Time For A Reformat Or What?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Doctor Varney
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Doctor Varney

Cave dwelling Luddite
Might as well just post this. Describes my situation to a 'tee'. So it's not just me...

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/960189

A suggested solution might be this...

Flash - MozillaZine Knowledge Base

But just reading the first line of that makes me feel overwhelmed.

Anyone got any simple advice, geared towards communication with single-celled organisms?

Or is it best to wipe the system and start again?
 
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I wouldn't reformat my machine because firefox is crashing. Some of the advice was good though. I would run some anti malware software and make sure you have no problems there

Malwarebytes : Free anti-malware download

You can get the free version and do a scan. Also check out any addons or bars you have installed, tons of addons can cause problems themselves or with eachother. I've also moved away from Firefox long ago, it was a great for a while but I just don't really care for it anymore. Try IE or google chrome and see if you have the same problems. If you do, you have a computer problem. If you don't it's a mozilla problem.
 
Thanks for the reply.

Quite a few saying that malware checks came up negative. I run anything unknown or untrusted through a non-admin account, so don't know how that could be.

I don't use add on bars - of any description (if I can help it)! The only thing I do use is Superstart and have found I cannot live without it. That's been fine for many months.

Last time I used Chrome, it crashed to high hell and slowed my computer to a crawl. IE would not be my browser of choice - for so many reasons... which I won't list here.

I could try a different browser though - as you suggest, but what I really want is Firefox - just to work as it always has. So why is Firefox not 'great'? The world is full of these differing opinions on Firefox and I can never understand why. What bothers me is that I've had near-perfect performance for months; nothing in this system has changed - so why suddenly now? These things do not (and will probably never) make sense to me.

I currently run AVG Free. Will using more than one AV (such as Malwarebytes) cause conflicts/ problems?
 
Doctor Varney said:
I currently run AVG Free. Will using more than one AV (such as Malwarebytes) cause conflicts/ problems?
Click to expand...

AVG is and Anti-virus program, Malware-bytes is an anti-malware program. You NEED one of both, because viruses and malware are different things. I personally suggest Avast over AVG, but if you're comfortable with AVG, it's not a problem.

Doctor Varney said:
I'll try a different browser though - as you suggest. It seems I have nothing to lose now. So why is Firefox not 'great'? The world is full of these differing opinions on Firefox and I can never understand why. What bothers me is that I've had near-perfect performance for months; nothing in this system has changed - so why suddenly now? These things do not (and will probably never) make sense to me.
Click to expand...

Firefox is fine. Google Chrome is fine. Honestly, even Opera is probably fine. IE is the only one that is never suggested; it has a ton of security flaws.

The only people that fight between Firefox and Chrome are usually just really opinionated. I HAVE noticed that Firefox has become a memory hog lately though... It usually ends up taking anywhere from half a gig to 2 gigs of RAM on mine and my friend's computer. I'm personally comfortable with Firefox and have enough RAM that it's not an issue.

But yeah, if Firefox is having problems on your computer, just download Chrome. If that works, just uninstall Firefox and use that.
 
I USE Malwarebytes (paid version $40 for life) and Win7's security exclusively (no anti virus) as these days it seems they are treated the same. This program has kept me trouble free for several years as well as the other 4 computers in my home.

Firefox has not been the same in the last couple of years. I am still using it, but not trouble free.

I would not reformat for a browser. Try another version if FF, go download a new version or older version, uninstall, clean the folders and reinstall. You could try to re-install/repair your current version (I am assume Windows, but even Apple would have something similar).

And just to be on the safe side, when I start having freaky problems like this, I run a hard disk check and do a defrag. (The defrag is just cause I do, no valid reason.) Also check to see if your hard drive is full. I know when a hard drive is getting full, strange things start to happen.

If you do have to change hard drives, go get something like Acronis Imageware, it really make moving your HD really easy, about $30 bucks, but saves a lot of time. But only if you need to change your hard drive. A reinstall is the last thing I would do.
 
I've had Flash issues with Firefox for a while, doesn't crash it, but hangs it up until an error message comes up. I haven't updated to latest version yet.
 
As said above it's not that Firefox has just gone off the map or anything but it's become slower, more bloated, and less secure. The less secure part is just because as it became more popular it started getting more people looking for exploits.

I would definately run malwarebytes and see what turns up. The only other things I could help with is if you find some errors or something. Maybe after firefox locks up or crashes check the event viewer and see what the error code is and what file it errored on. Could be a simple fix
 
I will try it, thanks.

In the meantime, we were wrestling with the GF's laptop, which either keeps going to Google Brasil for some odd reason or 'Delta Search'. I've blown Firefox out completely and installed Chrome. Works much better now.

Firefox was working just fine a week or two ago. I don't recall upgrading anything... so you're saying it can somehow magically morph into junk over night? It must have done.

You know what? We're all doomed! Because one day soon, computers will completely take over and send killer robots to murder us in our beds, rape our women and grind our babies up for heatsink paste. I've seen the signs, the end is nigh...
 
Regarding your GF's laptop, it sounds like the hosts file has been messed with. Do a google search on how to fix.

As for your problems with Firefox, speaking generically, it sounds like you may have picked up a drive-by infection. Browsers can get hijacked just by navigating to an infected website, and even legitimate websites can get hijacked so as to infect browsers. Are you using some flavor of Windows? If so, delete your browser cache and then try a system restore to some date prior to Firefox acting up.
 
I had similar problems after updating from 19 to 21,it just died a death,Put up with it for 3 days then backed up the profile (keeps passwords,plugins,bookmarks e.t.c) uninstalled firefox ... installed sandboxie

Sandboxie - Sandbox software for application isolation and secure Web browsing

went to firefox release history
https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/

grabbed 19 (last version before the darned flash checker?)



disconnected internet

ran firefox install inside the sandbox

turned off auto updating and plugin checking

copied over the FF profile i backed up earlier into the sandbox relative path

rechecked settings to make sure all auto updating is turned off



now i have a *working* firefox with all my bookmarks e.t.c intact ... although slightly outdated,will keep me going until another stable version comes out



have learned my lesson,will never allow an autoupdate again without testing sandboxed first :(



btw you can make a shortcut on your desktop to run the sandboxed firefox (or any other program)
 
Sandboxing is a great idea and something chrome does by default if I remember correctly (and I may not)

And not so much on the overnight thing Doc. It's been going down hill a while. I think what was said above is correct. Most likely you've picked up some random infection from some website. Your best bet really is to run a scan and see what turns up.
 
Really? Sandboxing is a brilliant idea. On XP I used to use an independent application called 'Sandboxie' (as mentioned by someone earlier) but it started acting up badly under Windows 7 and then conked out altogether. So I uninstalled SB and ran Firefox alone.

As said, we've tried Chrome on the laptop and all seems to be fine. In fact, it downloaded in seconds and offered instant gratification as soon as we fired it up. Brilliant! Now strangely, it was Chrome I had a lot of trouble with, on my old XP system.

On the advice of this machine's builder, I've regularly used Piriform Ccleaner since it was built and it seems very good. He swears it sorts out a lot of problems. I've read elsewhere, however, that what it deletes is usually of negligible bulk (or threat) to the average PC... (!?)

Still running Firefox on the desktop and typing to you here. It's behaved tonight but I suppose could crash at any minute. I've had a few forced restarts, too. Windows 7 recovered quickly - and even restored my tabs. Going by past experiences, I really hope it is Firefox that is the faulty component!

Thanks for the advice, guys. Very helpful.

PS
Anything I should look out for when installing Malwarebytes, such as unwanted toolbars, etc?

Cheers!
 
I have installed Chrome. It may be early days yet, but I'm impressed with it's fast performance. That said, Firefox was great when I first installed it. Sadly, I miss some of it's features but Chrome seems nice and stable. Now I've solved that, I now have other problems to deal with. See other thread.

I have run Malwarebytes (as you suggested). I did the 'quick scan' and it found 2 trojans and one 'malware pack'.

Thank you for that suggestion.
 
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Doctor Varney said:
I have installed Chrome. It may be early days yet, but I'm impressed with it's fast performance. That said, Firefox was great when I first installed it. Sadly, I miss some of it's features but Chrome seems nice and stable. Now I've solved that, I now have other problems to deal with. See other thread.

I have run Malwarebytes (as you suggested). I did the 'quick scan' and it found 2 trojans and one 'malware pack'.

Thank you for that suggestion.
Click to expand...

Bleeping Computer is a great site that can help if you don't already know about it. It is with computers what this site is with HR.

Lots of good people there that will assist you.
 
Thank you, DM. I've joined up. I may be some time...

Things are getting worse now. I had to use system restore and the result is now I can't install Chrome at all. I just keep getting some stupid error message telling me to "Download it again" which happens each time I "Download it again".

:cursing: Crap!
 
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Just another vote for Bleeping Computer. Lots of very patient, very knowledgeable folks on that site.
 
Bleeping Computer is AMAZING. The support guys there are awesome and they have a program called ComboFix that can work wonders on infected machines. It can also make them not boot anymore so if you go that route make sure you follow their advice completely and not just one or two of the steps.

As for MBAM (malwarebytes) no toolbars to watch out for. Right now they do offer a 30 day trial as part of the free download but you can uncheck that box at the end if you like. Basically the free version is good for scanning only and offers no protection. The pay version (costs like $30 or something) protects you and does clean up.
 
I am already digging the site. :)

Not that I have much for issues myself now, but I am sure I will at some point. Had many before....
 
jimmys69 said:
I am already digging the site. :)

Not that I have much for issues myself now, but I am sure I will at some point. Had many before....
Click to expand...

If you have any kind of computer issue or question, these guys are the nerds, nerds. Really a great bunch of people who watch over that site. Very patient as well.

MBAM - I have used this now for over 5 years (I think that long), paid version. Updates are free, no serial renewal, great software for computer protection. The paid version stays active and it has kept me from a few bad sites. I have had no issues since using them. But, you still can't be stupid.

I will say, if you have a bad virus (the ones that won't let you install virus software) My wife had one that was the nasty damn thing I had ever encountered and kept replicating itself. I used a software called Stopzilla. It was expensive (like 60$), but man that thing cleaned up my wife's computer fast and never had a problem after that (this is if you want to go the easy route). It works really well for when you have one you can't get rid of easy. This is the easiest way to go.

Hope it helps your problem.
 
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