Firefox does not start, multiple firefox.exe apps open

[BigJohnnyCool]

(Per the suggestion of someone else here, I have decided to make this a separate thread, so I apologize for posting a duplicate, and to another thread for posting my problem in there. Regardless, I do hope someone can please help me on this.)

I have been having a problem with Firefox for the past 5 days. It started on the 11th. So far, I've tried the following methods, but with no such luck:

--Restarting my computer
--Disabled all (but one at a time) of my extensions
--Cleared my cache and cookies

Trend Micro (my antivirus software) has not detected any viruses on my computer, and Firefox was never effected by it whatsoever (updates, extensions, etc.) The only other things I haven't tried are starting a "new profile" (which I have no idea what that means,) starting up in safe mode (which I don't know how to do from the start,) and resetting Firefox (which I'm hesitant to do because I don't want to lose all my bookmarks and passwords. Additionally, my problem seems to be different from the one previous stated... Whenever I try to reopen my browser, it "opens" according to the task manager, but it doesn't actually open. Here is a screencap of what I mean.
https://i.imgur.com/Wuqluwf.png

The only instances I am able to get on is to click on a permalink that was posted on another outlet, like Skype for example, by clicking the same link over and over until something appears, in which case, I wind up having to "end process" all the other useless firefox.exe programs excluding the correct one as seen here:
https://i.imgur.com/4NovaVy.png

At this point, my only other option is to use Google Chrome as my default browser, and while I'm not completely against that, there are some things about Firefox that I like too much about it to get rid of it (previewing downloads, Adblock Plus, etc.) Is this that "Startup crash with RelevantKnowledge adware installed." issue that ver. 56.0.1 has unresolved yet? Any sort of input for a newbie here would be greatly appreciated.

[TheVisitor]

Lets get back to basics - try starting in safe-mode and see if Firefox starts up properly without having to launch from an external link.

Hold the 'Shift-key' then while holding that click on the Firefox Icon - you should see a dialog box - click on 'Continue in Safe Mode'
This will temporarily disable your addons and a few internals in Firefox, but the browser should run...

[LIMPET235]

Hi,
Here's the "low-down" on Firefox' Safe Mode...
> http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_Mode

&... Resetting Firefox will not cause the loss of anything.
Please ref: > https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/re ... t-problems
BUT...We do not recommend this, as creating a new Profile is much easier.
Here's some light reading material for you...
> http://kb.mozillazine.org/Creating_a_ne ... on_Windows

[S3ndG]

Hi!
Could you please close your antivirus software temporarily then launch Firefox 56.0.1 ?
Does it work better?
See you.

[DanRaisch]

Could you please close your antivirus software temporarily then launch Firefox 56.0.1 ?

That may be difficult as antivirus software has to protect itself from being shut down by malware. It might be necessary to start the system in Windows Safe Mode with Networking in order to test things with assurance that the antivirus program is not active.

[S3ndG]

That may be difficult as antivirus software has to protect itself from being shut down by malware.

Yes, perhaps.
Kaspersky products have an option that disable self-defense manually, so I guess Trend micro has the same thing...

[BigJohnnyCool]

Lets get back to basics - try starting in safe-mode and see if Firefox starts up properly without having to launch from an external link.

Hold the 'Shift-key' then while holding that click on the Firefox Icon - you should see a dialog box - click on 'Continue in Safe Mode'
This will temporarily disable your addons and a few internals in Firefox, but the browser should run...

That doesn't work for me for some odd reason. Whenever I hold shift and open it, it never gives me the prompt to open up Firefox in 'Safe Mode', it just opens normally. The only way I've been able to open up FF in safe mode is when FF is already open, in the "Open menu"

[DanRaisch]

To what "Open menu" are you referring? Firefox doesn't have a top line menu item named "Open", only the "Open File" option under the File menu.

[LIMPET235]

Could you please close your antivirus software temporarily then launch Firefox 56.0.1 ?

That may be difficult as antivirus software has to protect itself from being shut down by malware. It might be necessary to start the system in Windows Safe Mode with Networking in order to test things with assurance that the antivirus program is not active.

Have you tried what Dan suggested yet?

It may just be your AV?

[BigJohnnyCool]

To what "Open menu" are you referring? Firefox doesn't have a top line menu item named "Open", only the "Open File" option under the File menu.

The button with the 3 black bars in the top right corner of the browser itself.

When you click on the "?" button inside, there's an option that says "Restart with Add-ons Disabled..." I was told that that is "Safe Mode" for Firefox now.

Have you tried what Dan suggested yet?

It may just be your AV?

I've check Trend Micro, and the only sort of involvement it has with Firefox (from what I can see/tell) is that it has a checkbox that reads "Prevent Browser from running malicious scripts on infected websites" under web threats, which is checked, and another that reads "Activate the Firewall Booster to enhance the protection given by windows firewall (...)" under network, which is unchecked.

Is there something I'm missing? I don't want to turn off my anti-virus and put my computer at risk. But I don't know how it might be affecting FF. The only interference I've found of it are 2 add-ons known as "Trend Micro Osprey Firefox Extension" and "Trend Micro BEP Firefox Extension", both of which are already disabled before this problem began.

[LIMPET235]

Could you please close your antivirus software temporarily then launch Firefox 56.0.1 ?

That may be difficult as antivirus software has to protect itself from being shut down by malware. It might be necessary to start the system in Windows Safe Mode with Networking in order to test things with assurance that the antivirus program is not active.

Have you tried what Dan suggested yet?

It may just be your AV?

Please try what Dan suggested & start your computer in F8, Safe Mode with Networking.
This is safe to do.

[Reflective]

Try running Windows System Restore. Your problem with Firefox might be down to a corrupt system file which is preventing it from loading properly.

Before you take that step though, disable your AV. If you right click Trend Micro in the systray there should be an option to quit. This part of the procedure is important because antivirus will determine the attempt to restore to an earlier time as virus-like activity and block it. The OS will subsequently display a message that the restore attempt failed.

When System Restore starts you might not see enough Restore points visible to allow you to wind back the clock to a time when you know Firefox was working properly. If that's the case checkmark the box bottom left to "Show more restore points".

Be aware though that any applications that were installed after the date you choose to restore to will be gone and you'll have to reinstall them again.

If itt doesn't work you can also run SR again and choose to undo the changes which will take you back to where you are right now.

[BigJohnnyCool]

UPDATE: So I was about to try what DanRaisch suggested about Safe Mode and so far the following has just happened...

I was going to restart my computer, but when I hit F8 a few times at the manufacturer page at the startup, I was taken to a strange blue menu that looks nothing like the "Safe Mode" page below:

Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of it, but because it wasn't the Safe Mode Menu, I decided to cancel whatever the page was so as to not make any rash decisions that might have hurt my computer.

Finally once the whole system came online, My AV: Trend Micro had stated that it had just finished updating and I had to restart again. Finally once its update was completed, I found out that I no longer have that strange and annoying problem anymore! Firefox starts up normally now and those disabled AV-related extensions in my addons are gone.

My problem seems to have resolved itself AT THIS TIME. However, if this problem happens again, I shall report it here and try the safe mode option again. If I can find that odd menu from before, I shall take a photo next time. One more thing I have to report at this time is that I notice that are 4 firefox.exe processes running at the same time in the Task Manager. Is this normal? (That "Multi-process feature" Firefox has for mutliple tabs running at once?)

[Brummelchen]

ok, its trend micro again, i read this before in this forum and because of administration no coming forth.
at least any 3rd-party antivirus is more or less pain and causing troubles like this.

[DanRaisch]

It does sound as though the problem may have been the result of Trend Micro's update procedure, which may have "jammed" and not completed as intended until after the reboot cycle.