Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web link}

A small dialog should appear. Click Start In Safe Mode (not Refresh). Is the problem still there?

Thank you so much, Fred, for the input.  :-) I'll try it and let you know.

So far.... Safe Mode seems to eliminate the problem. I am going to continue in safe mode through today and this will tell me definitively.

If this turns out to be the case, then I am guessing that an extension or plugin is creating the problem. I have very few installed - I am a minimalist when it comes to add-ons and only have the following:

Extension: Adobe Acrobat Plugin: OpenH264 Plugin: Widevine Content Decryption by Google Plugin: Shockwave Flash

The only one in here that seems like it might be a problem is Widevine.

Any thoughts?

Thank you again.  : -)

Hi pulakiii, I don't think any of the plugins would be relevant because Safe Mode only disables extensions, not plugins. And Acrobat shouldn't affect pages until you click its toolbar button. So... what does that leave. Firefox's Safe Mode also temporarily deactivates hardware acceleration, any userChrome.css/userContent.css files, and the JavaScript compilers. ???

Hmmmmm. Would I have created the CSS files explicitly or do they exist standard? I have not created any CSS files or done any customizations in that respect. Nor have I installed any javascript compilers.

I DO, on occasion, use the Web Developer ---> Inspector and it is available all the time at the bottom of the window.

Hi pulakiii, Firefox doesn't come with userChrome.css or userContent.css, you would have had to create or install those. The JavaScript compilers are built-in, however, as is hardware acceleration.

If the problem returns when you're done with Safe Mode and restart normally, this article has the steps to disable hardware acceleration: Firefox's performance settings.

If it works in Safe Mode and in normal mode with all extensions ("3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions) disabled then try to find which extension is causing the problem by enabling one extension at a time until the problem reappears.

Close and restart Firefox after each change via one of these:

• "3-bar" menu button -> Exit (Power button)
• Windows: File -> Exit
• Mac: Firefox -> Quit Firefox
• Linux: File -> Quit

UPDATE: Still in safe mode and the behavior has returned. It DOES SEEM to be greatly reduced, but....

Let’s do a full clean re-install;

Note: Firefox comes in three or more folders on all computers. They are;

Maintenance: (Programs Folder) <Windows Only> Firefox itself: (Programs Folder) And two folders in the profile of each user on the computer for each Firefox profile for that user.

If you remove the Firefox folder, the user profiles would not be affected.

Download Firefox For All languages And Systems {web link}

Save the file. Then Close Firefox.

Using your file browser, open the Programs Folder on your computer.

Windows: C:\Program Files C:\Program Files (x86) Note: Check Both Folders

Mac: Open the "Applications" folder. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-download-and-install-firefox-mac

Linux: Check your user manual. If you installed Firefox with the distro-based package manager, you should use the same way to uninstall it. See Install Firefox on Linux; https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/install-firefox-linux

If you downloaded and installed the binary package from the Firefox download page, simply remove the folder Firefox in your home directory. http://www.mozilla.org/firefox#desktop ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Look for, and remove any Mozilla or Firefox program folders. Do not remove the Mozilla Thunderbird folder if there is one.

Do Not remove any profile folders.

After rebooting the computer, run a registry scanner if you have one. Then run the installer. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ If there is a problem, start your Computer in safe mode and try again.

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Linux+Safe+Mode This shows how to Start all Computers in Safe Mode; Free Online Encyclopedia

OK, great! It's worth a try. Thank you kindly, Fred, for the very thorough instructions. I really appreciate it. I'll report back.