Unable to restore minimized FireFox from taskbar

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vonpookie
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Joined: March 27th, 2006, 9:19 am

Unable to restore minimized FireFox from taskbar

Post by vonpookie »

On my PC at work, I do not use FireFox maximized, preferring to keep it to a certain size in the middle of the screen. Every now and then when I minimize the browser, I am unable to 'restore' it from the taskbar by clicking on it. It acts as if it has come up again--the taskbar button is selected as it should be when the program is active--but nothing is displayed. Right-clicking on the taskbar button only gives me the options to Minimize, Maximize, Move or Close. The only way I can bring the browser up again is to maximize it. 'Move' does nothing when the browser is minimized (or 'active' but not displayed) and is completely irrelevant when the browser is maximized. The only way I can return the browser to the desired size is to close and restart.

When I then restart FireFox, it opens to the size of a small rectangle:
Image

I am able to click and drag the window edges to the size I want, and everything is fine. Until the next time it happens and I have to resize it again.

I have tried searching on this issue now and then and have yet to find anything. Has anyone else seen this before? Is there a way to fix it or at least a reason for why it happens?

Thanks.
old np
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Post by old np »

vonpookie
Posts: 14
Joined: March 27th, 2006, 9:19 am

Post by vonpookie »

Window size or position not remembered at startup


Would that actually apply here, though? I'm just confused. I mean, I can see how it would apply to me getting the tiny window as in the screenshot, but my main problem isn't when it starts up. My main issue is that it refuses to restore from the taskbar now and then. I only get that wonky window when I am forced to restart FireFox because it won't come up again.
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dickvl
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Post by dickvl »

You can try to rename localstore.rdf (e.g. localstore.rdf.sav) to test if that solves it.
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palswim
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Re: Unable to restore minimized FireFox from taskbar

Post by palswim »

I'm actually having this problem in Firefox 4, although it only seems to happen after starting Firefox and having it try to restore all of my windows/tabs from the previous session.

Firefox will start and then minimize most of the windows after loading them. Every so often, one of the windows I wish to select won't open like I would expect. I'll try clicking on its Taskbar tile a few times before hitting Alt+Space. This will open the Restore/Minimize/Maximize/Close context menu in the top left corner of my screen. If I select move, press an arrow key, then start moving my mouse, the tiny window outline will appear and I can place it wherever I would like it on my screen. But, once I've placed it, I just have a tiny window for the browser, and I then have to drag it back to the right size.
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palswim
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Re: Unable to restore minimized FireFox from taskbar

Post by palswim »

Now with some screenshots.

Some time after exiting my Firefox session, I start Firefox again. After Firefox starts, you'll see that the window I've selected as well as a few others look different than the normal browser previews in the first screenshot.

When I select the tile, no window appears on my screen. I can't do much, but I can hit Alt+Space to activate the window context menu, which pops up to indicate that the window does exist somewhere in the nether regions beyond the top and left corner of my screen:
Image

I can select "Maximize", which will maximize the browser window. I can also select move, which will change the cursor to the move multi-directional arrows (at least in the default Windows cursor scheme). I can then strike an arrow key and then move my mouse to move the window to the position that I would desire. The small window appears:
Image
(Note that I have my mouse over the Minimize button, which takes precedence over the Firefox button, I discovered.)

From there, I can resize the window to the size that I would like it:
Image

If I exit and start Firefox again, the tiny windows which I haven't moved re-sized will stay in their small and hiding states.
Minimizer
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Re: Unable to restore minimized FireFox from taskbar

Post by Minimizer »

After a crash in FF4, I am seeing the same problem with about 10 firefox taskbar entries that would not restore to their proper position when clicked on the taskbar. It appears that the firefox window state was saved such that it's positioned far off from the visible desktop area as a tiny box. I remember seeing this in older versions of FF prior to v3.6 (never saw it happen in the last 3.6 version before the update).

Luckily there are work arounds where you can right-click on the taskbar entry, select move, and then press a cursor key to pop the tiny window back to the mouse cursor on the desktop area where it's visible again and can be resized back to what it used to be.
prakashindia
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Re: Unable to restore minimized FireFox from taskbar

Post by prakashindia »

If you panicked :oops: wid this issue than simply follow these steps....

1- simply move mouse cursor to minimize firefox preview in taskbar.
2. than press - alt + spacebar.
3. you will get any windows top of the your desktop screeen(near my computer icon).
4 u will see some option like - move, minimize, maximixe.
5. than clik on maximize.
6. now you will see firefox will maximize.
7. and last just move your cursor to top of your browser (blank space) than click and mouse curser anywhere and your browser in minimize mode...

DOn,t forget to say THanks..... =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>
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DanRaisch
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Re: Unable to restore minimized FireFox from taskbar

Post by DanRaisch »

Thanks for your post but you've replied to a thread that's been dead for a year. It's doubtful the OP was still waiting for a solution.
Locking this due to the age of the original posts.
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