Solved Firefox keeps flickering. . .

[PwnFrnzy]

So I turn on my crap computer today just like I o everyday and open Firefox, about 30 seconds after opening I open my bookmarks and it flickers for a second. I'm like "Okay, minor glitch."
I open Seven Forums and I sign in and click the general discussion link and Firefox says "Not Responding" and goes white, then when it comes back I click general discussion again and Firefox flickers again, then I click a few more times with flickers until it finally opens the General Discussion page.
So I open another tab, "Not Responding" for about 10 seconds and I open Cnet, and I click on the Seven Forums tab and it flickers again, clicking a few more times with flickers until opening the Seven Forums tab.
So I keep getting flickers when I click a link/tab and random times when it goes to "Not Responding" for about 10 seconds. I thought a reinstall would work, but add-ons are a (female dog) to install.
It seems Firefox becomes more and more worse as the version number increases, any help?

 

[mikedl]

Hi, PwnFrzny!

Which version are you using? Are you using the beta, pre-beta or the release version, 3.6.13?

Have you tried a new profile? Re-installing add-ons should not be difficult unless you've customized them after the fact. Please keep us informed.

 

[PwnFrnzy]

Yes, I'm using a current release version (3.6.13).
I closed and re-opened Firefox, it seems to have lessened the amount of times the problems consist, but I still get the problem here and there.

 

[mikedl]

Hi, again, PwnFrnzy.

Have you attempted to use a fresh profile?

Hold the "Shift" key as you start FF and select a few options available. Sorry, I'm tracking the BCS game right now and will present a screenshot and a bit more information after the game is over.

Congrats to Auburn ... great game!

PwnFrnzy, try "Continue in Safe Mode" and see if the issue persists. If it doesn't, you'll need to disable your add-ons one at a time (or disable them all and re-enable them one at a time) until the issue is no longer present, or returns, depending on the method you choose. You will then have found the culprit.

 

[EzioAuditore]

Or as suggested before try creating a new profile. Here's a tutorial- How to Create a New Profile in Firefox | eHow.com
Have you recently installed any add-on or plugin after which this started to happen?

 

[PwnFrnzy]

No add-ons or plug-ins were installed before the problems, I however had been using a cleaner called "Advanced System Care" ans had reversed all of it's changes due to it's questionable Registry cleaner/editor. I then re ran it to see if the problems would b4e resolved but it's still glitching and has started to open new Firefox windows randomly on the tab that I'm working on/viewing.
I have tried the two options you have both presented, but both have also failed.
If re-installing Firefox fails, I believe that a clean and re-install of Windows would be the only way to resolve the problem.

 

[mikedl]

Hi, again, PwnFrnzy!

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "has started to open new Firefox windows randomly on the tab that I'm working on/viewing", do you mean you are getting a lot of pop-up? If so, perhaps you have been infected by malware? Don't worry - if so, it can be easily taken care of, usually.

I look forward to your next reply, PwnFrnzy. BTW, about your sig; it's fine! Stick around a while and one of the GFX members will present you with a masterpiece (not that there is anything at all wrong with yours).

 

[PwnFrnzy]

A pop-up does not come up, I always have multiple tabs open while browsing, then I would click on one of the other tabs while Firefox flickers into a seizure, then a moment later the tab Iwas trying to switch to would open in a different Window. I've been on for 5 minutes so far and there has been no issue. If it comes up again I will do the re-install, since my last post was made while I was at school.
But I will run a scan with Malwarebytes anyway to see if something comes up.

I doubt I will get a "masterpiece" signature like you said, but hopefully I will get lucky.

 

[mikedl]

Yeah, PwnFrnzy, I always have multiple tabs and multiple browser windows open whenever I browse, too.

I'm happy the issue appears to be somewhat abated at the moment. It appears you know what to do if, in fact, it might be malware induced and, please, keep us informed.

As far as the "masterpiece sig" ... we'll see ...

 

[PwnFrnzy]

It seems the problem has disappeared, it's been almost 2 hours and the issue I previously had is no longer coming up, odd.
Thanks for the support!

 

[mikedl]

Thanks, PwnFrnzy, for the update. I'm keepin' my fingers crossed!

If it returns, we'll be here to help!

 

[ninjasninja]

I have this same problem, too. On a new computer with Windows 7, Firefox 3.6.13, no add-ons.

It just randomly says "Not Responding" for anywhere from 5-30 seconds and sometimes freezes permanently. While this is happening, the Firefox windows almost turn completely white.

It seems like it happens randomly. I'll have FF open for a number of hours with no issues at all, and then it randomly starts. Once it starts, I know to save all my work ASAP because it's going to keep freezing and unfreezing until it finally freezes for good and I have to kill the process.

 

[Irene]

There is lots of information about reasons for Firefox 'hanging' (not responding) in numerous situations in the following: Firefox hangs | Troubleshooting | Firefox Help

 

[ninjasninja]

None of that info is specific to Windows 7. I've used Firefox since it first came out without issue until Windows 7.

I wasn't able to get a screenshot of the faded white screen, but I got one of the error message this time:

It seems that many people are reporting this issue online but a fix has not been found yet (other than to use another browser).

Are there any reported conflicts between Firefox and Windows 7? Is it a compatibility thing? Do I have to run it in like XP or Vista compatibility mode or something? Cuz obviously there's something not jiving with Windows 7.

 

[ninjasninja]

It just happened again (imagine that). I got a screenshot of it this time. See how everything in the background turned white? That happened about 10 seconds before it crashed.

I am Ari Gold pissed right now. It just randomly happened while I was working on something and I lost some work I was working on in another browser.

This is infuriating, rendering FF essentially unusable in Windows 7 because it may crash at any time without warning. Does anyone have a fix for this problem yet?

edit - for those of you who don't watch Entourage, this is Ari Gold pissed (language warning)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkC92MraU8s

 

[Irene]

If I were you, I would change my Windows 7 Theme.

Looks like that is the problem to me...

 

[ninjasninja]

If I were you, I would change my Windows 7 Theme.

Looks like that is the problem to me...

How does the theme affect Firefox compatibility?

I've only had Windows 7 for like a week. There were a few themes but I just picked this one cuz the colors were ok.

 

[Irene]

How does the theme affect Firefox compatibility?

I've only had Windows 7 for like a week. There were a few themes but I just picked this one cuz the colors were ok.

Theme management was in the background of your screen print. I just wondered if FF had some problem with it.

I would think that it's worth a try changing it, albeit temporarily - you can always go back to it if it doesn't make any difference.

 

[ninjasninja]

How does the theme affect Firefox compatibility?

I've only had Windows 7 for like a week. There were a few themes but I just picked this one cuz the colors were ok.

Theme management was in the background of your screen print. I just wondered if FF had some problem with it.

I would think that it's worth a try changing it, albeit temporarily - you can always go back to it if it doesn't make any difference.

Oh, that was theme management for a WordPress blog, not for Windows or Firefox That was just the webpage I was on when it crashed.

 

[MilesAhead]

Are you using a Firefox theme by chance? I got a lot of problems updating Firefox that seemed to go away if I uninstalled, then installed Gradient iCool. Other themes may also make things weird. I'd try the vanilla FF install and see what happens. Or maybe back off to 3.6.9 which I'm using on W7 with no problem.

Of course now I only use FF as backup browser. My default is Chromium. So I don't run FF often enough to get hit with a lot of glitches. Still, 3.6.9 has been pretty stable from what I can see.