551696 - Last 3 Firefox update installs are followed by Firefox NOT RESPONDING, repeatedly.

Status: RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

(Firefox :: General, defect)

Description

[robertsonm]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1.8) Gecko/20100202 Firefox/3.5.8 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729)
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1.8) Gecko/20100202 Firefox/3.5.8 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729)

Last 3 installs occurred during last 2 weeks, I think.  I did installs on both my Dell laptop with Vista at home and my Dell desktop with Windows XP at work.  In both computers, following the installation of the Firefox update, each time I tried to use it, Firefox became non-responsive. I had to go to Task Manager and End Task.  This is a very frequently-recurring behavior.

Reproducible: Sometimes

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Install new version of Firefox
2. Try to use Firefox. Examples: Google search; local university library catalog.
3.

Comment 1

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

Please give some more info, and test in safe mode. http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Safe+Mode

Comment 2

[robertsonm]

Have now installed Firefox 3.6 and restarted. Problem still occurring randomly.
Today: Opened webpage http://lanecc.edu/, this time on college desktop Dell computer with XP.  Used Google Search Appliance embedded within webpage to do a site search. (Searched for "Printing & Graphics deadlines.") Firefox locked up; had to perform End Task and restart Firefox.
Testing in Safe Mode does not seem like a good use of time, since problem does not occur with consistency.

Comment 3

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

What extensions do you use?
Also, what plugin versions do you use (flash, java, etc)

Comment 4

[robertsonm]

EXTENSIONS: Sorry for my ignorance. Not sure what this means.  (I use applications with extensions of .dwg, .doc and .docx, .xls and .xlsx, .ppt and .pptx, .pdf, .psd, .jpg, .tiff, etc., but that's probably not what you mean. True?)
JAVA: In Program folder (on work XP machine), Java appears to be 1.5.0_08. On home Vista machine, which is not with me at the moment, don't know Java version; however, upon startup Windows often asks for permission to continue with the automatic Java updater.
QUICKTIME: Running 7.5 on work XP machine.
FLASH: I know it often gets invoked at both machines, but can't find where it's listed to give you the current version number. Applications folder on work XP machine shows latest Flash settings are dated 03/09/10.

Comment 5

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

extensions: Addons, firefox extensions, things like adblock plus, google toolbar, flashgot, ghostery, etc. Got ot tools> Addons to see them.

Alright, update your java, because 1.5.0_08 is extremely old. 6 update 18 is the latest. Go to java.com to get it.
quicktime update to 7.6.5 or later.
Flash: make sure it is at version 10.0 r45 or later.
you can see all your plugins by going to about:plugins

Comment 6

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

Reporter, are you still seeing this issue with Firefox 3.6.13 or later in safe mode? If not, please close. These links can help you in your testing.
http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Safe+Mode
http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+profiles

You can also try to reproduce in Firefox 4 Beta 8 or later, there are many improvements in the new version, http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-beta.html

Comment 7

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

No reply, INCOMPLETE. Please retest with Firefox 3.6.13 or later and a new profile (http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+profiles). If you continue to see this issue with the newest firefox and a new profile, then please comment on this bug.