From MozillaZine Knowledge Base
This article offers a step-by-step guide that users can follow if Mozilla Suite is no longer working properly and no other application is exhibiting strange behaviour.
- Reboot the computer. If the problem persists, continue on.
- If you can open the program and use the menus, clear the cache ("Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Cache -> Clear Cache") and switch to the Classic or Modern theme ("Edit -> Preferences -> Appearance -> Themes") then restart Mozilla Suite. If the problem persists, continue on.
- Close the program (if open) using "File -> Exit" and make sure it is not running in the background. Do not skip this step.
- If you have extensions and can open the program and use the menus, uninstall your most recently installed or updated extension or theme, perform step 3 again, and start Mozilla Suite normally. If the problem persists,
- Uninstall your extensions. Perform step 3 again and start Mozilla Suite normally. If the problem persists, continue on.
- Important: Back up your profile before continuing so that your settings and personal data (such as bookmarks and passwords) will not be lost. Then,
- Perform step 3 again and delete the file "XUL.mfl" (Windows), "xul.mfasl" (Linux), or "XUL FastLoad File" (Mac OS X) from your profile folder. This file will be regenerated on next startup. If the problem persists,
- Perform step 3 again, then delete the "localstore.rdf" file from your profile folder. You will lose any changes you have made to the toolbars. If the problem persists,
- Perform step 3 again, then delete the "chrome" and "extensions" folders from your profile folder. You will lose all your extensions and themes. If the problem persists,
- Perform step 3 again, then create a new profile. Your personal data and settings will be gone. If the problem is resolved, selectively copy back your important profile data to the new profile. If the problem persists, continue on.
- Do a fresh install:
- Uninstall Mozilla Suite.
- Delete the directory Mozilla Suite was installed to and the GRE directory (in Windows, C:\Program Files\Common Files\mozilla.org\GRE).
- Open your OS temporary directory (Windows 98/ME: Start -> Run -> Type C:\Windows\Temp -> OK, Windows 2000/XP: Start -> Run -> Type %temp% -> OK) and delete all files and folders contained therein.
- Download the Mozilla Suite installer from mozilla.org and re-install.
If none of these steps help, the problem could be with other running programs such as a firewall, mail-screener, spamblocker, parental control or similar program that is conflicting with Mozilla Suite. Try disabling these other programs, one at a time. Also check your system for viruses, spyware and other malware.
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