Firefox 18.0.1 often freezes, at random times, since about 31 Jan 2013

Question

2 Feb 2013
Concerns: Firefox 18.0.1 often freezes, at random times, since about 31 Jan 2013
I am using Mozilla Firefox 18.0.1, Windows Vista, PC, Desktop.
My Mozilla Firefox freezes since about 31 Jan 2013 at random times quite often, when I do see TV or videos, also with YouTube videos. It freezes especially when I do start TV or a Video, sometimes also it freezes when the video is running for some time. I do use Firefox mostly only for TV and videos, so else I do not see.
Some days earlier (26 January 2013), I had installed the upgrade of the new Norton Internet Security 2013. The two Norton add-ons on for Firefox, I have both deactivated.
I can get out of the freezing, when I do click to end the Internet connection. After I have waited for about 5 seconds, the Mozilla Firefox browser can be moved again with the cursor. After I click to close the Firefox, and wait for about 5 seconds, the freezing also does end.
I did do two Windows restores, one to 1 week ago and the next to 2 weeks ago. After the restore, when I started Mozilla Firefox, it was at first Firefox 17. But to my very bad luck, Firefox started immediately to update to Firefox 18.0.1 I had seen this updating on Help – About Firefox. There were good times, when people could choose themselves which version of Firefox they wanted.
After the restore, I had also downloaded the latest Adobe Flashplayer version (about version 11.5), but the freezes have remained the same.
Is there a possility to prevent the automatic update of Firefox? So that I could choose which version of Firefox, I do want. When there is a serious bug in Firefox, I could nevertheless use Firefox instead of changing to the Internet Explorer. I know I myself am responsible to prevent hackers from entering my computer. I have read that 80% of users in Germany do not have any Internet Security against hackers at all.
My Internet Explorer until now does not freeze.

Answer 1

This is not a solution. It is a gun in the mouth. Give us specific solutions, not "throw everything away" palliatives that involve no thought, investigation or effort of any kind on Mozilla's part. 95% of the utility of FF is not FF itself, but addons. After many years of developing that context, throwing it all away to get back a rudimentary 5% is as unacceptable as it is stupid.