Couldn't load XPCOM.

User Help for Mozilla Firefox
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jb8484
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Joined: September 19th, 2013, 2:59 pm

Couldn't load XPCOM.

Post by jb8484 »

I keep getting this message when I try to open Firefox. I've tried to uninstall firefox to reinstall, but it won't let me uninstall. I tried downloading Firefox again, but it stays on the downloading page for hours. I have not been able to open IE either, tho I can open Chrome
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DanRaisch
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Joined: September 23rd, 2004, 8:57 pm
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Re: Couldn't load XPCOM.

Post by DanRaisch »

What is happening when you try to uninstall Firefox?
Does the same thing occur if you launch the application in Mozilla Safe Mode? http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_mode
jb8484
Posts: 4
Joined: September 19th, 2013, 2:59 pm

Re: Couldn't load XPCOM.

Post by jb8484 »

Nothing happens when I try to uninstall. I click on it and get the little circle for a few seconds then it quits. I get the same message when I try to open in safe mode
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DanRaisch
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Re: Couldn't load XPCOM.

Post by DanRaisch »

Close all applications and reboot the computer.
Delete any downloaded or partially downloaded installer files.
Clear the browser cache (of whatever browser you are using to download FF) and the Windows Temp directory.
Shutdown any anti-virus software you are running.
Download a new copy of the full installer from www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all
Delete the directory C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox
Run the installer.
Restart the anti-virus program.
jb8484
Posts: 4
Joined: September 19th, 2013, 2:59 pm

Re: Couldn't load XPCOM.

Post by jb8484 »

When you say shutdown the antivirus, do you mean to uninstall it? I have Microsoft Essentials and I run Malware Bytes periodically. Also when I cleared the temp directory, there were two items I could not clear, FXSAPIDebugLogFile ( which said it was active in IE, which I can't open either) and AdobeARM
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DanRaisch
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Re: Couldn't load XPCOM.

Post by DanRaisch »

No, you don't need to uninstall the anti-virus. You can remove it from Windows start up program list and reboot the system so it is not active.

Those two items in the Windows Temp directory will not be a problem. The point of clearing that directory is to A) ensure that the directory is not over full with files and B) to delete any previously downloaded updater or installer files for Firefox so they will not be involved in this attempt to install.
jb8484
Posts: 4
Joined: September 19th, 2013, 2:59 pm

Re: Couldn't load XPCOM.

Post by jb8484 »

Thanks for trying to help me. I have been slow about following all this. I'm going to try it again today, otherwise, I'll just take the darn thing in. I was hoping to fix the issues myself, but I'm not even sure the Firefox thing is a big issue because I can do what I want with Chrome.
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