Firefox "stopped" and pages won't load.

[unkfrank]

I have the same problem... using Windows Vista Home Premium, FF 3.0.10

Add-ons:
Adblock Plus 1.0.2
Roboform 6.9.93
Firebug 1.3.3
Gmail notifier 0.6.3.11
IE Tab 1.5.20090207
Noscript 1.9.2.4
Web Developer 1.1.6
Xmarks 3.0.2

I use Zone Alarm Free and Avast (used to use AVG). I've tried installing FF on a new drive with a new profile and no add-ons, disabling the firewall and anti-virus, and this still happens. A page loads (the site doesn't matter - happens everywhere). I try and click any link on the page and "Stopped" appears in the status bar. I can close FF but can't restart because a message saying 'Firefox is already running'. I can't close the process down using Task Manager so have to reboot. And the reboot seems to take longer when doing it in this situation than a normal shutdown or reboot. Hope someone has an answer (or did I miss it elsewhere?). And it's been happening for at least the last 4 or 5 release upadtes.

[Leahi]

I've had the same problem with FF not loading pages. I can't even stop the process in Task Manager. I'm running Vista Home Premium, SP1. I do have Zone Alarm installed. I've quit Zone Alarm and the problem continues. My next step, I guess, will be to uninstall Zone Alarm to see if there are any residue of that program running when I quit it. I'm at my wits end and don't know what else to do.

[jasmine]

Does anyone have any suggestions for this problem?? I was hoping the new upgrade would fix it, but I've had to shut down and restart my computer twice just today.

Anyone?

[dsmith]

I've had this problem several times in the last few days. At first I thought it was my network connection going down (and that was in fact the case on one occasion), but all other network-connected programs on the computer continue to run fine, so I'm trying to find a cause.

On two occasions it occurred after sitting idle for several hours/overnight while uTorrent was also running. I'm going to try leaving the browser in safe mode tonight with uTorrent up and see if it happens again.

For reference, installed extensions from Extension List Dumper (installed solely for this info) are:

Application: Firefox 3.5.1 (20090715094852)
Operating System: WINNT (x86-msvc) [Note: WinXP Pro SP3]

- Adblock Plus 1.1
- Brief 1.2.1
- ColorZilla 2.0.2
- Download Statusbar 0.9.6.5
- Easy DragToGo 1.1.2.4
- Extension List Dumper 1.14.2
- Firebug 1.4.0
- Firefox Showcase 0.9.5
- FireFTP 1.0.5
- Japanese-English Dictionary for rikaichan 1.10
- Java Console 6.0.07
- Java Console 6.0.10
- Java Console 6.0.12
- Java Console 6.0.13
- Java Console 6.0.14
- Java Quick Starter 1.0
- MeasureIt 0.3.9
- Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant 1.1
- NoScript 1.9.6.9
- PasswordMaker 1.7.2
- Rikaichan 1.06
- Skype extension for Firefox 2.2.0.102
- Stylish 1.0.5
- Undo Closed Tabs Button 3.5.1
- Xmarks 3.1.0


Current profile is new for 3.5 final release, using exported/imported bookmarks from a 3.5 beta profile. No info from previous profile was copied over directly; passwords are reentered as needed, no history from old profile was kept, extensions were freshly reinstalled, etc.


-- Result: Left on overnight, did not lock up.

[storm0722]

none of my pages will load either does anyone have a solution to this madness. my internet connection is fine but it wont load any pages

[dsmith]

I've had some other issues with FF crashing, and after some advice on bugzilla and tracking things for a couple days, was able to determine that the Skype extension was causing unrestrained memory growth which eventually led to the program crashing (crashed once with total FF memory usage at 1.25 GB, once at 1.8 GB).

Having removed Skype, however, I've re-encountered the problem of FF not being able to load pages. So, at the least, it's not related to that particular extension.

I have found, however, that if I shutdown FF for about 10 minutes (just shutdown/restart won't work) it can load pages again. Ping/Tracert/SVN all still work while FF is unable to load pages.

[iantresman]

I've also had Firefox v3.5.4 report "Stopped" in the status bar, usually after running Azureus for long periods of time, but it has also happened with running it at all. About 20% of time when rebooting, I get a message that Skype is having problems closing down. And 95% of the time, it can also typically take 5 minutes to log-off, and the boot sequence restarts. After upgrading from Vista to Windows 7, I plan to ditch Zone Alarm and move over to the free personal Comodo Firewall. I also find that if I quit Firefox and restart after several minutes, it can start up again.

Significant software

• Windows Vista with Service Pack 2
• Firefox v3.5.4 (default theme)
• Skype 4.1.0.136
• ZoneAlarm Pro 8.0.059.000 (expired)

Addons

• Aardvark 2.97
• CacheViewer 0.96
• ColorZilla 2.0.2
• DowloadHelper 4.6.4
• Firebug 1.4.3
• FireFTP 1.0.6
• IE Tab 1.5.20090525
• Image Zoom 0.3.1
• MeasurIt 0.3.9
• Nightly Tester Tools 2.0.2
• Page Speed 1.3.0.1
• PC Sync 2 Synchronisation Extension 1.0.0.713 (incompatible, disabled)
• PhZilla 3.5.1B
• QuickJava 0.4.2.1
• Remove It Permanently 1.0.6.6
• Save Images 0.5.3
• Site Information Tool 1.2
• Tab Control 0.5.1
• Unhide Passwords 1.2.4
• Unofficial Google Translate Firefox extension 1.4
• Update Scanner 3.0.5

[LoudNoise]

What happens in safe mode? http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_mode

Also see http://kb.mozillazine.org/Problematic_extensions

FYI, since this thread now has about 10 billion different problems listed I am going to lock it after we have finished with the folks who are here. If you have a problem please start a new thread if you are not already involved in this thread.

[rubmop]

LoudNoise, This thread doesn't have 10 billion problems it has one that has been posted 10 billion times on countless threads with NO solution. If you would go back and READ the posts, most start with "I have the same problem". I quit using FireFox for the problem stated here ( after converting our entire office to FireFox) and only stop back by occasionally to update and see if the problem is fixed. When FireFox encounters the problem that has been ongoing for some time, I go to Chrome, open the same page and am up and running while FF is still going in circles. If you don't have a solution, the least you can do is acknowledge the problem.

[wtpjoco]

Uhm... has something the same problem, that the images wont shown on google?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no..
I use a iMac

[iantresman]

I would be tempted to leave the thread open. There may be many different posts on the same problem, but someone might discover a common cause, or see a pattern that we have all overlooked.

I can confirm that when when Firefox shows "stopped", that I can still access my email, suggesting that it is not a general Internet problem. I forget to try MS Internet Explorer, which would indicate whether it is a general Web problem.

[LoudNoise]

Again, has anyone tried safe mode as suggested above?

[jasmine]

I would be tempted to leave the thread open. There may be many different posts on the same problem, but someone might discover a common cause, or see a pattern that we have all overlooked.

I can confirm that when when Firefox shows "stopped", that I can still access my email, suggesting that it is not a general Internet problem. I forget to try MS Internet Explorer, which would indicate whether it is a general Web problem.

iantresman, Your instincts are correct. After suffering and I do mean SUFFERING with this problem for over a year and seriously thinking about giving up FF, I finally diagnosed the problem. At least for me.

Zone Alarm.

malliz seems to be suggesting in this thread that ZA might be the problem but I discounted it since I've used FF and Zone Alarm together for years without any problems. But something mentioned in another site made me investigate it recently.

Since one of the issues I had was being unable to shut down FF in Task Manager, the first thing I did was remove all instances of FF in Zone Alarm's listed programs. Sure enough once I did, I was able to shut down FF in Task Manager. I decided at that point (having been so completely frustrated with this issue) to see how I'd make out without it. I uninstalled Zone Alarm and am using PC Tools firewall and haven't had this issue since.

I would strongly suggest a sticky be added to the forums about this. This has been over a year of internet hell

[LoudNoise]

Actually, a quick search of the board for Zone Alarm would have brought up a ton of ZA/Firefox/Vista posts. That is why Malliz suggested it. We don't make this stuff up.

Ok folks, there are at least two issues here. One is ZA, the other is most likely to do with extensions.

[jasmine]

Sure. But I was searching using keywords for my particular issue and none of the posts that came up during my searches mentioned ZA.
Until now
Hopefully this will help someone else.
Thanks for all the help everyone.