Firefox start up error: already running

Guest · Post by **Guest** » March 23rd, 2007, 6:40 pm

I get the following message when I try to open firefox:

Firefox is already running but is not responding. To open a new window, you must first close the existing firefox process, or restart your system.

Firefox does not appear to be running in my task manager. I restarted the computer and got the same message. Next I tried uninstalling firefox and installing the latest version, but I am still getting the same error message.

Any ideas? (Please help, I'm stuck with IE!)

Lucy · Post by **Lucy** » March 23rd, 2007, 7:32 pm

I"m trying to troubleshoot this issue as I've seen it a few times on IRC since the 2.0.0.3 update. My current suspect is profiles.ini

Can you test by doing start -> run -> firefox.exe -p

That *should* pop up the profile manager. If that doesn't work, please try going to start -> run -> %appdata% and rename the Mozilla folder, then try running firefox as normal. If that *does* work then we should be able to migrate the profile data over, and I'd love to get a hold of some of your personal info. <-- this is so totally a mistype, I meant the offending profile files, so I could forward them to the devs.

Please reply here or email me at majken@gmail.com (mods this is my bugmail and protecting it from spammers is futile, please leave it visible - if I get an email response I'll update the thread with findings.)

malliz · Post by **malliz** » March 23rd, 2007, 7:46 pm

Please don't do that It is much better to keep things on the boards.

Post by **Daifne** » March 23rd, 2007, 7:52 pm

Lucy,
You are not in charge of these forums. We help here, not in private. Please stop telling people to email you. It really does look suspicious.

malliz · Post by **malliz** » March 23rd, 2007, 7:55 pm

Anyway a search of the KB would have given you this
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firefox.exe_always_open

Lucy · Post by **Lucy** » March 23rd, 2007, 8:09 pm

daifne - it is an option I provide to people that I want to be certain I follow up with, and get their info to the devs. Not everyone wants to discuss everything on a message board, especially once asked for files, and even if they do, they can forget to reply back when one of the suggestions works. I don't *tell* them to email me, I openly in the thread give troubleshooting steps and ask them to reply here *or* they can email me. I also said I would update the thread if the user chose to respond via email, so I'm not sure where the accusations of trying to subvert openness are coming from. Would you tell mconnor not to ask people to email him?

malliz - that article would only apply if firefox were showing in the task manager. Although it's worth double checking with the user whether they checked the processes tab for firefox.exe or if they only checked the applications tab.

malliz · Post by **malliz** » March 23rd, 2007, 8:12 pm

So your equating yourself with a developer?

Post by **Daifne** » March 23rd, 2007, 8:13 pm

Since I don't know who you are, that is a moot point.

malliz · Post by **malliz** » March 23rd, 2007, 8:17 pm

The Goddess of IRC

Guest · Post by **Guest** » March 23rd, 2007, 8:18 pm

Lucy,

I'll post here so people can see what I've discovered. I think I've got it figured out... and I can't believe I was so stupid! Here's what happened:

I opened the profile manager like you said and tried to open 'the default' profile but that resulted in an "already in use" error. So did the other, older profile I had in there. So I created a new profile and Firefox opened up just fine. I was looking at the name of the profile folder that was created and it occurred to me that it looked an *awful* lot like the folders Panda Software's Active Scan told me were spyware. I had used Active Scan a couple days ago and (foolishly) deleted anything it said looked suspicious. The timing coincides with when my Firefox problems started.

I saved the result of my scan, so I took a look at it and sure enough, the 'default' profile was on the list of suspected spyware. Too bad I emptied my trashbin already. -_- I tried creating a folder with exactly the same name as the one I deleted and now 'default' profile works, but my bookmarks are gone. I have a feeling I've lost them for good. I should have known better than to delete anything in the Mozilla folder! >_< (As a side note, I did NOT recreate the profile folder of the other, older profile, and that one STILL gives an "already in use" error when I attempt to use it, so it must be the lack of the profile folder that causes start up failure.)

So that's my story. I hope this helps in your troubleshooting of the error message. If you have any ideas about retrieving bookmarks, I'm all ears (though I suspect I'm S.O.L.). If you want more details on what I did, reply and I will email you at the address you left previously.

Thanks so much for the help!

Lucy · Post by **Lucy** » March 23rd, 2007, 8:19 pm

No, since you don't know who I am maybe you should ask or assume I know what I'm talking about rather than assuming I'm some troll.

malliz - not exactly, but close enough.

Lucy · Post by **Lucy** » March 23rd, 2007, 8:21 pm

Guest - there's a kb article about migrating profile data, you can see if you've got anything left (backups maybe?) and move anything you have back over. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Migrating_set ... ew_profile

malliz · Post by **malliz** » March 23rd, 2007, 8:22 pm

Lucy wrote:malliz - not exactly, but close enough.

Your assumption not mine

Post by **Daifne** » March 23rd, 2007, 8:22 pm

I am not assuming anything. By accusing me you are starting to sound like one.

And should we not be concerned by a comment like this?

Lucy wrote:I'd love to get a hold of some of your personal info.

Lucy · Post by **Lucy** » March 23rd, 2007, 8:27 pm

Daifne - Accusing you of what? Treating me unfairly? Maybe I misunderstood "Since I don't know who you are, that is a moot point." What exactly is a moot point?

malliz - hardly an assumption, I suppose could explain, but no one has actually asked.