If this is the only way to get content you paid for, it does sound as though you might need to roll back until the add-on is updated.

(Some add-ons can be "hacked" to extend their listed range of compatible versions, but you might not want to risk that in this case.)

Here's the process to roll back:

First, I recommend backing up your Firefox settings in case something goes wrong. See Backing up your information. (You can copy your entire Firefox profile folder somewhere outside of the Mozilla folder.)

Next, download and save Firefox 3.6 to your desktop for future installation. http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/all-older

Close Firefox 4.

You could install Firefox 3.6 over it (many have reported success) or you could uninstall Firefox first. If you uninstall, do not remove your personal data and settings, just the program.

Unless you have installed an incompatible add-on, Firefox 3.6 should pick up where you left off. If there are serious issues, please post back with details.

Note: I haven't actually tried this myself!

I tried that fix but I still have the same problem with Firefox 3.6.17.

When I try to access a ScienceDirect page e.g. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6VF0-4M6459T-1/2/ed0117ea3652e49b88a3e86fda7dbeec It only shows Related Articles. If I select one of those it goes to the article then switches to the page http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/page/javascript/SDEmbed.html#NO. Is javascript in that URL a clue?

Cheers, Alastair.

It sounds like a very different problem now. Previously you saw the full page, but the PDF button didn't work, and now you can't see the main article?

When you have a problem with one particular site, a good "first thing to try" is clearing your Firefox cache and deleting your saved cookies for the site.

1. Clear Firefox's Cache

Tools > Options > Advanced > Network > Offline Storage (Cache): "Clear Now"

2. If needed, remove the site's cookies here

right-click the page, choose View Page Info > Security > "View Cookies"

Also, make sure JavaScript is enabled generally (Tools > Options > Content) and for that site in NoScript if you use NoScript.

Any luck?

I realised I was reporting a new/different problem after I posted the message :-( Should I open a new thread?

I have implemented your suggestions 1 & 2, and I have checked that JavaScript was enabled, but no luck.

How do I find out whether I use NoScript, and how do I enable it for that site?

TIA, Alastair.

To see whether ad add-on is at fault, you could try Firefox's Safe Mode.

First, I recommend backing up your Firefox settings in case something goes wrong. See Backing up your information. (You can copy your entire Firefox profile folder somewhere outside of the Mozilla folder.)

Next, try starting Firefox in Firefox Safe Mode. Be careful not to "reset" anything permanently if you didn't back up.

Does that fix it?

---

NoScript is an add-on that blocks scripts on all sites until you allow them on a site-by-site basis. You probably would know if you were running it by the drastic change in functionality and the "S" icon on the Add-ons bar. You also can check here:

Tools > Add-ons > Extensions

I used Firefox Safe Mode as suggested, and eventually found that if I did not use Zotero's feature to automatically access the page through the Open University proxy server the problem was solved :-)

I have now re-installed Firefox 4.0.1 and my problem is still fixed.

Thanks for your help. It was indispensable.

Cheers, Alastair.

abm33 I still didn't get how you have solved the problem. can you elaborate please

FF v 3.6.16

I have problems with PDF downloader on ScienceDirect.

All the best!

Finally, I solved the problem with science direct by opening the pdf in a new tab. More generally, I solved other problems by dumping the add-in I had for downloading pdfs. It was outdated and not functional anymore

sylvieg thank you! I can do like this in Opera, I thought in FF I can use the pdf downloader function to ease my work :(

UPDATE: On sciencedirect it seems that Vista is not permitted if someone wants to use PDF DOWNLOADER function. So I use FF using compatibility mode for winXp and it is working :)

Hi Vivio,

Only just found your request, and I think slvieg has answered your problem but I thought I ought to spell out what I found.

My problem was caused by the referencing system Zotero, (which only works with Firefox and so I could not eliminate FF by trying my problem with IE.) Zotero can be set to use your university library Athens proxy automatically when accessing documents.

I think what was happening is that ScienceDirect text pages (not PDFs) are multiple, i.e. the document, the relevant documents, and the citing documents, and are displayed in three windows. I think the proxy was working for the first window but not for the others and so ScienceDirect was hanging. I switched off the automatic proxy system in Zotero, and access the pages from my university online library which cured my problem. (I might try switching the proxy on again to see if the problem has been fixed now.)

Cheers, Alastair.