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Can't access google.com since automatic update to v3.6.16?

  • 3 replies
  • 14 have this problem
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  • Last reply by Xircal

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On 4/3 Firefox automatically installed the update to v3.6.16. Since then, I have been unable to access google.com.

I can get to news.google.com, but not google or gmail. Any attempt brings up the standard "Problem Loading Page / Connection has timed out." message.

Any page that loads a widget from google ends up with a blank spot or a small "Connection has timed out" error message where the app/item should be.

Every other site I've tried loads fine. (findagrave; city, county & state sites, job search sites, facebook, linkedin, etc.)

I've tried (progressively) clearing cookies, clearing cache, restarted FF, rebooted the computer - no change.

Google sites I CAN access: news.google.com translate.google.com maps.google.com blogsearch.google.com scholar.google.com (see the pattern?)

Google sites I can NOT access: google.com gmail.com anything with an address like www.google.com/_____

On 4/3 Firefox automatically installed the update to v3.6.16. Since then, I have been unable to access google.com. I can get to news.google.com, but not google or gmail. Any attempt brings up the standard "Problem Loading Page / Connection has timed out." message. Any page that loads a widget from google ends up with a blank spot or a small "Connection has timed out" error message where the app/item should be. Every other site I've tried loads fine. (findagrave; city, county & state sites, job search sites, facebook, linkedin, etc.) I've tried (progressively) clearing cookies, clearing cache, restarted FF, rebooted the computer - no change. Google sites I CAN access: news.google.com translate.google.com maps.google.com blogsearch.google.com scholar.google.com (see the pattern?) Google sites I can NOT access: google.com gmail.com anything with an address like www.google.com/_____

All Replies (3)

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Try running Firefox in Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode. If it works correctly in that configuration, then one of your add-ons is the culprit.

If running in Safe Mode doesn't fix the problem, do this:

  1. In the location bar, type: about:config and hit Enter
  2. type: keyword.URL in the filter at the top
  3. Double click the entry and remove whatever's in there. It will change to "Default" and "String".
  4. Close Firefox via File | Exit and then restart it again.

When you type anything in the location bar afterwards, it will search automatically with Google (dot)com

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Forgot to give an update to my original post.

Several days ago, after removing some plug-ins, several reboots, and resetting the cable modem and router a few times with no luck, I tried something that shouldn't have been necessary: went to the command prompt for a round of

ipconfig -release ipconsig -renew

Returned to firefox, and google.com links worked again.

Still no idea what happened, or why, but it's working.

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Well, I'm glad to hear you're up and running again anyway.