It's always frustrating when your browser crashes. You might be in the middle of something important and suddenly - boom. It's gone. Your site overload and now you have to start your work all over again.
Firefox is usually very reliable when it comes to handling traffic and keeping itself stable. However, it isn't immune to the whole 'crashing' bit. A crash is when Firefox closes or quits unexpectedly, and your Mozilla Crash Reporter appears.
There are two scenarios in this case: one where you start Firefox normally, but it crashes later while you're working - which is annoying. And the second is that Firefox won't start at all and the crash reporter appears - which quite often than not sets you off into a panic.
Fret not, though; we've found a few easy solutions that you can do to avoid crashes and keep Firefox running in tip top condition.
There are plenty of different elements that can cause your computer to crash. When different programs are running on your system, always make sure that they are updated to their latest version. Keeping software up to date will help you avoid crashes and help your computer secure and running smoothly.
Click on the menu. Then click Help and select About Firefox. Look for the Update Firefox to the latest version, and you're set.
Go to the Plugin check page and follow links to update any plugins that are out of date.
Make sure you're using latest security and stability functionality on your computer. Go to the system menu and down to administrator functions to upgrade your software.
Check that all the device drivers attached to your computer are up to date and running smoothly.
See Also: - Simplest Way to Install Unverified Add-ons in Firefox
2. Check for Viruses and Spyware
Use an anti-virus and malware scanner for your computer. You will find all the relevant information on Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware.
3. Troubleshoot your Crash
If you find Firefox crashing abnormally and don't mind investigating a bit about it, take a look at the troubleshooting and fixing crashes page Firefox crashes - Troubleshoot, prevent and get help fixing crashes.
It has all the links that will give you detailed instructions on how to deal with different types of crashes.
4. Try starting Firefox Safe Mode
When you're crashing does occur, try and first start Firefox in Firefox Safe Mode. This mode temporarily shuts down hardware acceleration among other things and disables installed extensions.
If the crash still happens in Safe mode, then it is not being caused by extension themes or hardware accelerations. You must then get help with your crash ID
You can follow steps in the Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems to determine the cause.
If your browser works fine with Safe Mode, then it is most likely that a haywire extension or hardware acceleration was causing the crash.
If you are unable to open Firefox even in Safe Mode, then it is often required that you perform a clean install. It will not delete any bookmarks; passwords add-ons or personal information that you might have saved earlier. It simply stores the information in a separate profile folder. To do a clean install:
- Uninstall Firefox from your Computer.
- Delete the Firefox Installation folder.
- Download a fresh copy of Firefox.
6. Uninstall Software that Causes Crashes
Some malicious and nasty programs seem very harmless on the surface but can create havoc with your web browsers causing them to crash. Check your system and remove any malware or software that could be causing problems.
Check release notes to see if there are issues with Firefox itself.
If the above solutions aren't working the problem is most likely with your hardware. Firefox repeatedly crashing is usually caused by RAM errors. You can check for this using the tool Memtest86+.
8. Using the Mozilla Crash Reporter
Sometimes it's better to let the developers of Firefox take over the job of analyzing the crash. You can check the box that says Mozilla will contact you about the crash so you can hear about the problem first hand.
It's good to list out the page you were on when the crash occurred so they can find out if that is what caused your browser to quit without warning.
It can be useful because it gets rid of anything harmful or unwanted - themes, extensions, site preferences, etc.
Your information is all stored in profile folders and sometimes that can be the problem. By resetting Firefox, you are creating a new profile, and this might be without whatever was causing you grief earlier. But don't worry, all your browser history, bookmarks and cookies are still safe.
10. Disable Hardware Acceleration Feature
This feature of Firefox uses the graphics card on your computer to render texts and objects on any website. It will help you in speeding up the process of your web page rendering and taking weight off the computer's central processor.
Sometimes, however, this feature might clash with other graphics cards and drivers.
Disable your Hardware Acceleration feature only as a last resort if your browser is frequently crashing.
Sometimes figuring out the exact problem might be challenging and may require expert help from the experts over at Mozilla. Hopefully, though, the above fixes will help you get some relief from the crashing browser.