Firefox is minimized but I cannot make it visible again - v2
Another user asked this same question but the thread is now closed. The issue was that Firefox with several tabs was minimized and could not be brought to the foreground. The work around used in that thread was to hover over the Firefox icon on the task bar to select maximize. Then open a new Firefox session and drag the tabs over.
I experienced this same problem on Win7 Pro 64-bit with Firefox 16.0.2. The problem started after running critically low on disk swap space and memory from trying to run too many programs.
I was able to perform a more elegant recovery than dragging the tabs as described in the original query by the other user. I first maximized the problematic Firefox as noted. However, I then used taskmanager to kill-process-tree on the firefox process. Restart of Firefox was again maximized as it was when killed, but I was then able to window-size it using the window icon in upper right.
Whether this is a Firefox problem or a Windows problem is unknown. However, Firefox did not recover itself after I freed system resources and rebooted windows. Only after kill-process-tree did Firefox appear to recover.
All Replies (5)
- Use Restore or Maximize in the right-click context menu of the Taskbar icon to set focus to the Firefox application if you do not see the Firefox window.
- Open the system menu of that Firefox window via Alt+Space and see if you can move and resize that window (use the keyboard cursor keys).
If that works then first close all other open Firefox windows and then close Firefox via "File > Exit/Quit" to save that setting.
You can also check for problems with the localstore.rdf file.
System menu of firefox via alt+space has resize grey when firefox is maximized. Closing firefox with window x icon does not resolve issue on restart. Another data point is that taskmanager switch-to does not select nor does alt+tab.
I only posted my version of the solution since the other thread was closed. Unless and until an official technical solution presents itself, I will continue to use the taskmanager kill-process-tree as stated to recover.
Once the window has focus then you should be able to open the system menu and un-maximize it the move to window into view and re-size it via the entries in the system menu.
There is no way to unmaximize the window without it collapsing to the task bar again. That is the problem. When the issue occurs, the user cannot bring firefox back to normal window mode via any firefox interface method. It is maximize or nothing until the stated resolution of end-process-tree and restart is performed.
It is possible that the window has moved off the screen and isn't visible and that is it still possible to open the system menu and have it appear on the screen. You only need to set focus to that window via the task bar.
Did you try to delete the localstore.rdf file?