Periodic "Glitch" at 1-Minute Intervals Using Firefox: Anyone Else?

Question

Greetings Everyone.
I have had this problem for quite some time, and after extensive trials at resolving it and attempting to get advice from many individuals, I've finally decided to post here, hoping someone can assist me in resolving it.
I get a "glitch" at regular 60-second intervals. This "glitch" manifests itself in many ways. For example, when using Firefox and I'm on my Google home page, I click on my "inbox" link and open my list of G-mail e-mails, after which time I can then check the boxes for each e-mail and then do a mass delete of the boxes checked. However, if I check any boxes (one or many), and wait for anywhere between 1 and 60 seconds, all of the check marks disappear (as if I hit "deselect all)! If I check mark them again, they disappear again within 60 seconds or less. This "glitch" appears to be occurring exactly at 60-second intervals. It also often causes web pages opened in Firefox to "jump scroll/page up" (usually in an upward direction) in the same manner (it's happened several times while typing this information here). It's as if someone hits a mouse key to inject a command every 60-seconds.
I have done numerous scans with Norton 360 anti-virus, Kaspersky anti-virus, iolo System Mechanic, and more...and the computer always comes up squeaky clean as far as viruses and spyware is concerned.
Yes, I've started Firefox in Safe Mode and it still happens. Yes, I've disabled Firefox add-ons in Safe Mode and it still happens.
I will note that this phenomenon even occurs on two other computers I have that are not connected in any way, one of which is new and has NO files copied from my primary computer and placed onto it. Yet, this happens even when I run Firefox on that netbook running Windows XP.
In some other programs such as MSWord, I often experience cursor jumps to another part of a page, a page jump up or down, etc. I am reasonably certain that this happens in other programs when Firefox is opened and running.
I have observed the running graphs under the "Performance" and "Networking" tabs in Windows Task Manager, and do spot a tiny spike that appears to be occurring every 60 seconds, but does not seem to occur if Firefox is not running.
Note: If I am on my Google home page using Firefox and I have nothing selected and the computer is idel, the entire page still "blinks" every 60 seconds, as if it is being refreshed. If I disconnect my LAN cable and thus kill my internet connection, my Google home page will, within 60 seconds, attempt to refresh itself and loose most all of its content. If I plug the cable back in and do nothing but wait, the Google home page content will reappear when the next "glitch" occurs.
This phenomenon does NOT happen with any other browser such as IE or Safari.
It's as if Firefox is constantly "polling" or "refreshing," but it also affects other programs that are opened when Firefox is running.
From all I can tell, this issue is caused by FIREFOX! I truly believe I've isolated it to Firefox, especially since it manifests itself when using Firefox on other computers I own.
Note that this does not appear to be doing any harm, but it can be a MAJOR pain when using MSWord or browsing the 'net with Firefox.
I have also tried disabling my computer's touchpad...still happens.
In short: there just must be ''something'' within the Firefox application that is inputting something at 60-second intervals.
It's been driving me nuts for over a year. I've searched the support areas and forum, but I have yet to find anyone describing a similar issue or suggesting a fix.
I would think that it would be easier to find the source of this phenomenon since it occurs at a regular interval, rather than randomly....but maybe not!
Can ANYONE provide me with any suggestions?
Thanks,
Baffled Bobb

Answer 1

First of all, thanks again for your responses. BTW: I was unaware if I had marked the problem as solved. I don't recall doing so.
Are you running multiple AV or multiple Firewalls, are they causing the problem.
'''Well, that may e something to look at, but it is also happening on my other computer which definitely is not running multiple firewalls.'''
Are you able to identify the process.
if it is Firefox did you try Safe Mode with all plugins disabled ?
'''As mentioned above, I have run FFox in Safe Mode with plugins disabled on several occasions: no fix.'''
what happens if you try Firefox offline
'''As stated above, if I am off-line, FFox attempts to refresh itself and loses almost all content. If I reconnect the cable, the next "refreshing glitch" brings back all of the webpage content.'''
what happens if you open only a blank page in Firefox and nothing else (try about:blank )
'''Opening a blank page (BTW: tried it) is superfluous, because then there would really be no content upon which this problem would manifest itself.'''
Still searching for a solution! THANKS for the assistance thus far.