FF only runs as a process, won't even open in safe mode

[stuck]

Another for info, on a PC near me...

One minute FF was fine, next it wouldn't start, or at least it wouldn't appear on screen or as a button on the TaskBar. If you looked in Task Manager it wasn't listed as an Application but it was listed as a process.

You could end the process or end the process tree but on restarting FF the same thing happened, FF only showed up as a process. If you didn't kill the process and simply restarted the PC then as Windows shutdown FF wouldappear for a split second while it closed. NB this split second appearance didn't happen when the process was ended in Task manager.

Trying to start FF in safe mode didn't work either. You could get the dialogue box of options to disable things but ticking things didn't help. FF still did not appear as a usable application, it was only listed as a process.

I've not been able to find anything that fits this problem. Lots of Google hits about FF running as a process and using Task manager to close it. Lots about using safe mode but nothing where ending the process doesn't help AND the same thing occurs in safe mode.

The IT people upstairs fixed this one by creating a brand new profile for the user. They did rescue his bookmarks but as expected, all other customisations (Adblock, etc.) were gone. In convenient but not the end of the world.

Ken

[Bigaldoc]

Wow, it's been a long time, Ken, but I had exactly that problem one time. I believe it was Tony who either told me the solution or pointed me to a Mozillazine article about it. Back then the subject (I think) was that Firefox wouldn't "close."

Sorry, it's been so long I just can't remember. I don't even know if it was here or the "other place" where we used to hang out.

I'll go looking but I have to leave the house shortly so I may not have time to find it.

[stuck]

No need to rush since this particular problem has been fixed, though not by creating a whole new profile as I first thought. Turns out all that our IT people did was "delete the settings". I think that means they simply deleted prefs.js, which would explain why the users bookmarks were still there.

Ken

[Bigaldoc]

I did remember the solution but not the details or the references. In my case, the essence was that Fx closed without deleting a "lock" file. Tony's answer was to manually delete that file after closing the processes in task manager.

I haven't ever had it happen again, so I'm sorry for my weak memory.

[PaulB]

I did remember the solution but not the details or the references. In my case, the essence was that Fx closed without deleting a "lock" file. Tony's answer was to manually delete that file after closing the processes in task manager.

I haven't ever had it happen again, so I'm sorry for my weak memory.

I think this is the thread you are thinking of. Had to do with running Firefox in both partitions in a dual boot system using a common profile.