This is likely because of malware on your PC. Try reading Firefox 18 crashes on startup due to malware - how to fix, run the scans, then update to 18. If it still crashes, let me know.

hello jmbagley, could you provide some IDs of sent crash reports - this would help us understand what's going on in your case...

please enter about:crashes into the location bar - in there copy the ids of the last few crash reports and paste them here into your reply.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-crashes-troubleshoot-prevent-and-get-help#w_get-help-fixing-this-crash

in case firefox is already crashing when you're opening it please use the following procedure to obtain the relevant crash ids:

1. Press the following shortcut to get a Run window: [Windows] + [R]. This should bring up a window that contains a text field.
2. In that text field, enter %APPDATA% and press Enter. An explorer window should open.
3. From that explorer window, double-click on the Mozilla folder, then double-click on Firefox and then on Crash reports. Double-click on submitted.
4. Now, you should see a list of files that contain reports. Go to View > Arrange Icons by > Modified to get the most recent files at the top of the window.
5. Open the most recent 5 files with a text editor and copy the IDs.
6. Paste each ID into the reply window on the forums.

thanks

Tried the malware scan route. No dice.

My last 5 crash IDs. I can't open FF at all.

bp-6a8215e3-dce1-4441-b643-cfc672130114 bp-3cb6f6d9-4801-4542-91da-f0e5b2130114 bp-1ad0e3cf-737a-45a1-a0eb-269232130114 bp-02e335b5-81f0-4572-b34e-6101e2130114 bp-1053e3d2-95a1-466c-b69c-266fb2130114

Do you have Websense Endpoint on your PC?

according to the associated bug report it's a component of "Websense Endpoint" (i suppose some sort of firewall/traffic monitoring that you use at your company) that is crashing firefox - you also might want to contact the support of Websense Endpoint with those crash id's.

mozilla's bug repoort for the issue: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=828184

Thanks. I'll track this option down and see where it goes.

this issue might be fixed in an upcoming release of firefox 18.0.1 later this week (likely on friday)...

Looks like this is shaping up to be the websense issue. we've contacted them (as has FF), but websense is waiting to hear more feedback from users it sounds.

In Firefox 18.0.1 we've taken steps to prevent websense from making Firefox crash, but there is still an underlying Websense issue. They have refused to talk to us (since we aren't a customer) so any communication you have with them please ask them to fix this issue on their end.

When a BROWSER company contacts you to let you know there is an issue between your software and theirs... you'd think that would deserve at least a look! We're in contact with them. Hope to see a resolution to this soon. Thanks all for your help!

Am frustratingly having the same problem too with 18.0.1 on machines with Websense Endpoint, but it doesn't happen on all machines...... Seems to be OK on 64 bit Windows, but not 32.

Please contact webpoint, and ask them to fix their program.

Is there a way to disable the Websense component from running with Firefox without completely uninstalling it? I do not necessarily need to have Websense Endpoint running with Firefox to enforce the proxy settings, as the configuration file set in Internet Settings should be sufficient for the time being.

There is no need to uninstall Websense. Simply install the latest Websense update (contact their tech support if you need help) and you will be good to go.

I downloaded and installed the latest Endpoint software (1.2.7.6.1130) from their portal and Firefox still crashes on start.

In that case please contact Websense, perhaps the update didn't fully load.

The latest release notes from Websense acknowledge there is an incompatibility with FF 18. They say that a fix is planned, but are not more specific than that about when it will be delivered. As of right now there is no fix from Websense.

Websense has already fixed this crash, and the update is available for download (and has been since Jan 24th). You can download the update from http://fileshare.websense.com/default.asp?t=418478434532&p=1139. If you still have trouble, please contact their tech support.

Awesome. Thanks again. We'll check with their support.