A problem with Firefox on a used/rebuilt Dell Inspiron laptop

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  1. Posts : 326
    windows 7 home 32 bit, I just changed back from 64 to 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #11

    I did the "limiting cache to zero and clearing cache" bit again. That lasted a few days. I did the "reset Firefox". That lasted a while. I got tired of this and I del Firefox and the whole ball of wax that goes with it. The whole Firefox dir with the profile and everything else that has to do with Firefox except for the bookmarks. I reinstalled Firefox completely clean. Only time will tell if Firefox is permanently fixed. So far Firefox is working 100%. If Firefox starts acting up again. I guess it is time to wipe the C drive partition and start over again clean from the backup cd's.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,102
    OEM Windows 7 Ult (x64) SP1
       #12

    reble said:
    I got tired of this and I del Firefox and the whole ball of wax that goes with it. The whole Firefox dir with the profile and everything else that has to do with Firefox except for the bookmarks. I reinstalled Firefox completely clean. Only time will tell if Firefox is permanently fixed. So far Firefox is working 100%.
    There may have been less destructive, less bridge-burning ways to resolve the issue, as mentioned in my previous reply, with links to a step-wise troubleshooting process.

    But, if you removed the program (and its files) AND your profile (except perhaps bookmarks), then that OUGHT to fix it "permanently"..... UNLESS there is something else going on with your system (hardware issues, networking/bandwidth issues, software conflicts (e.g. security programs), even malware).

    Despite no data to substantiate this (e.g. diagnostic logs for your system), I have a feeling that the Firefox "slowness" you report is a symptom of something else wrong. So, reinstalling Fx over and over may or may not provide a longstanding solution.

    If Firefox starts acting up again. I guess it is time to wipe the C drive partition and start over again clean from the backup cd's.
    That would be the "nuclear" option, and it would be a bit extreme to fix ONLY a problem with one browser.
    But, it would have been a good initial step upon taking delivery of a "used" computer anyway.
    Sometimes it's best to start fresh, especially if you are having other performance and stability issues...

    Let us know how it goes.

    Thanks,
    MM
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 326
    windows 7 home 32 bit, I just changed back from 64 to 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #13

    I did wipe the hard drive clean just after I got it. It had win 8.1 in it. I was having a lot of trouble figuring out Win 8.1 and went back to win7 that I know. I normly used Win7 Home 32 bit. But this time I though I would give the 64 bit a try. And by the way Firefox is slowing down again. The delay in seconds is slowly creeping up again. And this time it was only around 5 hours after I cleaned out Firefox and it is acting up again.

    [QUOTE=MoxieMomma;3290452]
    reble said:
    If Firefox starts acting up again. I guess it is time to wipe the C drive partition and start over again clean from the backup cd's.
    That would be the "nuclear" option, and it would be a bit extreme to fix ONLY a problem with one browser.
    But, it would have been a good initial step upon taking delivery of a "used" computer anyway.
    Sometimes it's best to start fresh, especially if you are having other performance and stability issues...

    Let us know how it goes.

    Thanks,
    MM
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 1,102
    OEM Windows 7 Ult (x64) SP1
       #14

    Hi:

    Well, I'm really at a loss.
    If a clean reinstall of Fx with a new, bare profile performs poorly, then the problem must be somewhere else, as already suggested (your hardware, your bandwidth/networking/internet speed, software conflicts, perhaps even malware, etc. etc. etc.).

    It seems you recently reported a similar problem with a different computer here?
    a problem with firefox

    That would seem to point to something that both computers have in common (e.g. your internet speed or perhaps security applications?)?

    Have you tried any of the steps listed in the tutorials mentioned in my other reply here?

    Otherwise, without a bit of data, it's hard to diagnose a subjective report of "slowness".

    Perhaps -- for the one computer reported here in this thread -- some basic diagnostic logs might help to point to a cause. If you wish, please download and save to your desktop the version of FRST for your architecture (32-bit or 64-bit). Then temporarily pause your AV to run it. It will produce 2 logs (FRST.txt and Addition.txt). Please ATTACH them to your next reply. Be sure to re-enable your AV.
    (Other data, e.g. a Speccy log, may be needed. But the FRST logs are a good start.)

    Thanks,

    MM
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 4,776
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #15

    Why don't you try Cyberfox (uses it's own profile) and see if that works any better?

    Here's a link to the 32bit Intel optimized version:

    Cyberfox Intel Version x86 >> Cyberfox

    Test it and see if you get the same problem.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 4,776
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #16

    Suggest running ZHP Cleaner

    Run a scan and if items of concern are found do not select the repair option. Instead upload the report that will be saved to your desktop and exit the program.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 326
    windows 7 home 32 bit, I just changed back from 64 to 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #17

    I think I found the problem. When I install Firefox I add New Tab Override (browser.newtab.url replacement) :: Add-ons for Firefox so I have a blank page when I open a new tab. If I don't there is all kinds of screens in the new tab of web pages that I have looked at and some pages that I didn't look at. See the attached picture. I forgot to add the new tab override untill last night. This shows the new tab before the tab override is in place. I installed the tab override last night. And I have been on Firefox all day hunting for a screen capture app for a tablet that I am working on. So far Firefox is working fine.

    Steve
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails A problem with Firefox on a used/rebuilt Dell Inspiron laptop-new-tab.jpg  
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 1,102
    OEM Windows 7 Ult (x64) SP1
       #18

    Hi:

    I'm glad you were able to resolve your issue.

    When you reinstalled Firefox from scratch, it sounded from your description as if the problem re-occurred even in a brand new, BARE profile. That pointed to something outside Firefox itself.
    Even so, I am a bit surprised that running Firefox without the New Tab Override add-on would be so problematic.
    I suppose that, if one does not keep the Firefox cache and history to a minimum, the load of "most visited sites" could clutter the new tab page and *perhaps* slow down Firefox on a slower system. But that would likely only happen if you had a LOT of content-heavy "most visited" sites...

    FWIW As explained HERE, it's not entirely necessary to install a 3rd-party add-on in order to customize the New Tab page. There is an easier way -- within Firefox -- to change the new tab page to blank. See here.:)

    Having said all that, if your problems are resolved by installing that add-on to create a blank new tab page, then I guess we should all be happy.:) And perhaps the info will help other users who are bogged down by a cluttered new tab page.

    Thanks for reporting your favorable outcome.

    Cheers,
    MM

    P.S. As for the unrelated topic of finding a screen capture app for an (Android? Windows?) tablet, that might be best handled in a new, separate thread in a more relevant forum. There are many options for the Android platform and many others for Windows, both free and paid.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 326
    windows 7 home 32 bit, I just changed back from 64 to 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #19

    The old way of going into "about:config: to change the "about:blank" has been removed from the "about:config". The "about:config" was getting 2 messed up by malware and so on. This add on comes right from the horses mouth

    Steve

    MoxieMomma said:
    Hi:

    I'm glad you were able to resolve your issue.

    I am a bit surprised that running Firefox without the New Tab Override add-on would be so problematic.
    I suppose that, if one does not keep the Firefox cache and history to a minimum, the load of "most visited sites" could clutter the new tab page and *perhaps* slow down Firefox on a slower system. But that would likely only happen if you had a LOT of content-heavy "most visited" sites...

    FWIW As explained HERE, it's not entirely necessary to install a 3rd-party add-on in order to customize the New Tab page. There is an easier way -- within Firefox -- to change the new tab page to blank. See here.:)



    Thanks for reporting your favorable outcome.

    Cheers,
    MM
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 1,102
    OEM Windows 7 Ult (x64) SP1
       #20

    Hi:

    reble said:
    The old way of going into "about:config: to change the "about:blank" has been removed from the "about:config". The "about:config" was getting 2 messed up by malware and so on.
    I'm not sure what you mean about "getting 2 messed up by malware"?
    "about:config" works just fine for me under Fx 49.0.1
    Yes, browser.newtab.url was removed a while back (version 41) for security reasons, but see below...


    This add on comes right from the horses mouth
    Yes, the New Tab Override add-on is one option, but it's not necessary.
    All that's needed is to select the "show blank page" option after clicking the cogwheel icon.
    See here.
    The extension merely permits further customization, e.g. hiding all new tab controls and selecting a custom new tab URL.

    If Firefox performance were drastically impacted for many/all users by showing the "top sites" tiles in a new tab (default setting), then Mozilla probably would code Fx accordingly, rather than relying on 3rd-party add-on developers to perform a vital function?
    I've never used the New Tab Override extension on any system and have never experienced slow-downs using the "show blank page" option within Fx. So Fx can work just fine without it.

    But that's the beauty of Fx -- it allows for infinite customization through the use of add-ons and settings.
    And if installing that extension resolves the issue that was plaguing Fx on your system, then that's the best outcome of all.:)

    Cheers,
    MM
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails A problem with Firefox on a used/rebuilt Dell Inspiron laptop-blank-newtab-2016-10-17_4-57-53.png  
      My Computer


 
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