Firefox (Not Responding)

I use Firefox. I haven't installed or downloaded anything new, or been to ne sites. For the past few days every time I click the mouse to move around a page or navigate to new ones, I get the (Not Responding) across the top of the page. It makes using my computer very difficult.
It didn't matter where I try to click, whether it be along the bottom to open up a window, or in the address bar, or anywhere in the page. It delays, then I get a white overlay on the page. Whenever it is ready, it will let me click once. Then the process repeats over again when I try to click somewhere again.
So I started to go through the general clean up page and got to the Update Java page (which I did)
Then it occured to me, perhaps it is a Firefox issue. So I uninstalled Firefox, and used IE for the rest of the night and it was fine. This morning I decided to reinstall Firefox, and of course it started to happen again.
Obviously I don't know what it started to happen, and that brings me here to the educated ones.
I use an Acer Aspire Laptop (5735-4401) And am running Vista.
Thanks very much,
TRIE

 

Hi there Trie and welcome to the forums, the educated ones suggest you click on the link given READ & RUN ME FIRST. Malware Removal Guide and follow the instructions to the full and repost into malware , due to the fact that sometimes, malware / viruses or even trojans can be aimed at something specific at first, then they generate there way right throughout your system eventually so as suggested click the link and be patient and follow instrctions fully and carefully !

Yours Rusty

 

I am not afraid of working for it.... :-D but I did try FF in safe mode since that was a touch quicker....
i was able to navigate from site to site in FF safe mode with no problems, or delays.
Should I still work on the malware thread, or because it worked in safe mode are their other options. I should probably work on the malware thread anyways shouldn't I......
Thanks,
T

 

Yeah ! plodr is correct, brain must have seized up a little earlier on try his simple solution first then go over to the malware dept !

 

I'd suggest working on the easiest part first. And that is:

Go to Firefox safe mode and tick the box which says, disable all add-ons.

Then in FF enable one add-on at a time and make sure to try out FF if it works fine. Then proceed to enable the next add-on until you'll find the culprit add-on and so on. It's a bit time consuming to try out the add-ons one by one but in this way you can find the one that's causing the problems.

Since IE isn't giving you any problems, I have to agree with plodr in that most likely it's a FF add-on. If not, one can always go to the malware forum.

 

Oma, thanks for the suggestion. I have went to Firefox and followed your directions to the safe mode screen and checked off the box you suggested, and then rebooted.
Now, I cant seem to get my way back to that box again when I go to FF in safe mode. I go to start, programs, FF, FF safe mode, and that window no longer pops up....
My issue is, I don't know where or how to begin the enabling process of the add ons.
What have I missed or done wrong now.....

Thanks,
T

 

A reboot wasn't necessary. A restart of Firefox would have been sufficient as shown in the safe mode (box) screen.

In Firefox (normal mode) click on Tools, select add-ons and it will bring you to your add-ons. If you did indeed tick off the box while in safe mode you should see now that the add-ons look "hazy" and see that they are disabled.

Try out Firefox now, go to websites etc and check if everything works okay.

Then:
1. "Enable" only 1 add-on by clicking on the "enable" button. The first add-on on the list will do.
2. Restart Firefox with the 1 add-on enabled. Surf etc. and make sure all works okay in FF.

3. "Enable the 2nd add-on.
4. Restart Firefox with the 2nd add-on enabled. Surf etc and make sure all is okay.

Do the above with all add-ons you have in the add-on list = enable one add-on each time and restart Firefox after enabling each one add-on.

Hope the above clarifies what your next steps on your to do list.

Repeat the above until you find that one add-on may be the cause of your FF not working correctly. You would have to disable or remove that add-on.

If the above doesn't help fix the problems you're having with Firefox then it may be something else in Firefox, or (unlikely) malware.

Please report back and if any questions, please feel free to ask.

 

Some additional information re previous post.

When disabling add-ons in safe mode, it may also disable the "Plugins". Therefore, you need to enable the plugins as well. You can find them under Tools, add-ons and click on Plugins. Click on "Enable" for each plugin you see and restart Firefox. In other words, same procedure as in Add-ons.

 

Thanks Oma, I will try these steps as needed.
I appreciate everyone's time.
T