Firefox crashes repeatedly

[snook]

For the past two or three days Firefox has been repeatedly crashing. It happens even when almost nothing is running, and it sometimes happens immediately I click on the Firefox icon. I'm running Windows XP and using Microsoft Security Essentials, which has always been reliable (I've probably been using it for a year or two).

I've done a full scan (more than once actually), and it all comes up clear. Also I've tried to run Malwarebytes but it doesn't respond - acts as though it's been turned off, or
hijacked or something.

Anyone else had this problem? It's a good long while since I had any virus problems, and MS Security Essentials is very good so it's a mystery to me why it isn't showing something if it is a virus attack.

When Firefox crashes a fault report dialogue shows up and reports back to Firefox, but I haven't heard anything back from them. Reminds me, even my email program is turning
itself off from time to time - actually, no, it just goes to a random web page.

Highly suspicious activity, but I can't do much about it if nothing is showing up as a virus.

If anyone has had this kind of thing on their system I'd like to hear how they dealt with it.

[Buenchico]

The a golden rule for Firefox problems:
If it doesn't work, simply reinstall it!

Reinstalling Firefox 'on top of itself' (i.e. WITHOUT uninstalling it first) fixes 99% of all problems, while retaining all of your bookmarks, extensions and personal settings.

Chris

[snook]

Thanks Buenchico, that sounded like a good approach. I downloaded and installed the latest version and it lasted just about long enough for me to fire up my email and Google News and check on a few news stories to see if anything untoward would happen, and then, just as I was beginning to think it was all hunky dory, it crashed again ... what a come down.

Still open for any new ideas. Looks like it isn't Firefox anyway, I guess we've established that much.

[Buenchico]

It sounds like it's a problem with Windows, rather than with Firefox.

Try running System Restore, to take your computer's registry back to a date before the problem occurred.

Chris

[snook]

I might be being premature but it's looking good! I did a system restore and it worked (when I've had to do them in the past they sometimes don't work ... usually a bad sign, means your system's been pretty badly screwed up for a while I guess).

Anyway, Buenchico, your timely advice might just have saved me some serious headache. When something goes wrong with the computer I really feel it, as though it's personal, not just the damn computer. And what I wouldn't do to those ... 'people' that write those viruses ... don't get me started!

If it all goes pear-shaped again I'll let you know, maybe you can give me another headache tablet!

[NazNomad]

The default answer when faced with Firefox (or indeed I.E.) problems is a simple one ... don't use it.

[ummmm]

What do you use Nazzy?

[NazNomad]

In this order of preference - Chrome - Safari - Firefox - Opera - IE.