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Every time I turn on my computer and open Firefox all my add ons are open in tabs and I have to enable all of them all the time, how can I fix this?

  • 15 replies
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  • Last reply by ghosts1

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I'm using Firefox v. 20.0.1 and Windows 7 Home premium 64 bit.

I'm using Firefox v. 20.0.1 and Windows 7 Home premium 64 bit.

All Replies (15)

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hello, this sounds like the files in your profile folder that store the information about your extensions might have become corrupted. please go to firefox > help > troubleshooting information > profile - show folder... then windows explorer should open up your profile folder. in there look for the files named extensions.ini, extensions.sqlite, extensions.sqlite-journal (and in some cases also extensions.txt, extensions.rdf). delete or rename those files and quit firefox, they will be regenerated the next time you launch firefox.

also see Corrupt extension files

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You can also check for problems with preferences and rename or delete the prefs.js file and possible numbered prefs-##.js files and a possible user.js file to reset all prefs to the default values.

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Thanks philipp and cor-el, your solutions are working at this time! If the problem comes up again I'll know where to come to get help!

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I hate to say this but the problem is back, do I need to continue to delete the extensions files or is there another solution?

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Which security software (firewall, anti-virus) do you have?

It should be necessary to confirm that you want to install third-party extensions.
This usually indicates that other software is messing with files in the profile folder and is corrupting them.
This can either be the extensions.sqlite database file or the prefs.js that stores first run prefs (the first is the most likely cause).

Do you have any cleanup software running on a schedule that may be causing this?


Delete the extensions.* files (e.g. extensions.sqlite, extensions.ini) and compatibility.ini in the Firefox profile folder to reset the extensions registry.

New files will be created when required.

See "Corrupt extension files":

If you see disabled, not compatible, extensions in "Tools > Add-ons > Extensions" then click the Tools button at the left end side of the Search Bar ("Find Updates" button in older Firefox versions) to check if there is a compatibility update available.

If this hasn't helped then also try to delete the addons.sqlite file.

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Thanks cor-el! I have Bitdefender Security Suite for firewall, antivirus, etc. I haven't set up any cleaning software to run on a schedule I use it when I'm the computer and turn it off when I'm done.

I will follow these instructions and let you know how it does. I have a file named "extension.log" should I delete that one too.

Thanks for your help!

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Yes, you can delete the extensions.log file as well.

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You're welcome.

Did it have any positive effect in solving your problem?

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Unfortunately it didn't help. This time when I tried to delete the files it wouldn't let me while Firefox was running, I found instructions on how to open my profile folder with Firefox closed and was able to delete the files that way but it did not help.

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Boot the computer in Windows Safe Mode with network support (press F8 on the boot screen) as a test to see if that helps.

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Okay I'll give it a try, how do I get it out of safe mode?

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Just reboot the computer normally without pressing F8 and making a different choice.

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Thanks cor-el, I am going to be tied up the next couple days and may not get to work on this problem until I'm done, will let you know when I get that checked out and may go back and start from scratch and do everything again.

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Hi cor-el, I restarted the computer in safe mode and unfortunately it didn't help either, still having the same problem.