > Help > Troubleshooting Information.
2. Click the "Reset Firefox" button.
3. Firefox will close and reset. After Firefox is done, it will show a window with the information that is imported. Click Finish.
4. Firefox will open with all factory defaults applied.

Further information can be found in the Refresh Firefox - reset add-ons and settings article.

Did this fix your problems? Please report back to us!

Hello Garethjkt, probably the problem is an extension that isn't working correct. Try Firefox Safe Mode to see if the problem goes away. Safe Mode is a troubleshooting mode, which disables most add-ons.

(If you're not using it, switch to the Default theme.)

• You can open Firefox 4.0+ in Safe Mode by holding the Shift key when you open the Firefox desktop or Start menu shortcut.
• Or open the Help menu and click on the Restart with Add-ons Disabled... menu item while Firefox is running.

Once you get the pop-up, just select "'Start in Safe Mode"

If the issue is not present in Firefox Safe Mode, your problem is probably caused by an extension, and you need to figure out which one. Please follow the Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems article for that.

To exit the Firefox Safe Mode, just close Firefox and wait a few seconds before opening Firefox for normal use again.

When you figure out what's causing your issues, please let us know. It might help other users who have the same problem.

thank you

I've noticed some intermittent problems with Google lately where search just hangs. It often lasts for a few hours. So this might be temporary.

When you have a problem with one particular site, a good "first thing to try" is clearing your Firefox cache and deleting your saved cookies for the site.

(1) Bypass Firefox's Cache

You can clear Firefox's cache completely using:

orange Firefox button (or Tools menu) > Options > Advanced

On the Network mini-tab > Cached Web Content : "Clear Now"

If you have a large hard drive, this might take a few minutes.

(2) Remove your google.com cookies (save any pending work first).

While viewing a page on the site:

• right-click and choose View Page Info > Security > "View Cookies"
• Alt+t (open the classic Tools menu) > Page Info > Security > "View Cookies"

This opens a dialog where you can remove your individual Google cookies. This will have the side effects of logging you out and resetting some preferences, e.g., whether you use instant prediction/number of results.

Then try searching again. Any improvement?

You can check if you still have the XML files of the default search engines including Google in the searchplugins folder in the Firefox program folder.
If not then you need to reinstall Firefox.

Try to use the SearchReset extension to reset some preferences to the default values.

• https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/searchreset/

Note that the SearchReset extension only runs once and then uninstalls automatically, so it won't show on the "Firefox > Add-ons" page (about:addons).

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_search_or_add_new_engines

Thanks for the replies.

I had already cleared the cache and tried safe mode, that didn't help the problem.

Deleted a couple of recently installed programmes, then cleared the cache, uninstalled firefox and re-downloaded it, checked for updates and all of the above! It is now working.

I believe it was a video editing programme that caused the problem but I can't be sure, so thanks for the advice and all replies were helpful.