Firefox 3.0.3 Won't Shut Down - Runs In The Background

Discussion in 'Software' started by 20Valve, Nov 8, 2008.

  1. 20Valve

    20Valve Sergeant

    It seems after solving my most recent dilemma, I have another. Well, I had this one for awhile but one problem at time!

    Firefox 3.0.3 runs fine. I can open and close a few sessions before it decides to go wonky. After a few sessions, it will close from the desktop, but it will continue running in the background. I cannot shut it down, nothing seems to work. As it runs in the background, I cannot open up another session. I must restart the computer. It takes longer than normal for it to shut down also. There seems to be no predictable pattern to the problem. I have not added any new plugins recently.

    My system is a 4 gig fully patched Vista rig running an AMD dual core 5600 with an 8800 GT. I don't think it is a virus. Everything else runs fine.

    Any ideas? I tried an uninstall and a reinstall, no luck. Thanks for any help.
     
  2. 20Valve

    20Valve Sergeant

    MarkTrent -

    Thanks for the advice. I tried all of that, and I eventually just reinstalled the newest version of Firefox cleanly. Same thing happened once again. I can get Firefox to run again if I open a new user profile. But the first instance would still run in the background, unclosable.

    I figured what the Hades, I would try Chrome. Same thing, it does not freeze, it just continues to try to make a connection. I close, then it runs in the background, I can't close it. It seems Thunderbird has started to act in a similar fashion.

    Muddying the waters is the fact that I called Comcast, and they said I was not getting a good signal. The tech came out and said everything was fine. I am still working that avenue, doing what I can on my end in the meantime. Additionally, I did remove a virus through Anitvir recently. Maybe some remnants?

    My guess is the programs are trying to continue accessing the internet and will not shut down. I was thinking it could be virus that was keeping the programs open doing it's thing. I scan with Windows Spyware, Antivir, and Webroot, they found zero. I ran CC Cleaner too. No luck. So if something is there, it is being pretty evasive.

    It could be a network setting maybe? I am computer savvy for the most part, but networks are my weak area.

    Any other advice?

    Thanks
     
  3. ssparks111

    ssparks111 Private E-2

    Sorry for bringing up an old post, but I am having the same problem with firefox 3.0.15. When I close out the final open window, I am unable to restart another one. I have to reboot the computer.

    It doesn't seem that a fix was posted in this thread, so I'm hoping someone may have an idea what to do now.

    Thanks!
     
  4. ssparks111

    ssparks111 Private E-2

    BTW- I know there was an update to firefox, but I don't want it. Last time I updated firefox I lost most of my bookmarks and I don't want that to happen again, so I'm just going to stay with the older version.
     
  5. cake

    cake Corporal

    i have FF and it's set to auto update. there were a couple bugs in 3.5.4, but were cured in 3.5.5. may still be a few, but doesn't interfere with functionality...AND i did NOT lose any bookmarks.

    if you're really worried, i thought 3.5.3 worked perfectly. minor/temporary bugs are no reason to be using such an old version, IMHO. not positive if you can do it with your version, but i exported my bookmarks & saved them as an html file (FF default is to save as a json file) in 3.5.3 through my current version of 3.5.5.

    or, try the FEBE addon which will save your bookmarks plus a bunch of other things like history, settings, etc. it's basically a backup program. no clue if FEBE is compatible with a version as old as yours, though.

    last resort; you can export your bookmarks to IE (or export then import into IE; i forget which), then import them back into FF after you update.
     
  6. 20Valve

    20Valve Sergeant

    I pretty much concluded that it was a virus. I tried all manner of fixes. Even bled-out chickens buried under a full moon in the backyard did not solve my problem. I bit the bullet and reformatted the HD and reinstalled Vista.

    Good luck. Sorry I cannot be of more help.
     

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