Problem Downloading From Web Links - Kindly Help Please

[marcbkk]

There was no problem before, but suddenly I can't seem to download files from links within web pages using Firefox.

If there is a link to download a PDF, EXE, or ZIP file for example, nothing happens when I click on the download link on the web page. And when I right click on a link there is no longer any option to "Save File As" from the drop down menu either.

I probably either installed a Firefox add-on extension or changed some setting by mistake to cause this problem, but not sure what I did.

Is there anywhere I can go in settings and change something to get downloads working again please?

By the way, I am running Firefox 54.0.1 (32 Bit)

Thank you...

[Grumpus]

The way to tell if it is due to an extensions is to start Firefox in Safe Mode.
If you pass yur mouse over the klink does it show in the lower right or left hand of the Firefox window.
Are you blocking any JavaScript, sometimes if your are there will be a notation , Javascript-void possibly and some number instead of the url in the lower left or right.

[DanRaisch]

Also see this article http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_sav ... load_files

[marcbkk]

@Grumpus - Thank you. Yes, the links show in the lower left hand of Firefox when I hover over them. I am also not getting any Javascript error messages. I am not sure though how to run in Safe Mode to test the problem.

@DanRaisch - Thank you so much for the link. I had seen that before, but there is so much in there I was a bit overwhelmed by all the possible issues and it does not seem like many of would apply to my problem.

I have since though identified the issue a bit more closely and have put up a post on the Mozilla site. If you have a moment please kindly see my post as it will give more information on exactly when the problem occurs. Thank you.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1168050

[DanRaisch]

To run in Safe Mode you can use menu path Help->"Restart with Add-ons disabled".
Or you can start with Firefox closed and the hold down the Shift key while clicking on the desktop shortcut for Firefox.

[Grumpus]

On /Tools/Options/General/Downloads tab/page do you have, "Always ask where to save files" checked along with . . .
. . . /Tools/Options/Applications/ (whichever of the filetypes) also set to ask?

Also still try it in safe mode if above does not solve the issue.

[marcbkk]

Thank you both again. On /Tools/Options/General/Downloads I have it just set to save to Desktop, which never has been a problem before. I also tried changing that temporarily to "Always ask you where to save files", but it didn't resolve the problem.

I just did a Safe Boot though and it fixed the problem. Then I thought it would be as simple as disabling my extensions one by one to figure out which extension is the culprit. But that didn't work.

Eventually I disabled all extensions manually, with restarting Firefox each time I disabled another one, but the problem still existed in the end once all were disabled. So it seems Safe Boot may have something more or different than just disabling my extensions, but I don't know.

Scratching my head now in bewilderment.

[DanRaisch]

If no improvement with extensions disabled, do you have the same problem if you create a new profile and test it with no extensions or non-default themes installed?
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager
and
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Creating_a_ne ... on_Windows

[marcbkk]

Thanks. I created a new test profile and the problem went away. But the new profile contains none of my settings. Would rather not have to set everything up again in a new profile if it can be avoided so I am back to using my Default profile. Thanks.

[Brummelchen]

transfer data to new profile
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_ ... _-_Firefox


additional:
create a new profile
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Creating_a_ne ... on_Windows
or
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager

or reset your firefox profile to keep bookmarks and other stuff, read here please
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/re ... d-settings
(keeping bookmarks, history, passwords, cookies, form data aso.)

HTH

[marcbkk]

Thanks. I copied the existing data from my current profile over to the new profile using the instructions on the above link, but so many things are missing. I don't think that is really the way to go. Is there any way to fix the problem with my current profile so that I don't have to get rid of the profile and use a new one? Thanks.

[DanRaisch]

Not knowing what the specific issue with the old profile is, it's impossible to answer that question. What sorts of things are missing after the transfer.

[marcbkk]

Thanks. All extensions are missing and all options settings are not set either. I copied everything though according to the link here: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_ ... _-_Firefox

[DanRaisch]

When completed correctly that process should result in the new profile looking like the old, both in terms of extensions and settings. Try copying the directory C:\Users\WINUSERID\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\PROFILENAME_default\extensions from the old profile to the equivalent location in the new profile to get the extensions in place.

[marcbkk]

Thanks. Did that now. I still had to install all the extensions one by one, but it at least knew which ones to install after I copied the directory. Also, all my preferences set in the extensions are missing and all my content type settings under Options - Applications are different as well.