It may be worth trying with the Norton toolbar disabled, that sort of thing has sometimes been associated with Firefox problems. If you do use a Norton toolbar it should be the latest available version.

As a general troubleshooting step try firefox in Firefox's safe mode using only the default theme and with all plugins disabled. Do NOT make changes on the first options window you see for safe mode, just click on continue. If the problem goes away then it has narrowed down what we need to look at.

• See also error loading web sites

I have already tried that but it crashes almost instantly anyway. The same with restarting in Safe Mode.

Please read firefox crashes, follow the tips in that article, and paste into your next message a couple of Crash IDs obtained when trying to start in safe mode.

Tried the tips from Firefox crashes articles. No result.

Crash log part 1:

 Programfakta

       Namn
       Firefox

       Version
       10.0.2

       Användaragent
       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:10.0.2) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/10.0.2

       Profilmapp

         Öppna mapp

       Aktiva insticksmoduler

         about:plugins

       Byggkonfiguration

         about:buildconfig

       Kraschrapporter

         about:crashes

       Minnesanvändning

         about:memory

 Tillägg

       Namn

       Version

       Aktiverad

       ID

       Adobe Acrobat - Create PDF
       1.2
       false
       web2pdfextension@web2pdf.adobedotcom

       Download Statusbar
       0.9.10
       false
       {D4DD63FA-01E4-46a7-B6B1-EDAB7D6AD389}

       Norton Toolbar
       2011.7.5.2
       false
       {2D3F3651-74B9-4795-BDEC-6DA2F431CB62}

       Symantec Intrusion Prevention
       10.1.0.68 - 1
       false
       {BBDA0591-3099-440a-AA10-41764D9DB4DB}

       Xmarks
       4.0.5
       false
       foxmarks@kei.com

 Modifierade inställningar

     Namn

     Värde

       accessibility.typeaheadfind
       true

       accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar
       0

       browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion
       2

       browser.startup.homepage
       resource:/browserconfig.properties

       browser.startup.homepage_override.buildID
       20120215223356

       browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone
       rv:10.0.2

       dom.ipc.plugins.enabled.np_prsnl.dll
       false

       extensions.lastAppVersion
       10.0.2

       gfx.blacklist.layers.opengl
       4

       gfx.blacklist.webgl.opengl
       4

       network.cookie.prefsMigrated
       true

       places.database.lastMaintenance
       1330514041

       places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages
       104858

       places.history.expiration.transient_optimal_database_size
       167772160

       print.print_printer
       Lexmark E120n (MS) (Copy 1)

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_bgcolor
       false

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_bgimages
       false

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_command

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_downloadfonts
       false

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_edge_bottom
       0

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_edge_left
       0

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_edge_right
       0

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_edge_top
       0

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_evenpages
       true

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_footercenter

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_footerleft
       &PT

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_footerright
       &D

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_headercenter

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_headerleft
       &T

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_headerright
       &U

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_in_color
       true

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_margin_bottom
       0.5

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_margin_left
       0.5

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_margin_right
       0.5

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_margin_top
       0.5

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_oddpages
       true

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_orientation
       0

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_page_delay
       50

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_paper_data
       1

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_paper_height
       11,00

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_paper_size_type
       0

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_paper_size_unit
       0

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_paper_width
       8,50

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_reversed
       false

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_scaling
       1,00

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_shrink_to_fit
       true

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_to_file
       false

Part 2:

  print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_unwriteable_margin_bottom
       0

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_unwriteable_margin_left
       0

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_unwriteable_margin_right
       0

       print.printer_Adobe_PDF.print_unwriteable_margin_top
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_bgcolor
       false

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_bgimages
       false

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_command

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_downloadfonts
       false

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_edge_bottom
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_edge_left
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_edge_right
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_edge_top
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_evenpages
       true

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_footercenter

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_footerleft
       &PT

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_footerright
       &D

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_headercenter

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_headerleft
       &T

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_headerright
       &U

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_in_color
       true

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_margin_bottom
       0.5

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_margin_left
       0.5

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_margin_right
       0.5

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_margin_top
       0.5

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_oddpages
       true

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_orientation
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_page_delay
       50

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_paper_data
       1

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_paper_height
       11,00

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_paper_size_type
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_paper_size_unit
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_paper_width
       8,50

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_reversed
       false

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_scaling
       1,00

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_shrink_to_fit
       true

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_to_file
       false

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_unwriteable_margin_bottom
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_unwriteable_margin_left
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_unwriteable_margin_right
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS).print_unwriteable_margin_top
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_bgcolor
       false

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_bgimages
       false

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_command

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_downloadfonts
       false

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_edge_bottom
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_edge_left
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_edge_right
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_edge_top
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_evenpages
       true

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_footercenter

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_footerleft
       &PT

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_footerright
       &D

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_headercenter

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_headerleft
       &T

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_headerright
       &U

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_in_color
       true

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_margin_bottom
       0.5

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_margin_left
       0.5

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_margin_right
       0.5

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_margin_top
       0.5

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_oddpages
       true

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_orientation
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_page_delay
       50

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_paper_data
       1

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_paper_height
       11,00

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_paper_size_type
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_paper_size_unit
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_paper_width
       8,50

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_reversed
       false

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_scaling
       1,00

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_shrink_to_fit
       true

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_to_file
       false

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_unwriteable_margin_bottom
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_unwriteable_margin_left
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_unwriteable_margin_right
       0

       print.printer_Lexmark_E120n_(MS)_(Copy_1).print_unwriteable_margin_top
       0

       privacy.item.cache
       true

       privacy.item.downloads
       false

       privacy.item.formdata
       false

       privacy.item.history
       false

       privacy.item.passwords
       false

       privacy.sanitize.migrateFx3Prefs
       true

       privacy.sanitize.promptOnSanitize
       false

       security.warn_viewing_mixed
       false

 Grafik

       Adapterbeskrivning
       ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series

       Leverantörs-ID
       1002

       Enhets-ID
       68b8

       Adapter-RAM
       1024

       Adapterdrivrutin
       aticfx64 aticfx64 aticfx64 aticfx32 aticfx32 aticfx32 atiumd64 atidxx64 atidxx64 atiumdag atidxx32 atidxx32 atiumdva atiumd6a atitmm64

       Drivrutinsversion
       8.930.0.0

       Drivrutinsdatum
       12-5-2011

       Adapter-RAM (GPU #2)
       Unknown

       Adapterdrivrutin (GPU #2)
       Unknown

       Direct2D aktiverat
       false

       DirectWrite aktiverat
       false (6.1.7601.17563)

       ClearType-parametrar
       Gamma: 2200 Pixel Structure: RGB ClearType Level: 100 Enhanced Contrast: 50

       WebGL-renderare
       Google Inc. -- ANGLE (ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series) -- OpenGL ES 2.0 (ANGLE 0.0.0.809)

       Grafikaccelererade fönster
       0/1

I now realize the problem has to do with certain password restricted webpages, eg. avanza.se, seb.se, nordnet.se which are banks. No problem downloading other pages.

Best regards /Karl

Glad you sorted out the problem, thanks for the post.

Hi,

I wouldn't say the problem is solved. My other browsers work just fine with these pages and those password restricted webpages are the ones I use a lot. A pity Firefox can't handle those anymore. I really liked Firefox.

Do you have any clue as to why this problem has arisen? Firefox has worked just fine earlier and I've been able to use Norton 360 for saving passwords and filling them out automatically, simplifying my life a great deal.

/Karl

Firefox will save passwords and logins for you, and if required use a masterpassword, without you needing to use a Norton utility.

• how do I make Firefox remember my usernames and passwords?
• protecting stored passwords using a master password

Yes, I know that but even with the Norton 360 disabled Firefox won't work after a few minutes. It just won't update webpages or download new ones. Very annonying!

You need to work out whether Firefox is crashing or hanging.

• see firefox crashes
• and firefox hangs

The articles include troubleshooting tips and suggestions you will need to try.

As I mentioned before it would also help if as a troubleshooting step you use Firefox's safe mode with all plugins disabled.

Yes John, I've used it in safe mode with all plugins disabled and it the same thing happens anyway: After I've opened a few webpages firefox stops downloading new content. I can usually shut down Firefox manually but when I tried just now it hanged and stopped responding. Also, when I shut it down manually it still runs in the background and can't be reopened without going into the task manager and shutting down the process.

Are you only getting problems on certain webpages, such as the banks that you need to log in to?

After I've opened a few webpages firefox stops downloading new content

When you say Firefox stops downloading new content are you saying firefox is stopping working and freezing, or are you referring to the fact that you are trying to download files in the background, or stream music or video for instance.

Or do you often get the problem on other webpages ?

Recheck that you have followed suggestions in

• firefox hangs_firefox-hangs-when-you-quit-it
• and troubleshooting extensions and themes

In addition to being in Firefox's safe mode with all plugins disabled try

1. Making and use as a troubleshooting step a new additional clean profile
   • managing profiles_creating-a-profile
     (I suggest you do not rename or delete any profile you create, just remove any shortcuts. Unless you are very familiar with the procedures and the consequences of changes.)
2. using Windows safemode, accessible usually by use of the F8 key on startup
   • see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safe_mode
3. the next step would probably be to try to rule out the possibility of malware
   • is my firefox problem a result of malware
   • suggested method see: /questions/914980#answer-302372