Firefox just stopped working today - nothing, not even tools , loads

asus2016 · 23 Mar 2021

This is actually an issue with my wife's Windows 10 computer.

It was working fine earlier today - I was on it doing something. Then, still running, I right-clicked on a link to open in a new tab, and a new tab opened and nothing loaded. Thought I'd made a mistake and typed in an address. Nothing. Then it started working with me doing nothing more.

Now my wife brings the computer over, and she's having the problem. Even if I try to load tools or options or addons, or type about:config - nothing loads. Just a blank tab. I can open tabs to my heart's content. Just can't put content in them.

Internet is fine and other browsers are working fine accessing the web.

Firefox has the same problem in safe mode, or if refreshed, by the way.

Ghot · 23 Mar 2021

@asus2016

I would check Windows Defender Firewall, and make sure FF still has access to the internet.
Check... Event Viewer > Event Viewer (Local)

If none of that helps, might try System restore.
If worse comes to worst... uninstall and reinstall Firefox.

Jacee · 23 Mar 2021

Please see this information: Links will no longer open in new tabs | Firefox Support Forum | Mozilla Support

asus2016 · 24 Mar 2021

Thanks for the suggestions, but they've not worked, and my wife was able to easily go to Chrome, and remember her most-used passwords, and she's off and running.

Since Mozilla appears to be struggling and Firefox dying - this isn't the only quirk we've seen with FF in the past six months - I think she's going to just chug along happily with Chrome. But one other question. How could she import all her FF passwords and other settings into Chrome? This might have to be done in a hacklike way, since a lot of FF no longer works (remember, even tools > options - nothing appears in a blank FF window any more for that computer). I did save her appdata FF folder, plus an intact copy of the Mozilla folder from the Programs folder.

EDIT: I was able to copy the Firefox profile to a new computer, open FF using that, and export the login information to a csv. So all set there. New question though: how do I do a complete fresh clean reinstall of Firefox on that computer in her account? Besides deleting FF through the control panel, and deleting the folders from the programs and appdata areas, are there other things I should do before downloading and installing again?