Solved Firefox or Win7/64 issue?

[speedlever]

For some reason, Firefox will not open an additional instance unless I right click the pinned FF icon and right click the program in the little window and select run as admin.

I checked Chrome and IE, and they both open additional instances of the program simply by rt clicking the icon and left clicking the program.

I've been rebuilding my computer after a HD crash requiring a new HD. This issue is recent within the last few days.. ie, I've had normal multiple FF instances running since the rebuild.

I'm not sure if this is a FF issue or something to do with W7/64.

Any ideas?

 

[zigzag3143]

For some reason, Firefox will not open an additional instance unless I right click the pinned FF icon and right click the program in the little window and select run as admin.

I checked Chrome and IE, and they both open additional instances of the program simply by rt clicking the icon and left clicking the program.

I've been rebuilding my computer after a HD crash requiring a new HD. This issue is recent within the last few days.. ie, I've had normal multiple FF instances running since the rebuild.

I'm not sure if this is a FF issue or something to do with W7/64.

Any ideas?

Just click File>New Window from top bar, or right click the taskbar firefox icon. Works here so suspect it is local to your install.

Ken

 

[Littlemutt]

Firefox has never been able to run more than once instance without using the 'no-remote' option:

Opening a new instance of your Mozilla application with another profile - MozillaZine Knowledge Base

 

[speedlever]

Guys,

I routinely open additional instances of FF on XP, Vista 32 and 64, and Win7/64 all the time. My recent problem is an anomaly. Or else my entire experience with FF stretching back before FF1.0 has been an anomaly.

Ken, your solution works, but it is a work-around. I would like to figure out why my system all-of-a-sudden has decided that I have to either do the file/new window routine or do the double rt click and run as admin to open another FF window.

Littlemutt... I don't understand what you're saying. How does that jive with my prior experience?

 

[mikedl]

I dunno, speedlever, I don't see it on my end. The properties of my Minefield shortcut shows : "C:\Program Files\Minefield\firefox.exe" and nothing else. It always starts a new window whenever I click it or use the right-click "Minefield" option on the taskbar:



But then, I don't have it pinned. I use a quicklinks toolbar for all of my common shortcuts. I get all of the benefits of a "pinned" program but none of the distractions.

BTW, Littlemutt is probably one of the most knowledgeable persons I've ever seen when it comes to FF.

 

[speedlever]

I dunno, speedlever, I don't see it on my end. The properties of my Minefield shortcut shows : "C:\Program Files\Minefield\firefox.exe" and nothing else. It always starts a new window whenever I click it or use the right-click "Minefield" option on the taskbar:

View attachment 124034

But then, I don't have it pinned. I use a quicklinks toolbar for all of my common shortcuts. I get all of the benefits of a "pinned" program but none of the distractions.

BTW, Littlemutt is probably one of the most knowledgeable persons I've ever seen when it comes to FF.

I don't doubt what you're saying. All I'm asking is if FF can't run multiple instances without exercising the no-remote option (which I've never heard of before), how is it that I've been doing it for years?

Also, I've not heard of the quicklinks toolbar you mention either. Where can I learn about it?

And as an update, this morning, FF is back to normal. Rt click the pinned icon, left click the program, and another instance of FF begins running. I leave this computer on 24/7.

Computers!

 

[mikedl]

I dunno, speedlever, I don't see it on my end. The properties of my Minefield shortcut shows : "C:\Program Files\Minefield\firefox.exe" and nothing else. It always starts a new window whenever I click it or use the right-click "Minefield" option on the taskbar:

View attachment 124034

But then, I don't have it pinned. I use a quicklinks toolbar for all of my common shortcuts. I get all of the benefits of a "pinned" program but none of the distractions.

BTW, Littlemutt is probably one of the most knowledgeable persons I've ever seen when it comes to FF.

I don't doubt what you're saying. All I'm asking is if FF can't run multiple instances without exercising the no-remote option (which I've never heard of before), how is it that I've been doing it for years?

Also, I've not heard of the quicklinks toolbar you mention either. Where can I learn about it?

And as an update, this morning, FF is back to normal. Rt click the pinned icon, left click the program, and another instance of FF begins running. I leave this computer on 24/7.

Computers!

Yeah, sometimes they can be frustrating. One of the great reasons for the Seven Forums.

Thanks, speedlever, for letting us know it worked itself out. I also appreciate your reasoned discussion. Had it not worked itself out, I thought by presenting my setup with no issues, we might further delve into the issue you were experiencing. Thankfully, you're good to go now.

As far as the quicklinks toolbar, here is a bit more about that.

This is the way I have mine setup (I only pin the explorer icon to the taskbar, everything else I normally use I launch from the quicklinks bar):

 

[speedlever]

Thanks for the quicklinks info. I bookmarked it and would like to investigate it once I recover from the HD crash and Christmas.

I saw one event a long time ago with FF not wanting to crank up another instance... this was well before the latest HD crash. As I recall, I rebooted the computer and never had any more trouble.

This time, it survived numerous reboots before fixing itself overnight. Go figure.

I appreciate the help from all. I would also like to understand the conflict with FF that Littlemutt mentioned. If I understand correctly, I shouldn't be able to invoke multiple instances of FF unless I have that no-remote option. And yet....

 

[mikedl]

speedlever, I believe Littlemutt is referring to an entirely new instance of FF, not just a new window.

Even with 3 FF windows currently open I still have but one "instance" of FF running:

 

[Littlemutt]

speedlever, I believe Littlemutt is referring to an entirely new instance of FF, not just a new window.

Even with 3 FF windows currently open I still have but one "instance" of FF running:

View attachment 124234

Yes, exactly - multiple instances to me means more than one firefox.exe - would have been clearer if he had stated he could not open new windows.

 

[speedlever]

Apologies for the terminology issue. I thought a new window was a new instance... as opposed to just a new tab in an existing window.

Would a new instance look any different in my taskbar compared to a new window? If not, how are they differentiated?

Lastly, any idea why a new window wouldn't open without going through the hoops mentioned in the OP?

 

[Littlemutt]

Apologies for the terminology issue. I thought a new window was a new instance... as opposed to just a new tab in an existing window.

Would a new instance look any different in my taskbar compared to a new window? If not, how are they differentiated?

Lastly, any idea why a new window wouldn't open without going through the hoops mentioned in the OP?

No problem on the terminology - glad you got it worked out.

A new 'instance' would not look any different in the task-bar. There is no way to tell them apart just like your groupings in the task-bar. Aero-peek will display your tabs in the task-bar, but another 'instance' would still show up in the same manner. You would only truly notice another 'instance' when you have two entries in the task manager with firefox.exe - similiar to what Chrome and IE8/9 do, but per tab instances is not ready for Firefox.

Sorry, I have no idea why the hoops were required - as someone stated: 'Computers'

 

[speedlever]

Thanks Littlemutt. Good info.