This page documents information on common Live Chat issues to assist helpers in solving users' problems. Updated advice on each issue and weekly data on which issues are most common are maintained here. If you are experiencing one of these issues, follow the advice from the knowledge base articles, instructions, and/or forum threads that are linked. For a list of common issues under investigation, see Weekly Common Issues. If you are new to Live Chat and want to get started, see Helping with Live Chat.

As a helper, it is useful to know as much as possible about the issues users are facing. If you are getting started, this page is an excellent way to learn about common situations that arise with users. If you have helped before but have been gone for awhile, information from this page can give you a brief overview of new issues that users are asking about.

If you learn new information about any issue listed here, make sure to share it with other contributors. You can discuss issues in the Contributors chatroom, post information on the Contributors forum, or post comments in knowledge base articles. It is important that new information is shared so that contributors can keep the knowledge base updated.

Indice dei contenuti

Issue report for November 12-21, 2008 (Firefox 3.0.4 release)

These are the most common issues from the 3.0.4 release in live chat. Expand below for the full report.

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Issue report for November 3-9, 2008

These were the most common issues from this week. The most common issue this week was various sqlite problems. Expand below for the full report.

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Common issues

This list contains the most common issues that users face, as well as new issues that need investigation. Any issues needing investigation or documentation should have issue threads in the contributors forum. Any new information learned about any of these issues should be posted on the contributors forum.

Problems with Firefox not able to start or run properly

Firefox crashes

When Firefox crashes, it is important to verify all details, especially triggers the crash. If the Informazioni su Mozilla Crash Reporter triggers (verify the crash dialog to see), you can view the crash report to try to determine the cause. Most common causes for crashes are documented in the knowledge base, see Firefox si chiude inaspettatamente. Some of the most common crashes are listed below.

  1. Firefox crashes when starting, documented at Firefox si chiude inaspettatamente appena viene avviato
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  2. Crash on downloading files
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  3. "Random" crashes, or crashes when browsing
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Firefox keeps asking to reboot the computer after installing

    • Background: When the Firefox installer can't write files when installing, it will normally finish when the computer is restarted. In this case, Firefox displays the message "The program must close to allow a previous installation attempt to complete. Please restart". However, if these files are still not accessible after rebooting, Firefox will continue displaying this error message.
    • KB status: Needs documentation
    • Suggested action: Perform a clean installation to solve install folder issues.

Error when starting Firefox

    • Background: Errors when starting Firefox have documented solutions. See the knowledge base article corresponding to the specific error. (Expand below for a list)
    • - Firefox is already running but not responding?
    • Impossibile inizializzare il componente per la sicurezza
    • This application has failed to start because was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.
      • This is caused by locked or missing files in the Firefox installation folder. Frequent causes include anti-virus software, malware, and disk corruption. A clean installation usually fixes this problem by restoring the install folder.
    • The program must close to allow a previous installation attempt to complete. Please restart.
    • Firefox has crashed - see Firefox crashes above.

Nothing happens when starting Firefox

Certain data lost, not saved, or broken

A number of distinct issues result in bookmarks, cookies, history, and/or settings being:

  • Lost (Old data is gone, but new data is properly saved)
  • Not saved (some data may be available, but any changes are not saved after closing Firefox)
  • Broken (features don't work, new data can't be stored, errors may result)

Causes for these issues include corrupt files, misbehaving extensions, disk errors, and certain security software. Always remember to verify information and respect users' data. Verifying information is important to distinguish which issue a user is facing. Never assume - always ask! See the links below

Problems accessing or storing bookmarks and/or history

  1. Bookmarks lost, but new bookmarks save properly
    • Status: Fully documented at Perdita dei segnalibri
    • - Background: Symptoms include only default bookmarks displaying,
    • Related issues: profile missing
    • Suggested action: Restore bookmark backups as instructed in the knowledge base. If there is an error importing, see bookmarks error. If there are no bookmark backups available, the entire profile may be missing.
  2. Bookmarks, history, homepage, and/or back+forward buttons not working
    • Status: Documentation at I segnalibri e i pulsanti non funzionano dopo l'aggiornamento
    • - Background: This issue has several causes, all related to the places.sqlite and/or places.sqlite-journal files in the profile folder. The most frequent cause of this issue is certain versions of Norton 360 causing the Firefox process to hang on exit, locking certain files.
    • Symptoms:
      • Cannot add or change bookmarks
      • Bookmarks and/or history are blank
      • Home button in toolbar won't work
      • Back/Forward buttons in toolbar won't work
      • The Error Console contains errors related to places, history, or bookmarks
    • Issue status: More info wanted, post any new details in the Issue Thread]
    • Suggested action: Follow the steps below, and report any new information in the issue thread above.
      • Cause 1: Check for multiple Firefox processes, which may be locking files
        1. If Windows is used, ask about Norton 360 and get a list of all extensions. If there are multiple processes and Norton 360 is present, it is likely to be related.
        2. If Norton 360 is present, make sure it is fully updated. This issue has been fixed for many users already, and it is being worked on further by Symantec. Expired versions of Norton 360 need to be removed since they cannot be updated.
        3. If Norton 360 is fully updated an the problem continues, follow the workarounds in the knowledge base article.
      • Cause 2: If there are no multiple Firefox processes, this can be caused by extensions, especailly ones that extend bookmark functionality
        1. Check the list of extensions and try Firefox in safe mode
        2. If Safe Mode fixed the problem, figure out which extension is causing the issue and report it in the issue thread linked above. If the problem still occurs with no extensions, continue below.
      • Cause 3: If there are no multiple Firefox processes extensions are not causing this,it is likely caused by corrupt or locked data files.
        1. Verify that the user is indeed having a bookmarks file issue by checking the Error Console for places, bookmarks, or history errors.
        2. Follow the steps under Corrupt sqlite files in the profile folder
      • Other causes: If bookmarks are still not working, this could be a case of corrupt application files, security software blocking access to the file, disk corruption, or other less common cases. Perform Procedure standard per la risoluzione dei problemi and ask about this in the contributors forum or chatroom.
  3. Bookmarks (and/or history) revert on exit, changes not saved
    • Status: More information needed, samples of corrupted places.sqlite files wanted
    • - Background: This issue can be caused by corruption of places.sqlite, by errors writing to places.sqlite, or by certain misbehaving extensions.
    • Symptoms: Bookmarks work properly, but changes are lost when Firefox is restarted.
    • Suggested action:
      1. Disable all extensions, restart Firefox
      2. If changes are still not remembered, check for sqlite corruption by following the instructions for corrupt files in the profile folder, renaming places.sqlite and places.sqlite-journal.
      3. If possible, obtain a copy of any corrupt files for investigation.

Website logins (cookies) not remembered after restarting Firefox

  • Status: More information needed, KB documentation needed
  • Background: Users often check a box on websites such as Yahoo to stay logged in for 2 weeks or longer, even after closing the browser. These websites use Gestione dei cookie for this long-term storage of logins. There are several causes for this not working as expected.
  • Symptoms: Logging out after closing Firefox, not staying logged in, website forget preferences, "always have to log in", "have to enter password"
  • Suggested action: Check for each cause listed below, preferably in the order listed.
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    1. Erase all existing cookies, and inform the user that this data is being lost
      • Open the Tools menu and select Clear Private Data. Uncheck all boxes except cookies, then press Clear Now. This may end any live chat session.
    2. Have the user verify again that the problem still occurs after restarting Firefox.
    3. If the problem still continues, a corrupt database is likely. follow the steps to fix a corrupt sqlite file, renaming cookies.sqlite and cookies.sqlite-journal.

Corrupt sqlite files in the profile folder

This can be the cause of several different issues. Before assuming that files are corrupt, always follow the troubleshooting steps for the issue being experienced. These issues include lost, missing, or broken bookmarks and cookies not properly kept after closing Firefox.

Corruption in sqlite files is rare and often caused by factors such as turning off a computer without shutting down or closing Firefox. We are actively investigating this issue. If possible, ask people with suspected database corruption to send affected files for analysis. Always inform the user of the potential for private data in files such as cookies.sqlite (all current logins) and places.sqlite (all bookmarks and history). All files containing private data should be sent to a Mozilla employee with a @mozilla.com e-mail address, ask in the Contributors chatroom for someone to accept the file.

  • Steps to follow
  1. Identify all corrupt files. Know which features aren't working and where Firefox stores data. Make sure you have disabled extensions before assuming database corruption.
  2. If one of the corrupt files is places.sqlite (bookmarks and history), make a backup of any working bookmarks
  3. Quit Firefox completely.
  4. Rename the corrupt database files in the profile folder so that they will be recreated. For each database, rename both the .sqlite and the .sqlite-journal file.
    • Example: for Bookmarks, this is both places.sqlite and places.sqlite-journal
  5. Restart Firefox. If places.sqlite was renamed, the last automatic bookmark backup should be imported.
    • If the bookmarks backup is not restored after renaming places.sqlite, see the instructions at Perdita dei segnalibri to restore them.
  6. Verify that the original symptoms are resolved. If they are not, the user may not have had a database corruption issue. In this case, verify information again and check again for other causes, such as extensions and hard disk errors.
  7. If possible, obtain a copy of all corrupt files for investigation.

Preferences not saved when closing Firefox

  • Status: Documentation needed for each symptom caused by this, support investigation needed
  • Background: Preferences are stored in the prefs.js file in the profile folder. If set preferences are not retained, there may be issues writing to this file. Some extensions are also known to cause this.
  • Symptoms: The symptoms for preferences not saving are vast. They include:
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  • Suggested action
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Problems with individual websites

For any problem with a specific website, ask for the url and check the site yourself. (If the site is password protected, this will not be possible - never accept any login credentials for testing!) If the site works properly for you, do some basic troubleshooting to find the problem. See Siti web non visualizzati correttamente for general answers to specific websites being broken in Firefox. Below are some common issues with sites breaking.

Logging into Yahoo or MSN/Hotmail returns user to login page, log-ins don't work

  • Status: Support/QA investigation needed, Documentation needed
  • Background: Logging into Yahoo may result in the user being looped back to the login page. This is usually caused by an extension (eg. Yahoo Toolbar) and/or a bad cookie
  • Investigation: You can help us understand this issue by finding which extensions cause this and which security software is on affected computers.
  • Suggested action: Make sure the issue happens with extensions disabled, then remove cookies from the misbehaving website.

Hotmail messages never load

  • Status:
  • Suggested action: Force reload!!!!!!!!!!! the page

Accidental image exceptions cause websites to break

  • Background: Users can accidentally block certain servers from loading images by right-clicking an image and choosing "Block images from this website"
  • KB status: Documented at Images do not load?
  • Suggested action: Check image exceptions as suggested in the knowledge base.

Bad items in cache can cause sites to look wrong

  • Background: Bad network connections and misbehaving reverse proxies can cause incomplete or bad data in the cache. Clearing it resolves many issues of "broken" websites
  • KB status: Documented at Siti web non visualizzati correttamente
  • Suggested action: Clear the cache as instructed in the knowledge base.

Bad cookies with individual websites

  • Suggested action: Clear cookies for misbehaving websites!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Problems with many (or all) websites

Some issues cause problems with accessing many or all websites. Listed below are some of the most common of these

Connection issues after upgrading due to firewall

  • Status: Documented at Impossibile connettersi dopo l'aggiornamento di Firefox, support investigation needed
  • Background: Many firewalls block Firefox after it has been updated, especially if the software is expired. This is not Firefox's fault; the security software must be configured to not block an updated Firefox. This usually happens when the security software is not updated.
  • Symptoms
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  • Investigation: Always obtain the exact product name and version of all security software when you see this issue. Let the Contributors chatroom know which software is causing this.
  • Suggested action: Documented in the knowledge base, expand below for details.
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Firefox is working in offline mode

  • Background: On some systems, Firefox can enter offline mode unexpectedly, resulting in an error page when going to all websites. This can be easily fixed by leaving Offline Mode.
  • KB status: Documented at Firefox cannot load websites but other programs can
  • Suggested action: Disable Offline Mode with File->Work Offline

Issues using or installing plugins

Flash Player will not install

  • Status: Needs KB documentation
  • Background: Flash player can produce errors when installing. Since Flash is important to most Firefox users, it's important that we support this. Flash player not working after the install completes successfully is a different issue.
  • Suggested action:
    • Verify the exact error. Make sure the user is downloading Flash from Adobe's web site.
    • If the installer says to close Firefox, make sure the user is exiting completely with File...Quit (Mac) or File...Exit (Windows/Linux). If it still won't work, Firefox may be hanging.
    • If the installer complains about lack of disk space on Windows, make sure that the user has a "C" drive. The Flash player doesn't work properly if no "C" drive exists.

Flash Player does not work after installing

  • Status: Needs more information (You can help!)
  • Background: Flash player installs itself to different locations depending on the operating system. This issue is limited to Windows, where the MozillaPlugins registry key can be corrupt
  • Issue status: Needs investigation by Adobe
  • Suggested action
    • See if the plugin is actually missing. Check Tools...Add-Ons...Plugins and look for Shockwave Flash. If the plugin is listed, make sure it is enabled, then check extensions
    • Only if the plugin is not listed, continue with these steps
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      1. Find the Flash library, named npswf32.dll (Windows), Flash Player (Mac), libflashplayer.so (Linux). The install folder can vary; it is usually C:\Program Files\Adobe\Flash Player on Windows.
      2. Copy the file to the Plugins folder (Windows), ~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins (Mac), or ~/.mozilla/plugins (Linux). On Windows, the Plugins folder is usually C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\Plugins.
      3. Restart Firefox, verify that the plugin is installed.

Flash video stops after 2 seconds, sound not working

Turner media plugin doesn't play videos properly

Videos don't play on sites that use Silverlight

Sound does not work

  • Background: Web sites usually use plugins to play sound. Popular plugins include Flash, Windows Media Player, Quicktime, and Silverlight. Several issues can cause sound to not be played. Always make sure that the sound problem is limited to Firefox before proceeding.
  • Potential causes
    • Vista Volume Mixer: Firefox can be turned down in Windows Vista's volume mixer. In this case, Firefox's volume simply needs to be turned up. See a tutorial on using the Volume Mixer for help. In this case, all plugins are affected
    • Misconfigured sound devices can cause the wrong device to be used. Check other browsers and the sound configuration; try rebooting the computer.
    • If only Flash is affected, try restarting the plugin. It is also possible that the sound is actually turned down in the Flash player itself - in this case, manually turn up the volume inside a flash video.
  • Note: Testcases are available to determine where sound isn't working.

Problems with Firefox misbehaving

Download blocked by Security Zone Policy

  • Status: Documented in knowledge base
  • Background: On Windows, system settings ("Security Zone" preferences) can cause all downloads to be blocked by Firefox 3's download scanner, which uses the "IAttachmentExecute" Windows interface to determine when to block downloads.
  • Suggested action:

Files erased after download is complete, but Firefox shows the download as successful

  • Status: More information needed (You can help!)
  • Background: This is caused by security software or malware that deletes files on download; this usually affects both Internet Explorer and Firefox 3. It does not affect older Firefox versions, as older versions did not notify the operating system of downloaded files.
  • Suggested action: Check security software to see which is deleting files

Printing issues, various

  • Documented at (()),

Firefox does not offer to save the session when closing multiple tabs

  • Background: By default, Firefox saves tabs when Firefox crashes or when "Save Tabs" is chosen on exit. Several settings and extensions can interfere with this, resulting in unexpected behavior.
  • Potential causes and solutions
    • Extensions that extend tab and/or session behavior, such as Tab Mix Plus
      • Solution: disabled extensions? to restore default behavior
    • Firefox set to "show my windows and tabs from last time"
    • Firefox not set to "ask me when closing multiple windows or tabs"
    • Firefox set to clear private data when I close Firefox

Wrong action used for downloaded files, attachments

  • Background: Firefox 3 introduced a new Applications configuration interface for controlling actions (save file, open with plugin, open with application, or ask) for each mime type. This interface can be used to correct problems users have with certain file types.
  • Suggested action: Find out what the "mime type" of the file is, and check the Applications configuration to see what action is selected. (Some web servers return bad mime types, so the a given file type may not correspond to the proper mime type in Applications.)

Mail client does not load properly

  • Background: Firefox loads the user's mail client for "mailto" links and for the "Send Link" feature in the File menu. If this feature is not working, either Firefox's setting for "mailto" or the system default mail client may be misconfigured. By default, Firefox uses the system default mail client.
  • Suggested action: If a mail client is not loading, first check the program or web application associated with mailto in the applications configuration.

Questions about Firefox features, misunderstandings, and feature requests

Problems and issues using bookmarks

  1. Undesired bookmarks in Smart Location Bar (Awesome Bar)
    • Background: Users may not understand why the location bar does not clear, or may not know why bookmarks are listed. The Hide Unvisted extension can help users who want to hide bookmarks from the location bar autocomplete. Improvements to allow more customization are coming in Firefox 3.5. (bug 455561)
    • Status: Documented in the knowledge base at Impossibile cancellare la cronologia dalla Barra degli indirizzi
  1. Desired changes to the Smart Location Bar
  1. User confused about Unfiled Bookmarks and/or how to file bookmarks into folders

Deleting an item from history

  • Background: Many users want to delete either specific sites, or all sites, from their history. Note that many users who can't delete sites from history are actually referring to bookmarks, which can't be deleted using this method
  • - Method 1: clearing one site from history
    1. Enter part of the site's name in the Barra degli indirizzi intelligente, until the desired site is listed
    2. Use the Down Arrow button on the keyboard to select the entry to delete
    3. Press Delete on the keyboard to remove the item
  • Method 2: To remove all history, see Eliminare i dati personali

How to transfer bookmarks or data to a new computer

Blocking certain websites, parental control

Many users want to install parental controls in Firefox. Some extensions block certain sites, but these extensions don't provide security and can be worked around by a determined user. There are extensions that may work for some users, all of which can be downloaded from addons.mozilla.org.

  • ProCon Latte - parental control extension
  • Glubble - parental control for young children, locks down Firefox to approved sites
  • BlockSite - useful to block individual websites