Firefox Has Died and Never Loads Any Website (RESOLVED)

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skuddle
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Joined: September 8th, 2012, 9:46 am

Firefox Has Died and Never Loads Any Website (RESOLVED)

Post by skuddle »

Using Firefox 59.0.2 on a Win 10 Home computer. FF starts okay as it has over the last year but....

Now when I click any bookmark, its URL does not appear in the address bar at the top of the FF page, nor does it appear in the New Tab at the top of the page. If I right-click any bookmark and select "Open in a new tab", the bookmark's URL appears in the address bar and in the tab, and the little black dot moves side to side but again, the page will not load.

The last thing I did is install HostMan version 4.7.105. I then downloaded about 3.5MB of HOSTS, and then opened Firefox.

A different Win 10 computer that is connected to the same router and cable modem has no problem connecting to any website. I am sending this message from a third computer (Win Vista), also connected to the same router and cable modem.

I am at a complete loss as to where to begin troubleshooting, and any help would really be appreciated.
Last edited by skuddle on April 17th, 2018, 4:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
* HP Pavilion Desktop 510-p114
* Windows 10 Home 22H2 19045.4046
* Firefox 124; Thunderbird 115.8
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malliz
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Re: Firefox Has Died and Never Loads Any Website

Post by malliz »

skuddle wrote: The last thing I did is install HostMan version 4.7.105. I then downloaded about 3.5MB of HOSTS, and then opened Firefox.
And you don't think that could be the problem?
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skuddle
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Re: Firefox Has Died and Never Loads Any Website

Post by skuddle »

I have since removed HostMan from the Win 10 system and registry.
* HP Pavilion Desktop 510-p114
* Windows 10 Home 22H2 19045.4046
* Firefox 124; Thunderbird 115.8
skuddle
Posts: 334
Joined: September 8th, 2012, 9:46 am

Re: Firefox Has Died and Never Loads Any Website

Post by skuddle »

And Thunderbird also starts but does not connect.
* HP Pavilion Desktop 510-p114
* Windows 10 Home 22H2 19045.4046
* Firefox 124; Thunderbird 115.8
skuddle
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Joined: September 8th, 2012, 9:46 am

Re: Firefox Has Died and Never Loads Any Website

Post by skuddle »

>>And you don't think that could be the problem?<<
Yes, I'm thinking that my HOSTS file is causing the problem. HOSTS.bak is 1kB in size, and HOSTS is over 17MB in size. Now I need to find out how I can edit or replace it in Win 10.
* HP Pavilion Desktop 510-p114
* Windows 10 Home 22H2 19045.4046
* Firefox 124; Thunderbird 115.8
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ghot
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Re: Firefox Has Died and Never Loads Any Website

Post by ghot »

Just rename HOSTS to HOSTS.old and rename HOSTS.bak to HOSTS.

You might have to right click those files and remove the Read Only check mark so you can rename them. Afterwards, put the Read Only check mark, back.
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therube
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Re: Firefox Has Died and Never Loads Any Website

Post by therube »

And Thunderbird also starts but does not connect.
And Internet Explorer?
Fire 750, bring back 250.
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skuddle
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Re: Firefox Has Died and Never Loads Any Website

Post by skuddle »

I think I fixed my problem. (Internet Explorer also showed the same symptom.)
After trying a zillion "fixes" explaining how to save (or delete, or replace) the HOSTS file in Windows 10 (and none of them worked), I finally found how to start Win 10 in the Safe mode. By doing that, I could then delete my HOSTS file and rename HOSTS.bak to HOSTS. Then I restarted the computer normally and voila! Everything works fine!

Here are the steps I used:

1. To boot Win 10 in the Safe mode, first press Win+R and the type "msconfig". After a few seconds the System Configuration window will open.

2. In the Boot tab of the System Configuration window, place a check in Safe boot and in Minimal.

3. Click Apply and then OK.

4. Reboot the computer. It will look like a normal boot, but you will see that things are missing from the System Tray. You can now edit, save, delete, or rename the HOSTS file.

5. When you are finished, be sure to go back and remove the check from the Safe Boot option in System Configuration > Boot, then reboot the computer.
* HP Pavilion Desktop 510-p114
* Windows 10 Home 22H2 19045.4046
* Firefox 124; Thunderbird 115.8
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DanRaisch
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Re: Firefox Has Died and Never Loads Any Website (RESOLVED)

Post by DanRaisch »

Moving to MozillaZine Tech as this was not a Firefox issue.
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