Error: Program must close to allow a previous installation..

[Guest]

anyone can help me with this problem??
i'm run out of ideas on how to fix this ........
since yesterday when i tried to open my FF
suddenly my CPU usage become 100%
then i tried to uninstall n install it
i received that error but i still can used in safe mode
right now i can't open safe mode
and i received that error again
how to solve it?

[Alice]

Guest,

The "already running but is not responding" Firefox error is a different problem. In most cases, closing all Firefox running processes is all that is needed. If Firefox still won't open, even after a fresh reboot, read through this article for other ways to "unlock" your Firefox profile:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/profile_in_use

[dickvl]

It is possible that you do not have a profile folder (if you deleted that as well): in that case use the profile manager to create a (new) profile.
See: Profile Manager (KB)

[Alice]

More information, from http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_in_use

Check the profile folder name and location

If Firefox or Thunderbird cannot find the profile folder it will report that the profile is in use or, in Firefox 1.5 or Thunderbird 1.5 and later, that it is "already running, but is not responding". This may occur if <snip> you manually deleted, renamed or moved the profile folder (bug 278860). <snip>
Note: If you deleted your only profile folder, have no backup to restore and are now seeing the "already running, but is not responding" error, delete or rename the "profiles.ini" file (or its parent Firefox or Thunderbird folder) in the profile folder path. A new profile will be created when Firefox or Thunderbird is restarted.
<snip>
Restoring data from a locked profile

If you are unable to unlock the profile using the above methods, use the Profile Managerto create a new profile (if necessary) and migrate your datafrom the locked to the new profile.

[debay777]

I am getting the program must close window. I have tried all of the methods in the first 2 0r 3 pages of this forum. I am using win vista beta 5744. I tried to erase the xp cleanup file. no results. I checked the task manager, no firefox applicatiosna were running. Please help. I HATE IE, and love FF and I want it back.

[Alice]

The ""The program must close to allow a previous installation attempt to complete. Please restart." message was a common Firefox 1.0.x error following an in-place update and the solution was deleting the "xpicleanup.dat" file in the Firefox installation directory (typically, "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox") - see https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=283680

Firefox 1.5 and later uses a different update system so the error should not occur. If you are getting that error in Firefox 1.5 or later, go through the Firefox standard diagnostic steps or try a clean reinstall:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Standard_diagnostic_-_Firefox

[Guest]

same, i deleted the file, and nothing is being loaded. i didnt get that error message. it just wont load up. i got a update info, did it, and it didnt finish.

[dickvl]

Did you try a clean install as Alice suggested?
Ie. delete the C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\ folder and reinstall Firefox.

[Promixe]

I have the same problem in Vista with Firefox 2.0. The strangest thing is that clicking on the actual firefox.exe starts the application fine. But when clicking on ANY shortcut (in quicklauch, startmenu or elsewhere) it brings up that message "The program must close to allow a previous installation attempt to complete. Please restart."

Obviously a restart doesn't help at all. Reinstalling the app doesn't help. Deleting xpicleanup.exe (.dat) doesn't help.

Everything was working fine (meaning that Firefox was starting up normally from any shortcut) until it asked me to install Flash plugin...

Ideas?

[Promixe]

Update: Problem solved on Vista + Firefox 2.0

Go to c:\Users\[your_username]\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Mozila Firefox\ and delete xpicleanup.dat. It will start launching normally from shortcuts.

PS: This of course should be done after killing xpicleanup process in the Task Manager (if needed) and deleting xpicleanup.exe from c:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\

[Guest]

Whenever I start up firefox nothing happens for a minute then I get a message saying "Firefox is already running, but is not responding. To open a new window, you must first close blahblah or restart your system".
After restarting my system so many times, I wanted to tear my hair out as it did not work.

What do I do?

[dickvl]

Last Guest:
See: Profile In Use

Open the Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del) and check the processes tab.
If you see any firefox.exe processes then select them and click "End Process".

Use the Profile Manager to go back to your original profile.
Start > Run: firefox.exe -P <enter> (put a space before -P)

Make sure that you still have a Fx profile:
Profile folder not found (KB)

[b00t]

Update: Problem solved on Vista + Firefox 2.0

Go to c:\Users\[your_username]\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Mozila Firefox\ and delete xpicleanup.dat. It will start launching normally from shortcuts.

PS: This of course should be done after killing xpicleanup process in the Task Manager (if needed) and deleting xpicleanup.exe from c:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! FINALLY A WORKING SOLUTION (WITH VISTA x64 & FIREFOX2). been driving me nuts for hours!

[YokoBln]

@Promixe

A BIG thanks from me as well!
Running Vista final and using FF 2.0 this was the right solution!

Thanks and best regards,

Yoko

[Guest]

I have checked my firewall and you were right. Working fine again now - thanks.