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It won't clear recent history; script won't run. Is there a setting blocking it, it worked fine until recently.

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Until a few days ago I could clear recent history. Now, it will not clear and I get either a "script will not run" or "nonresponsive program". Is a setting somewhere blocking the clear recent history function, or ??? Nothing has changed on my laptop other than the normal WinXP and Java updates.

Until a few days ago I could clear recent history. Now, it will not clear and I get either a "script will not run" or "nonresponsive program". Is a setting somewhere blocking the clear recent history function, or ??? Nothing has changed on my laptop other than the normal WinXP and Java updates.

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This can be caused by clearing the cookies via Delete browsing, search and download history on Firefox.

  • Firefox/Tools > Options > Privacy > Firefox will: "Use custom settings for history" > [X] Clear history when Firefox closes > Settings
  • Firefox > History > Clear Recent History or Tools > Clear Recent History

Try to exclude the cookies to see if that helps.


Let all cookies expire when you close Firefox to remove unwanted cookies and keep the ones with an allow exception.

Make sure that you do not clear the "Site Preferences" as that will remove all exceptions.

  • Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies: "Keep until": "I close Firefox"

If you use Delete browsing, search and download history on Firefox to clear the cookies then Firefox also tries to clear the cookies from plugins like Flash and starts a plugin-container process for each plugin and that can add extra time and also can cause an unresponsive script error to appear.

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Your suggested solution worked perfectly (i.e. excluding cookies) in about 10 seconds. Many thanks.