Is this somehow related to the change back in 2017 re shockwave and all that? If so, I still do not know how to fix the problem. Seems there was ONE Windows update I was not supposed to install. Is that what my problem is? I just checked, and I have NO windows updates. Seems to me I was supposed to have 1 out there. And how do I remove that installed update now?

BEYOND BIZARRE! Since I reset now I have to add all my extensions. Facebook Purity is not being allowed to load as a Firefox Extension! I hope someone can help me sort out WHAT is going ON???

Hi Sandie, I'm sorry to hear about this problem.

A Firefox Refresh -- if that's what you mean by reset, instead of a Windows 10 reset -- moves your old profile folder to your desktop inside a folder named Old Firefox Data. Do you see that folder? Please hang onto it in case we need to mine files from it.

Could you update the overall current status? Is there still a problem with Firefox detecting/enabling your touchscreen, or is that okay now?

Is the main remaining action item getting FB Purity back? Their install page is here: https://www.fbpurity.com/install.htm It's normal when installing from a new site that Firefox blocks first and then asks if you want to unblock, as this avoids malicious "drive by" installs. Assuming you trust the publisher's site (assuming that is the publisher's site) you can unblock that and then install.

Success?

Yes still major problems, jscher2000 . I did a windows 10 reset; I did a Firefox refresh; and I also did a Firefox uninstall shut down laptop, 2 hours later came back on and did a new install. I am forced to use Edge to do most of what little I do online. Yes, I have a folder "Old Firefox Data" on the desk top.

I did get fbpurity installed; but had to load it from the Microsoft store. Clicking accept was not doing anything; multiple tries.

Firefox is not allowing me to play games and for many it also halts my touchscreen. Everything works in Edge; so I believe the issue is software not hardware.

Still same situation as in original post. 247 games website, Backgammon, most attempts I can't even get the 'play' button to work. Not w/ touch screen, and not using arrow cursor and touchpad. If I do manage to get in to the game, after 1 move, then the computer moves and then screen locks, can't do a thing. So that is now a game I can only play using Edge.

Same game site, spider solitaire: no undo button, using either pad or screen. Often after 1 move it locks up. Always after 2 moves, it locks up.

Arkadium free games online website, word wipe no touch screen.

JigsawPlanet jigsaw puzzles, can't use touch screen.

Weather.com not able to change the default map to my city; I can do that in Edge. In Firefox, I can search my zip code to get to my city weather. But the 3 vertical dots on the far right of the city do not appear, so I can't remove Washington D C. And my city does not get added to the line across the top, even though I searched it.

Do you recall the issue about 3 years ago, something to do with shock wave / flash/ and some Windows update we were not supposed to allow to load. I do wonder if that is the issue; somehow it ended up going through, because I no longer have any updates sitting out there not loaded, and I had 2 for a few years.

Also, when I am in Firefox, it constantly pauses, message across the top NOT RESPONDING, and the circle goes round and round. I can wait it out, on Facebook for example, and it will clear so I can proceed for a bit, until it does that again.

Edit to add: I am mostly accessing this forum via Edge, because in Firefox, even this forum gives me that NOT RESPONDING at the top so I have to sit and wait for it to do whatever it does to catch up and start working again.

Hi Sandie, when you did your Firefox uninstall, it's possible that some old program or configuration files lingered, so you might try it this way to rule that out:

Clean Reinstall

This takes about 5 minutes. It's not about your settings, it's about making sure the program files are clean (no inconsistent or alien code files). As described below, this process does not disturb your existing settings. It's not essential to uninstall Firefox, but you can if you like, saying No to any request about removing personal data.

(A) Download a fresh installer for Firefox to a convenient location:

https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/all/

(B) Exit out of Firefox (if applicable).

If you use Microsoft Office, please change your default browser to Internet Explorer temporarily before the next step.

(C) Using Windows Explorer/My Computer (hold down the Windows key and press E to launch it), right-click > rename the program folder as follows (you might have one or both):

C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox =to=> C:\Program Files (x86)\OldFirefox

C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox =to=> C:\Program Files\OldFirefox

(D) Run the installer you downloaded in step (A). It should automatically connect to your existing settings.

Any improvement at your next startup?

One of the changes in Firefox 67 is to create a new profile named default-release under certain circumstances. If this new profile is not working well, you could try switching back to your old profile to see whether that makes any difference. This isn't relevant on all systems, but you could take a look:

Profile Manager Page

Inside Firefox, type or paste about:profiles in the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it.

This page should list one or more profiles. The newest one typically is named default-release and the older one(s) might be named default or a variation on the word default.

Each profile has one or more buttons at the bottom. Please do not use Rename or Remove to avoid further problems.

Can you find a "Set as default profile" button for your previous profile? After setting that, you can exit Firefox and start it up again, but the history/settings in the current profile will not carry over after the switch.

Was that the issue?

Here goes:

I did A above. Still same issues. Moved to B, ok reset default browser to IE. Step C: in Program files, I found Mozilla FIrefox, and I have renamed that to OldFirefox. Went to look in Program Files (x86) and I see: Mozilla Maintenance Service. I am not doing anything with that, because it is not mentioned in the steps above. Now going back to Step A as per above instructions. Stand by.

Edit: well now, am I supposed to install the 64 bit or the 32 bit Windows version? I am on an HP laptop / notebook device. I did the 64 bit, and still have all the same issues.

As for the profile discussion, I did that, changed the default profile and still same issues.

Could you test in Firefox's Safe Mode? In its Safe Mode, Firefox temporarily deactivates extensions, hardware acceleration, any userChrome.css/userContent.css files, and some other advanced features to help you assess whether these are causing the problem.

If Firefox is not running: Hold down the Shift key when starting Firefox. (On Mac, hold down the option/alt key instead of the Shift key.)

If Firefox is running: You can restart Firefox in Safe Mode using either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help button > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
• (menu bar) Help menu > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

and OK the restart.

Both scenarios: A small dialog should appear. Click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Refresh).

Any less crashy?

Done. No change, no improvement.

I used another browser to read your message, so Firefox was not running. Shift start, got the small dialog box.

Once it opened (got the not responding and the circle for 1.5 minutes), went to 247games, tried spider solitaire - undo button not working for either touch screen or arrow cursor with touch pad. Tried backgammon, no touch screen, game locked after 1 move.

I don't know what's going on. Hopefully I'll learn something in another thread that helps with this.

Ahahaaaa, too funny. Not what I wanted to hear, but I love it when the techy is stuck and it isn't just me doing something stupid.

Thank you for your time, and thank you for trying things with me.

As a final thought, jscher2000 suggested that I go back to the version prior; that is, to version 66.0.5 He also advised that I set it to tell me before it updates, rather than update automatically.

AND IT WORKS! That solved my issue.

Going forward, I may skip a few versions before I change it again. And I wonder when the change to the latest version happened; was it when my computer went nuts or was that update some time prior. But I don't care, because as of now, my computer works fine with Firefox again, hooray!

I uninstall the existing Firefox version. Then I upload the verion 66.0.5. Then I go in to Options, search UPDATES, and change 2 settings - see attachment, the lower 2 arrows.

However, it is STILL set for update on restart. See top arrow on attachment. So once I exit Firefox, the next time I open it I am in the latest and not-so-greatest again.

I need to find a way to KEEP Firefox in the prior version.

Hmm, the "ask me" setting should work, I've had that for years. But I haven't tried downgrading to 66.0.5 myself.

My laptop is now working properly, using version 66.0.5. I have it set to NOT update automatically.

When I changed those 2 settings so it would not update automatically, then I exited out of Firefox, waited and started it again. And on restart it auto updated. After changing the settings, I had to not only exit out of Firefox, I had to restart the laptop. That is how those settings get 'set' in place. I did not know that.

Some settings 'take' when you exit out and then go back in; others 'take' only after you restart the computer. So that is what was going on.

This has been a tough week. The latest version 67 is not yet road ready for everyone. I hope the folks in Tech can get it settled soon, as Firefox is my preferred browser. Thank you for all the help.