Is Firefox killing my computer?

I hope the title brings in the views...

I waqs out of town recently and upon returning downloaded updates for ZoneAlarm (6.0.667.000) and Firefox (1.0.7). I installed the ZA update and restarted my computer, worked on it for a half hour or so, then installed the new version of Firefox. As soon as I did and tried to access a webpage, my computer immediately shuts down and reboots. I tried several times, and each time the same thing occurs.

I did the normal spyware/malware check recommended by the Geeks here which I have used effectively before (CCleaner, Avast!, Spybot, Spyware Blaster, Ad Aware) and found nothing.

Confounded, I tried to use the dreaded IE, and surfed for a dozen pages or so when the computer again shut down and rebooted.

All other apps seem OK through limited use. I'm perplexed. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance - I've always been grateful for the help I've gotten here.

 

Oops...forgot to mention some potentially pertinent information:

3.2 P4 HT
XP w/ SP2
512 RAM


I'm not sure if anything else is relevant...thanks for looking 14 times already guys - I hope someone has an answer!

 

Have you tried removing firefox and see if this helps. I have reviently installed 1.07 of firefox and have had no problems.

 

Another thing to try, is to remove firefox from the program control within ZA. Then try re-running FF. ZA should see FF trying to run, then allow it.

OR

Shutdown ZA and run FF.

I can't say I have 1.07 of firefox on my machine, cause I use the daily builds.

 

Sounds like a ZA conflict to me. Can you revert to the previous version to see if this is the case?

 

I shut down ZA and opened Firefox - seemed to be OK. So I reinstalled ZA and tried it again - so far so good. Weird. I had worked with the new version of ZA before I installed the new version of Firefox and had no problems. Some kind of conflict, I guess.

Thanks for responding, everyone. I'll keep you posted if I have anymore problems.

 

Well - spoke too soon. No sooner had I posted the above comment than I went back to the computer and it crashed right away. WTF?

I guess I'm just going to have to use an older version of ZA (5.5.094.000), though I'm not sure if this is the best course of action. I know many have recommended Outpost, but I've never had any problems with ZA and like it's simplicity. I've installed it on 4 computers here in the house and this is the first apparent conflict I've had in nearly a year.

C'est la vie.

 

Well, I don't know if we are having similar problems, but I never had a Firefox problem until recently ... mine seems to be eating RAM (out of 346 free it had eaten 280) ... yes, I have an older Dell Inspiron 4000, but until recently had no problems.

OS: windows professional 2000
Firefox version: newest out as of Friday when I reinstalled (got message phoenity incompatible, didn't load something)
Firefox extensions: Adblock, NoScript, Gmail Delete Key

I did notice the problem seemed concurrent with uploading the new Java updates ...

If this is an unacceptable hijack I will repost elsewhere ...

what is ZA by the way?

 

ZA is Zone Alarm a personal firewall.

 

Did you try uninstalling and reinstalling Fire fox?

 

If you're using Adblock with Firefox 1.5, that could be the problem. Try uninstalling Adblock and install Adblock Plus instead: http://p2.forumforfree.com/adblock-plus-05111-released-vt352-adblockplus.html

 

I have a Dell Inspiron 9100 laptop and since loading FF (which I have since uninstalled) this thing is slow as Christmas when online. Offline no problem. I sure would appreciate some help.