Why do certain of my Firefox windows start getting "Server not found"?

Several times a day, one or more of my many Firefox windows gets into a state where it gets "Server not found" whenever I try to browse to a new URL. Internet Explorer is not affected.
I usually run Firefox with ~4 windows and more than a hundred tabs. The problem sometimes affects only one of those windows. Sometimes I can solve it by closing and then reopening the window. Sometimes I can solve it by closing and then reopening Firefox. Sometimes I can solve it by rebooting.
It's hard to say when exactly this started. The computer is only two weeks old.
I have experimented with the solutions discussed here (played with my firewall, verified that I am not using a proxy server, network.dns.disableIPv6, network.dns.disablePrefetch): http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Firefox%20cannot%20load%20websites%20but%20other%20programs%20can
Has anyone else seen this? Does anyone have any suggestions?

Reload web page(s) and bypass the cache.
*Press and hold Shift and left-click the Reload button.
*Press "Ctrl + F5" or press "Ctrl + Shift + R" (Windows,Linux)
*Press "Cmd + Shift + R" (MAC)
Clear the cache and the cookies from sites that cause problems.
"Clear the Cache":
*Tools > Options > Advanced > Network > Offline Storage (Cache): "Clear Now"
"Remove Cookies" from sites causing problems:
*Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies: "Show Cookies"
A possible cause is security software (firewall) that blocks or restricts Firefox or the plugin-container process without informing you, possibly after detecting changes (update) to the Firefox program.
Remove all rules for Firefox and the plugin-container from the permissions list in the firewall and let your firewall ask again for permission to get full unrestricted access to internet for Firefox and the plugin-container process and the updater process.
See:
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Server+not+found
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Firewalls

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In Firefox, I keep getting "Server not found" error - CONSTANTLY!

Two days ago I started getting the "server not found" error, off and on, daily. It is happening on both my desktop iMac 10.7, and my Windows 7 laptop. I keep having to hit the "Try Again" butting, and sometimes, several times, before a web site will finally launch. The only two extensions I have on both, are the Adblock Plus and the Last Tab Close Button, both of which, have been installed on said computers for months and months and months.
I went in and changed a setting to the "auto detect proxy setting", hoping that would work, and it did not.
I have Firefox version 21 on both computers, and it seems the problem started shortly after this latest Firefox update, and at the SAME TIME on both computers.
I do not have virus protection on my iMac, nor on my Windows 7 laptop, at the moment, but I have run online software to check for anything, and no issues, so I believe, it is not that which is the issue.
The firewalls on both computers are working fine and no issues there either, I have not changed any firewall settings, on either computer. It couldn't be the firewall, in my opinion, because this annoying error message started happening on BOTH of my computers, at the same time; I work on my iMac in the morning, then switch to my laptop in the afternoon, and same issue continues on both, and started at the same time, on both.
Is there something broken in Firefox from this last update of the browser?
Does anyone have any suggestions as to why both computers are having this issue, at the same time?
I have not tried using I.E. yet on my laptop, I rarely have ever needed to use that browser, and I hate it, so I don't use it.
Any help or suggestions, would be appreciated.

I followed those steps, but clearly some steps are missing. How do you "enable each extension one at a time"? The only choices I see in Safe Mode are "disable" and "remove."
And why is it that every other update to Firefox breaks Firefox? I've had to install add-ons just to be able to use it in Windows 8 with a touchpad.
Now that I think of it, it doesn't even matter any more. After years of Firefox loyalty (even after Firefox users have dropped to 28%), I'm off to download Google Chrome (up to 52%). I'll miss Firefox, but not the on-again, off-again performance.

When trying to open firefox I always get "server not found".

After downloading Firefox I cannot get it to connect to the internet. I always get the message "server not found." I have tried all the "fixes" suggested online but without any luck. This is a new download and I have not used Firefox before now.

A possible cause is security software (firewall) that blocks or restricts Firefox or the plugin-container process without informing you, possibly after detecting changes (update) to the Firefox program.
Remove all rules for Firefox from the permissions list in the firewall and let your firewall ask again for permission to get full unrestricted access to internet for Firefox and the plugin-container process and the updater process.
See:
*https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Server+not+found
*https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Firewalls

Regularly get "Server Not Found" then always works with a retry. Why

Regularly get Server Not Found" then always works with a "retry".
== This happened ==
Every time Firefox opened
== I started using Firefox

Issue
I have another kind of problem with Firefox
Description
Regularly get Server Not Found" then always works with a "retry".
This happened
Every time Firefox opened
I started using Firefox
Firefox version
3.6.3
Operating system
xp windoes
User Agent

When I click on Mozilla Firefox I get server not found. When I ask for help I get server not found. Without my intention visual bee is in background.

I recently responded to a prompt to upgrade Mozilla Firefox and started seeing visual bee in background and got lookup for browser safeguard.com.com failed. Can't get into Firefox. My version is 3.6.12. Help requested. Thanks Keith

It is possible that your security software (firewall, anti-virus) blocks or restricts Firefox or the plugin-container process without informing you, possibly after detecting changes (update) to the Firefox program.
Remove all rules for Firefox and the plugin-container from the permissions list in the firewall and let your firewall ask again for permission to get full unrestricted access to internet for Firefox and the plugin-container process and the updater process.
See:
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Server+not+found
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Firewalls
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/fix-problems-connecting-websites-after-updating

Getting "server not found" errors randomly. If I reload the page comes up fine. Why?

I'm on a Mac running 10.6.5 and using Firefox 3.6.13. All of the sudden pages I visit all the time are coming up with "server not found" errors, but when I refresh the page comes up fine. Sometimes the page loads, but in html code and all jumbled.
How do I fix this? Very annoying. I've been using Firefox for years and it's never done this. Nothing's changed with my connection or settings.

You detailed the situation very well dezi.
Amazing that so many people have this problem yet NONE of these so called "AWESOME" developers deem it important enough to address the issue.
I still have the exact same lame problem as you with 3.6.whatever it is now.
There are quite a few of these random"Server not found" threads scattered around here,all with a mounting number of "people have this problem"
On my old MacBook Pro, which runs 3.5.16, I have no such issue.
After 6 weeks of exhaustive research the only thing I have found is a fix aimed at PC users in which you alter the about:config settings (not that it would work for us or that if it is even possible) that affect something called DNS fetching. I am not a computer person so all the jargon about do this-do that goes over my head. However, to get this solved I will learn what it takes.
I hope we get some real answers soon
(and none of that "empty your cache and cookies" garbage either)
Signed,
Frustrated as hell

When i load a page i get "server not found", when i click retry it loads properly, what can i do to have firefox load page first time

When i load a page it often tells me "server not found". When i click on retry most of the time it works. How do i fix it so that it works the first time.
== This happened ==
Every time Firefox opened
== a couple months ago

You either have an extension that causes that issue or some security software (firewall) is causing a delay.
See [[Troubleshooting extensions and themes]]
Also make sure that Firefox gets full unrestricted access to the internet.
See [[Firewalls]] and http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firewalls

How to fix error loading webpage - keep getting "server not found" repeatedly & have reloaded firefox and tried everthing - quite annoying and did not have problem when I first began using firefox - I am ready to try another browser

How to fix "server not found"

Does this happen on all websites? If so then you may have to update the permissions in your firewall application to allow the new Firefox.

Have windows 2000 get message not found line underneath nginx

I use windows 2000 trying to get on to google get a message saying file not found then a line underneath this with the letters nginx. Need help am not a computer person at all.

You are using a 2 1/2 year old version of Firefox, which isn't supported any longer, you need to upgrade to a newer version - either 3.6.23 or 7.0.1.
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html <br />
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all.html
You are also using insecure, outdated plugins, see this: <br />
https://www-dev.allizom.org/en-US/plugincheck/

Tried to download Firefox twice but get "page not found" when I double click on the desktop icon

Have no idea why Firefox won't download. I have Windows XP (home version) with plenty of space on my hard drive. I want to change from using Internet Explorer to Firefox.

This worked for me
Sandeep Singh (Official Rep) replied to this problem:
Elements 12: Editor will not Open
Hi Kimberly,
Please follow these steps:
Try to rename SLCacje to Slcache.old
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe
and
SLStore to Slstore.old
C:\ProgramData\Adobe\SLStore
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Let me know if this works.
Thanks
Sandeep

Hi, after installing WinXp Service Pack 3 Firefox no longer browses. I get Server not found.

All other computers on my local network connect
and browsers work fine. Ping works on affected machine.
The network connections are all ok and the status of the internet
gateway show traffic in and out. Both windows and norton firewalls
are temporarily disabled but no effect. Any help greatly appreciated

Hi, ping works on any internet IP. Tried alternate pages, same problem.
All other machines on local network
do not have this problem. They have normal access to internet. Both firefox
and ie8 do not work on this machine. I've tried to repair the connection
through windows and IE, but same problem. From the IE diagnostic log a
message 12007 crops up that says limited or no connectivity. I'm beginning
to suspect SP3 overwrote an ethernet driver. It's an old card. But when I
tried to system restore, the message was no changes had been detected.
That was curious since my workgroup name had reverted back to the XP default.
I fixed that problem so my lan file and printer sharing all work ok.

Firefox does not display "Server not found" for unexist. sites, rather Firefox display previous page or blank page.

Firefox displaying regular site (address), something like: http://www.monitor.hr/, and everything is fine. Next, I write something that do not exist (site do not exist, or it is temporary out of function, etc). So, in Firefox address bar I will write something as: http://www.news-bar.hr (at this very moment, I know this site is under DOS attack, and site is not available). But my Firefox is still presenting "last correct site" ie www.montior.hr. This behaviour is wrong. Instead "last correct site", Firefox must display message "Server not found", or something simmilar.
Same behaviour exist if I start from "blank-page". I write some "wrong address" into address bar, and after some time, page is still blank, again there is no "server not found" info.

Start Firefox in <u>[[Safe Mode|Safe Mode]]</u> to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem.
*Switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance
*Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Safe+Mode
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes

Server not found when Windows wakes up

When I wake up my Windows 7 desktop machine Firefox 7 always shows "server not found" errors for websites that continuously update, like huffingtonpost or drudgereport.
Clicking on "try again" always works fine, but I'd like to know how to set things so it would happen automatically. This started with Firefox 4.0. before that there was no problem.

It is possible the firewall hasn't completely restarted since the PC is waking up from sleep mode, but I would still blame Firefox. It should allow for this possibility just after sleep mode has ended instead of putting up a dialog box I have to click manually to fix the problem. Other browsers (Internet Explorer) don't have this problem.
But if there is a Firefox option along the lines of "wake up last after sleep mode ends" that I don't have set properly I'd like to know about it.

Server not found (firefox plugin)

Anyone tell me what I am doing wrong . . When I try and
install Macromedia Flash Player i get that the installation has
failed . . when I try and manually install I get -
Server not found
Firefox can't find the server at fpdownload.macromedia.com.
* Check the address for typing errors such as
ww.example.com instead of
www.example.com
* If you are unable to load any pages, check your computer's
network
connection.
* If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or
proxy, make sure
that Firefox is permitted to access the Web.

I tried all the suggestions that where given in the post and
I still continue to get those errors.maybe macromedia flash just
really doesnt want to cater to linux users or mac users.

As of 2/19/12 I could open two independent firefox windows and they did not share cookies. As of now (2/23/12) if I open two independent firefox windows they do share cookies. How do I get them to stop sharing cookies?

When google decided to change their privacy and sharing policies I started using two different windows to do all internet browsing and work. I would open my gmail in one window and then do everything else in another window so that google couldn't tie my searches and other internet activity together with my google accounts.
This process was working well for me until about three days ago, when all of a sudden my two Firefox windows started sharing cookies. I know for a fact they had not been sharing cookies previously because I personally go in and clear them after I visit certain websites.
From my research on this issue it seems that in the past this was the default way all firefox windows operated (sharing cookies with one another), so I don't know why I managed to get several weeks of not sharing cookies and suddenly they are sharing. But I just want to go back to the way it was just this weekend. Please help or I'll be forced to use IE and that would be sad.

Firefox stores cookies on a per site basis.
I am guessing that what you are seeing is that Google is sharing cookies across its own sites.
It is possible (an advanced subject not normally covered in this forum) to open multiple instances of Firefox with separate profiles, and thus separate cookies. A more normal method of achieving that is to use a separate user OS account. Or possibly to use firefox portable.
I have not myself followed news of Googles cookies policies, but I see it is in the news again http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/02/22/ico_enquires_about_google_system_for_serving_third_party_cookies/

Why do certain of my Firefox windows start getting "Server not found"?

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