Firefox Crash o.o?!

[rockhoward]

I have a problem, whenever I open up a folder firefox crashes and I need to reinstall it. Why would this happen o.o?

[glc]

What are you using to open the folder WITH? Firefox is a web browser, not a file/folder manager.

[rockhoward]

It's just a regular folder, I'm running windows XP home edition. I'm not opening the folder with firefox, firefox just crashes when I open any file folder, or my computer, or control panel, ect. Any folder at all.

[martson]

That's a very strange thing to happen. How much memory have you got installed? Is the disk defragged and the system in good cleaned up condition? Maybe better suggestions will be made but perhaps you could go through the steps that normally find faults with Firefox, just to eliminate them from being a possible cause.

Are you using the latest version of Firefox?
Empty the cache
Make sure there are no plugin updates
Try running Firefox in Firefox's Safe Mode
Try creating an additiional Profile and start Firefox up using it (uninstalling/reinstalling Firefox doesn't affect the all-important Profiles folder).

Logically, the above shouldn't affect the problem but maybe they'd be worth trying anyway. You never know...

[rockhoward]

How do I check plugin updates and profiles thing?

[martson]

To check plugins, type; about: plugins (but close the gap) into the Address Bar and press 'Enter'. I think it's only an older version of the Flash plugin that could cause a browser crash (although not under the same circumstances as you are experiencing). Here's the versions of a few plugins I have listed. They are the latest I believe:

Shockwave Flash 9.0 r28
Adobe Shockwave for Director Netscape plug-in, version 10.1
Java Plug-in 1.6.0 for Netscape Navigator (DLL Helper)

To try a new Profile, go to 'Start > Run' and type: firefox.exe -p (note the space between exe and -p) into the box and press 'Enter'. This will open Firefox's Profile Manager dialogue box. Follow the instructions it gives for making a new Profile. Best to create an additional one for experimental purposes. It can be deleted again if it doesn't make any difference.

When you start Firefox using the new Profile, it will look the same as when Firefox was first installed (no extensions, themes, bookmarks, saved passwords etc.). Bookmarks can be imported into the new Profile from the other Profile if necessary.

All this would be just an experiment to see if it has any bearing on the problem. It might not. I suppose you could also try deleting/removing all traces of the current Firefox installation (including the Profiles folder) and then reinstall it. I wonder if the root of the problem could be something outside of Firefox though.