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Sometimes, right after a reboot, Firefox won't start on my Win 10 Pro desktop. Somewhat rarer, but still possible, is that sometimes other programs (like a game or a graphic software app) won't start either.

Typically, the behavior goes like this: Double-click on icon (either on desktop or in start menu or on the start bar), cursor switches to spinning circle, then goes back to a regular arrow-pointer cursor. App doesn't start. Starting app as administrator doesn't help. Compatibility modes don't help.

Another reboot always seems to fix it, and in fact, is the only thing that fixes it. This is annoying and I'd like to try to fix it if I can, without having to reboot.

Any ideas on where to begin my diagnosis?

The problem is happening right now, so I will refrain from rebooting just in case there are suggestions for collecting diagnostics.

I've seen something similar caused by a security product. If you have any IPS/IDS/antivirus applications, try removing or reinstalling them. This could apply to anything that installs I/O filter drivers, so monitoring and backup applications could also cause a hang on disk access. These are the easiest/cheapest things to test.

You could also remove all add-ons and extensions---or reinstall FireFox from scratch. Keep a backup of your profile, but test without it just in case there is some crud in there that the application can't handle.

You should check the Windows event logs to see if it recorded an abnormal termination for FireFox. Bad memory/power are common hardware causes of application crashes. I would reseat or swap out those components to see if the behavior persists.

You can try reinstalling Windows, preferably Windows 7. That should fix the problem.

TheRazorsEdge wrote:

I've seen something similar caused by a security product. If you have any IPS/IDS/antivirus applications, try removing or reinstalling them. This could apply to anything that installs I/O filter drivers, so monitoring and backup applications could also cause a hang on disk access. These are the easiest/cheapest things to test.

This is interesting. I did install Malwarebytes Pro a few months ago and it's possible that this started shortly after that time. This may have given me a starting point.

You could also remove all add-ons and extensions---or reinstall FireFox from scratch. Keep a backup of your profile, but test without it just in case there is some crud in there that the application can't handle.

That's a good point. I suppose I could remove my half-dozen or so addons for a couple weeks to see if the problem recurs.

You should check the Windows event logs to see if it recorded an abnormal termination for FireFox. Bad memory/power are common hardware causes of application crashes. I would reseat or swap out those components to see if the behavior persists.

I tried this a few months ago and really didn't have any idea what I might be looking for, or where in the event logs I might find it. I even went so far as to clear the logs, then try to launch FF, then look at the logs, and really nothing stood out. But maybe I was looking in the wrong place, so if anybody could give me some guidance on that, I'd be grateful.

gmskking wrote:

You can try reinstalling Windows, preferably Windows 7. That should fix the problem.

I know you were having a little fun at my expense, but I should answer this seriously, so here goes:

I installed Windows 10 a year ago (or was it longer?) when it first came out. I'm quite sure I don't have any valid Windows licenses prior to 10. To complicate matters, I came from Windows 8.1, not 7. So your suggestion is to backlevel one computer at least 3 major OS levels. And then there's the fact that I have software now that requires Windows 10. And the other twist is that I'm using 10 in two personal machines plus a work laptop anyway, so it would not make sense to downgrade one computer and not the others (plus I have no admin control over the work laptop anyhow).

Besides that, newer CPU chips (I built this rig in January) won't run versions of Windows prior to 10, right?

So...no, this solution is not viable. But that was fun; thanks for playing!

BIF wrote:

TheRazorsEdge wrote:

I've seen something similar caused by a security product. If you have any IPS/IDS/antivirus applications, try removing or reinstalling them. This could apply to anything that installs I/O filter drivers, so monitoring and backup applications could also cause a hang on disk access. These are the easiest/cheapest things to test.

This is interesting. I did install Malwarebytes Pro a few months ago and it's possible that this started shortly after that time. This may have given me a starting point.

You could also remove all add-ons and extensions---or reinstall FireFox from scratch. Keep a backup of your profile, but test without it just in case there is some crud in there that the application can't handle.

That's a good point. I suppose I could remove my half-dozen or so addons for a couple weeks to see if the problem recurs.

You should check the Windows event logs to see if it recorded an abnormal termination for FireFox. Bad memory/power are common hardware causes of application crashes. I would reseat or swap out those components to see if the behavior persists.

I tried this a few months ago and really didn't have any idea what I might be looking for, or where in the event logs I might find it. I even went so far as to clear the logs, then try to launch FF, then look at the logs, and really nothing stood out. But maybe I was looking in the wrong place, so if anybody could give me some guidance on that, I'd be grateful.

gmskking wrote:

You can try reinstalling Windows, preferably Windows 7. That should fix the problem.

I know you were having a little fun at my expense, but I should answer this seriously, so here goes:

I installed Windows 10 a year ago (or was it longer?) when it first came out. I'm quite sure I don't have any valid Windows licenses prior to 10. To complicate matters, I came from Windows 8.1, not 7. So your suggestion is to backlevel one computer at least 3 major OS levels. And then there's the fact that I have software now that requires Windows 10. And the other twist is that I'm using 10 in two personal machines plus a work laptop anyway, so it would not make sense to downgrade one computer and not the others (plus I have no admin control over the work laptop anyhow).

Besides that, newer CPU chips (I built this rig in January) won't run versions of Windows prior to 10, right?

So...no, this solution is not viable. But that was fun; thanks for playing!

Honestly, this obsession people have with telling everyone to change their OS over a specific issue... it's just weird. It'd be like telling someone they need to buy a new car just because the brakes squeak. It isn't helpful, it's just... weird.

cphite wrote:

Honestly, this obsession people have with telling everyone to change their OS over a specific issue... it's just weird. It'd be like telling someone they need to buy a new car just because the brakes squeak. It isn't helpful, it's just... weird.

At least nobody told him to install Linux or get a Mac!

just brew it! wrote:

cphite wrote:

Honestly, this obsession people have with telling everyone to change their OS over a specific issue... it's just weird. It'd be like telling someone they need to buy a new car just because the brakes squeak. It isn't helpful, it's just... weird.

At least nobody told him to install Linux or get a Mac!

Give it time.

just brew it! wrote:

At least nobody told him to install Linux or get a Mac!

He should get a Mac and install Linux on it.
</went_there>

LOL!

And JBI, I know you wanted to; I just know it!

But seriously, it's okay. Rather than get angry, I figure I'd just document the reasons why it is the way it is. If enough people see that some software and hardware now require my OS choice, then maybe they'll just let it go...

Yeah, probably not.

I have seen something similar to this over the years, though I haven't seen it on my personal PC since upgrading to W10 Pro on release day. When things like this happened to me it was almost always another piece of software that I was running causing the issue. Sometimes A/V or, oddly enough, once it was Samsung Magician causing a ruckus. I think maybe reinstalling Windows may be your best bet here unless you have the patience to go application by application to possibly find a cause.

I haven't had this problem with Firefox recently, but I did have intermittent issues in the past in which Firefox would do what you described. If I killed the non-working Firefox process in Task Manager, it would then start OK when I double clicked the icon again. Granted, this does not address the root cause, but it was painless to do occasionally.

BIF wrote:

Sometimes, right after a reboot, Firefox won't start on my Win 10 Pro desktop. Somewhat rarer, but still possible, is that sometimes other programs (like a game or a graphic software app) won't start either.

Typically, the behavior goes like this: Double-click on icon (either on desktop or in start menu or on the start bar), cursor switches to spinning circle, then goes back to a regular arrow-pointer cursor. App doesn't start. Starting app as administrator doesn't help. Compatibility modes don't help.

Another reboot always seems to fix it, and in fact, is the only thing that fixes it. This is annoying and I'd like to try to fix it if I can, without having to reboot.

Any ideas on where to begin my diagnosis?

The problem is happening right now, so I will refrain from rebooting just in case there are suggestions for collecting diagnostics.

Happens to me sometimes on both my XP64 and Win7 boxes. I go into task manager and there it is running. I stop it in taskmanager. Then I try again; and it starts properly.

Edit: My first guess is that it fails to close properly after a previous use. But this happens from a fresh boot so its something else going on.

Since it happens after a reboot, maybe you're trying to launch it before all critical system services are fully up and running and it is getting confused and hanging (instead of just waiting) as a result?

Another problem I have about Firefox. Mozgul.dll missing sign. Is that file a virus, because malware bytes removed it. So when I use twitter or another apps and try to open links on them, they start default firefox to open links but sign appear "mozgul.dll couldn't find" so can I download this file from internet web site or any advice?

same problem is running here... FireFox issue

Robotics wrote:

Another problem I have about Firefox. Mozgul.dll missing sign. Is that file a virus, because malware bytes removed it. So when I use twitter or another apps and try to open links on them, they start default firefox to open links but sign appear "mozgul.dll couldn't find" so can I download this file from internet web site or any advice?

In that situation, try uninstalling and reinstalling Firefox.

ludi wrote:

Robotics wrote:

Another problem I have about Firefox. Mozgul.dll missing sign. Is that file a virus, because malware bytes removed it. So when I use twitter or another apps and try to open links on them, they start default firefox to open links but sign appear "mozgul.dll couldn't find" so can I download this file from internet web site or any advice?

In that situation, try uninstalling and reinstalling Firefox.

I did but same problem appear again , thanks for answer .

Robotics wrote:

Another problem I have about Firefox. Mozgul.dll missing sign. Is that file a virus, because malware bytes removed it. So when I use twitter or another apps and try to open links on them, they start default firefox to open links but sign appear "mozgul.dll couldn't find" so can I download this file from internet web site or any advice?

Assuming you actually mean mozglue.dll (not mozgul.dll), it looks like there have been some known compatibility issues with Firefox and AVG anti-virus. Are you using AVG, by any chance?

just brew it! wrote:

Robotics wrote:

Another problem I have about Firefox. Mozgul.dll missing sign. Is that file a virus, because malware bytes removed it. So when I use twitter or another apps and try to open links on them, they start default firefox to open links but sign appear "mozgul.dll couldn't find" so can I download this file from internet web site or any advice?

Assuming you actually mean mozglue.dll (not mozgul.dll), it looks like there have been some known compatibility issues with Firefox and AVG anti-virus. Are you using AVG, by any chance?

Yeah JBI wrong file name sorry about that. I use malwarebytes only, can I uninstall firefox and re-install to my machine without malwarebytes?

Robotics wrote:

Yeah JBI wrong file name sorry about that. I use malwarebytes only, can I uninstall firefox and re-install to my machine without malwarebytes?

I've been running the paid version of MBAM for a couple of years now and I've NEVER had an issue with installing/removing/updating FireFox, nor has MBAM ever decided that my copy of mozglue.dll has gone to the dark side.

Wife's machine does the same thing.

I find that Firefox actually did launch and it has a process or processes running.
Killing these and then relaunching firefox fixes the issue.

BIF wrote:

I tried this a few months ago and really didn't have any idea what I might be looking for, or where in the event logs I might find it. I even went so far as to clear the logs, then try to launch FF, then look at the logs, and really nothing stood out. But maybe I was looking in the wrong place, so if anybody could give me some guidance on that, I'd be grateful.

Application crashes are in the System log. They are considered errors, so they will have the red X indicator if you look that way---although it much easier to use the filter.