Firefox won't open because it says it is already open when it ain't

Firefox won't open because it says it is already open. It appears Firefox is operating in the background. Tried to remove it but we get the same message to log out of Firefox. For 10 years we have been using McAfee with all features but it does not detect any virus or malaware etc. It appears it might be a malaware problem but even using all the latest Microsoft fixes hasn't helped. We used Vista Business Professional with all the latest service packs updated. We use the latest version of Firefox as of up to around 3 weeks or so ago when this issue first appeared.

I suspect you need more expert help but here are a few things you can try.
If you can't open Firefox(double click on Firefox desktop icon) try Safe Mode - Hold down the Shift Key as you double click on the icon>don't check anything on the page that opens>continue. If Firefox opens and works in this safe mode go to Add-ons> Extensions and look for "Ask". Then look at Add-ons >Plug-ins and again look for "Ask" . Remove, delete,disable any Asks. If you do remove any, close Firefox. And try again in Normal Mode.
The Ask website has detailed instructions for removal but you need to find it on your computer and have your computer in working order.
If there is no sign of Ask and Firefox is working well in Safe Mode you should work your way through this -
https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Troubleshooting%20extensions%20and%20themes
Eventually you might need to grapple with About:Config and even your Windows Registry but I would recommend a complete uninstall and re-install before that. Unfortunately that often doesn't work.
That all sounds very daunting but taken step-by-step you might get lucky early.

Similar Messages

  • InDesign Crashes, the file I was working on doesn't recover, and won't let me open because InDesign says it's already open.

    This has happened a few times, I would be working on a project, InDesign crashes, but doesn't recover it. Instead when I try to open the file, it says it can't be opened because it's already open by another user (there are no other users) I'll restart my computer and whatever to see if it will fix itself, but it doesn't. Does anyone else have this issue? Is there a fix?
    Thanks!

    With InDesign closed, look in the same folder where the file is stored and find its "lock file." It will have the extension .idlk. Delete it. Launch InDesign and retry to open your file.

  • Firefox won't load because it says that my computer is missing MOZCPP19.dll file

    For some reason when I restarted my computer today it did a hard drive check and I'm guessing that in all that mess some file for Mozilla Firefox got deleted. When I try to open Firefox it brings up a box that says "firefox.exe-System Error" and it also says "The program can't start because MOZCPP19.dll is missing from your computer. Try to reinstall the program to fix this problem." Please tell me how to recover this file, or how to fully uninstall Firefox, so I can continue using Firefox.
    Thanks,
    Derrick

    Download a fresh copy of Firefox ( http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/all.html ) and do a reinstall of Firefox over the top of the current version.
    If that still causes the same problem then do a clean reinstall and download a fresh Firefox copy from http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/all.html and save the file to the desktop.
    Uninstall your current Firefox version and remove the Firefox program folder before installing that copy of the Firefox installer.
    It is important to delete the Firefox program folder to remove all the files and make sure that there are no problems with files that were leftover after uninstalling.
    You can skip the step to create a new profile, that is not necessary for this issue.
    See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Standard_diagnostic_-_Firefox#Clean_reinstall

  • Had a new hard drive installed last month. now iphoto won't start up, popup says "you can't open the application iphoto because it may be damaged or incomplete. can this be repaired without going to the repair shop?

    had a new hard drive installed last month. now iphoto won't start up, popup says "you can't open the application iphoto because it may be damaged or incomplete". can this be repaired without going to the repair shop?

    What installed iPhoto there in the first place?  Was it the same version of iPhoto that came with the Mac?  Was iLife added at a later time from a Mac Box Set?   You can selectively install iPhoto, and then apply the appropriate iLife update without taking it to the shop, after removing the application, or recover it from your backup.

  • My iphoto won't open because it says I need the newest version, however, no updates will download because it says I need a newer version of iphoto....But I just downloaded iLife'11....Don't get it?

    My iphoto won't open because it says I need the newest version, however, no updates will download because it says I need a newer version of iphoto....But I just downloaded iLife'11....Don't get it?

    What version do you have? What's the exact message you get?

  • IMovie won't open because it says its still installing... 6 months later

    I can't seem to get iMovie to open because every time I click to open the application it says it can't open while it's benign updated... the thing is, I don't remember when I updated it's been so long... essentially it's been updating for about 6 months now! I tried trashing all versions of iMovie on my computer, but when I try to reinstall it, it just keeps giving me the same thing.  Not sure what to do now... please help!

    I am having the same problem! I tried moving it to the Trash and this gave me a message "Would you like to cancel the update?" I clicked Cancel but when moved back out of the trash it automatically returned to its previous state, stuck on update. I tried the same but clicked "Continue Upload" to see if it would trigger it to re-start, but that did not work. I also tried Delete App. Each time it just reverted where it was when I took it out of the Trash. It has been a week and stuck in the same place. I am connected to the internet. The App Store says there are no new updates, but when I search iMovie it says it is 'updating'.
    Any other ideas?
    OSX 10.9.4

  • I can't open itunes because it says "it cannot be opened because it was created by a newer version of itunes." I've downloaded newest of Windows and itunes and it still won't work--help, please.

    Hi--I can't get itunes to open because it says "the file cannot be opened because it was created by a newer version of itunes." I have installed newest versions of Windows & itunes recently, as the troubleshooter instructed, to no avail...Help!!!

    This error prevents iTunes from launching. The library file was modified to work with the newer iTunes version, so it is no longer compatible with the previous version. The good news, however, is that Apple does backup the iTunes library file into a subdirectory that you can use to revert back to the previous version.
    To recover a previous version of the iTunes Library.itl file, use the following steps:
    Open up your My Documents\My Music folder.
    We will first backup the current version. Rename iTunes Library.itl to something like iTunes Library.itl.bak.
    Go into the My Documents\My Music\Previous iTunes Libraries folder.
    You may see several files that start with iTunes Library and have a date included in the name. Copy the newest file in the folder.
    Go back to the My Documents\My Music and paste the file from the previous step.
    Rename the new copied file to iTunes Library.itl.
    Your library should now be restored to the previous version of iTunes, and you should no longer receive the message.

  • The movie that I bought won't download because it says the file is corrupt

    The movie that I bought won't download because it says the file is corrupt

    Have a look at this thread,
    The Library "Aperture ...." is open in (null)
    For me it worked to rebuild the Aperture Library using the "First Aid Tools" (launch Aperture with ⌥⌘ held down and select "Rebuild Database", but you might try to patch the library package first to remove the lock, for rebuilding may take a long time for a large library. See William LLoyd's anwer
    Re: The Library "Aperture ...." is open in (null)
    and kobbernob's post:
    Re: The Library "Aperture ...." is open in (null)
    To open the Library package, ctrl-click your Aperture library and select "Show package Contents".
    Regards
    Léonie

  • Every time I try to open Firefox I get a popup saying it is already open, and to close it or restart; but it is NOT open, and restarting doesn't help.

    <blockquote>Locking duplicate thread.<br>
    Please continue here: [[/questions/880054]]</blockquote>
    Question
    Every time I try to open Firefox I get a popup saying it is already open, and to close it or restart; but it is NOT open, and restarting doesn't he

    Duplicate Thread LOCK please
    * Continue here - https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/questions/880054

  • I went to iCloud and my mail doesn't recognize my password but even worst my iTunes does not want to open because it says my library is blocked somewhere on a hard disk where I  have no access ...

    I went to iCloud and my mail doesn't recognize my password but even worst my iTunes does not want to open because it says my library is blocked somewhere on a hard disk where I  have no access ...
    HELP HELP

    To confirm, your existing mail client isn't communicating with your existing and remote mail services at Dreamhost? Which mail client are you using (Apple mail?), and how is mail on the client set up?
    It would initially seem that your client is still referencing the server, either for its inbound or outbound mail. (And I'm not sure how unplugging the server helps here, unless there's some sort of a configuration issue, or a duplicate network address or such.) This would usually be something within the configuration of the mail client.
    The Mac OS X Server is significantly easier than the many other servers and server operating systems I've dealt with over the years, but it requires reading the manuals and/or some knowledge of networking and of server environments.
    Small shops and home folks without the time or inclination to "spin up" on these server areas can be well-served with some help initially configuring the server. Servers are different from clients. Stuff that you're implicitly used to using when you're running a client -- the DHCP server, for instance -- are what the servers provide you with.
    As for Mac OS X Server and particularly if you head outside of the default settings and sequences and off into the customizations, which is what has happened here, you might want to engage some assistance. Not just for the direct and obvious initial set-up sequence, but also for getting you set-up and started with backups and other such tasks. Before you get too deep in here and get too much underway and too much saved on your disks, do seriously consider getting somebody in to help set this box up for you.
    Mac OS X Server is not "no IT", but it is rather closer to "less IT" than most. Particularly once you get it configured and running.

  • When I try to open Firefox I get a message saying it is already open. However it is not open and i cannot access Firefox

    When I try to open Firefox I get a message saying it is already open. However it is not open and i cannot access Firefox

    See:
    * http://kb.mozillazine.org/Recovering_a_missing_profile
    * http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_in_use
    * https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Firefox+is+already+running+but+is+not+responding
    If it happens after you've closed Firefox and want to restart the see these:
    See "Hang at exit":
    *http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firefox_hangs
    See "Firefox hangs when you quit it":
    *https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Firefox+hangs

  • Firefox crashes then when I try to reopen it I get a message saying it is already open and must be closed. It is not open and I cannot close it and have to reboot. It is very annoying as it happens often.

    Firefox will close unexpectedly then when I try to open it I get a message saying it is already open and I must close it first. I cannot find it open anywhere and then I must reboot to open Firefox again.

    See "Hang at exit":
    * http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firefox_hangs
    * [[Firefox hangs]]
    See also:
    * http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firefox_crashes

  • I just updated my mac and when i went to open iphoto it says it "can not open because of a problem" how do i fix this?

    i just updated my mac and when i went to open iphoto it says it "can not open because of a problem" how do i fix this?

    To re-install iPhoto
    1. Put the iPhoto.app in the trash (Drag it from your Applications Folder to the trash)
    2a: On 10.5:  Go to HD/Library/Receipts and remove any pkg file there with iPhoto in the name.
    2b: On 10.6: Those receipts may be found as follows:  In the Finder use the Go menu and select Go To Folder. In the resulting window type
    /var/db/receipts/
    2c: on 10.7 they're at
    /private/var/db/receipts
    A Finder Window will open at that location and you can remove the iPhoto pkg files.
    3. Re-install.
    If you purchased an iLife Disk, then iPhoto is on it.
    If iPhoto was installed on your Mac when you go it then it’s on the System Restore disks that came with your Mac. Insert the first one and opt to ‘Install Bundled Applications Only.
    If you purchased it on the App Store you can find it in your Purchases List.

  • How can I download a previously downloaded purchase to my iTunes library on my laptop when the listing for the song in my library won't play because it says it cannot locate the file. Yes I have searched my iTunes folders and also done a full windows sear

    How can I download a previously downloaded purchase to my iTunes library on my laptop when the listing for the song in my library won't play because it says it cannot locate the file. Yes I have searched my iTunes folders and also done a full windows search. The track plays on my iPad and my iPhones but will not play on my laptop!?
    It has an "!" To the left of the song title in my library
    My worry is that if I sync my iPad/iPhone then I will lose the track on those also!

    If you cannot find the file on your hard drive then once you delete the current broken entry you should be able to redownload from iTunes in the Cloud. This assumes the item in question qualifies. Note that audiobooks, digital booklets, iTunes LPs & Extras, ringtones, selected movies etc. don't.
    If prompted don't hide the item. You may find that you need to close and then reopen iTunes before it will appear for download.
    tt2

  • I have a 1st generation MacBook Pro and I recently downloaded OS X Maverick.  My iTunes will not open because it says i need a 64 bit version.  Already followed the promted instructions but no luck.  Any suggestions??

    I have a 1st generation MacBook Pro and I recently downloaded OS X Maverick.  My iTunes will not open because it says i need a 64 bit version.  Already followed the promted instructions but no luck.  Any suggestions??

    Oh, you do have the C2D! That's great!
    I'm no technical expert, I just like to help out whenever or wherever I can so... I don't know if this can help you, but let me tell you about how I got my Snow Leopard to run in 64 bit mode. When I got my (late 2008) iMac it was running in 32 bit mode under Tiger (2.4 GHz/Core 2 Duo). I eventually upgraded to Snow Leopard & it was running in 32 bit mode (by default) w/1 GB RAM.  
    Somewhere along the line, I happened to watch a YouTube Video that showed how to upgrade an iMac's RAM, so I ordered two - 2GB sticks of Crucial RAM and then - under the guidance of the 14 or 15 year-old young man who posted the video on YouTube; wearing a rather fashionable static-electricity-neutralizer-wrist-strap, I removed 1GB of RAM & plugged in the 4GBs of RAM. So - boom like that, it was like I bought a brand new machine.
    It was over a year later when I stumbled across a way to boot Snow Leopard into 64 bit mode. Turns out that if you boot while holding down the 6 & 4 key combo (the ones above the QWERTY keys), then the machine runs in 64 bit mode. Go figure. Now my Snow Leopard and just about all of my applications - with the ironic exception of iTunes - runs in 64 bit. iTunes seems fine though; if there's a performance bottleneck, I really can't tell.
    Well, that's about it..
    I hope that something I've mentioned can help you achieve your overall goal.
    Finally, it's hard to jump onto a train, a large cat, or a surfboard that's already moving. But don't be surprised when someone a fraction of your age shows you how to.
    Best Regards,
    mm~

Maybe you are looking for