Why does latest version (50.0) now block all Java & Flash? Can I turn off this 'new' (awful) feature?
Let me respectfully begin by saying I APPRECIATE YOU ~ !!! I understand that you all work very hard for us all to have the BEST experience possible when browsing the web. That being said ...
I just 'updated' my Firefox to the latest (newest) version ... (50.0) ...and although the download went flawlessly (like every other 'update' in the past) when I re-started my Firefox, I found that your newest creation (pardon - abomination - sorry) has literally clipped the wings from my usual free-flight experience browsing the web with Firefox !!
I can no longer operate ANY page on the internet which requires Java (..um -- INCLUDING YOUR OWN!) [..i am actually right now using another browser just to access this page and ask this question..!?!] nor can I access any content which requires Flash.
That is literally over 80 percent of my daily browsing experience, which I can no longer access with Firefox.
AND -- When I went to the Add-Ons in the Tools, it would NOT allow me to re-set the 'allowance' of either..!? Even when I tried to update those features, it wouldn't even allow me to access Adobe's website. (..consistently came up 'blank')
What gives guys?
I understand that Internet 'security' is important and everything, but... ..this is REDICULOUS !!
Is there some way for us to turn-off this restrictive feature ? ..and if NOT -- is there some way to revert back to a previous version of Firefox which allowed me to access MY INTERNET ?
Thank you very much in advance for your reply.
-Josefph
All Replies (6)
Hi Josefph, Looks like something has gone wrong your end or you installed the 64bit version inadvertantly.
- How do I tell if I have the 32-bit or 64-bit Firefox?
- Have you installed 64 bit Firefox ??
Note Linux & Mac have had 64 bit Firefox for years but it is still not standard on Windows. Is slightly restrictive & not tested as fully as the 32 bit version.
- Firefox 64-bit for Windows Available
https://blog.mozilla.org/futurereleases/2015/12/15/firefox-64-bit-for-windows-available/
java is being phased out, as is FlashPlayer as soon as practicable, however you should be able to use both in the standard 32bit Firefox for Windows.
- mozillazine JavaScript is not Java
http://kb.mozillazine.org/JavaScript_is_not_Java - Our Mozilla blog:
Plugin Activation in Firefox
https://blog.mozilla.org/futurereleases/2013/09/24/plugin-activation-in-firefox/- NPAPI Plugins in Firefox
https://blog.mozilla.org/futurereleases/2015/10/08/npapi-plugins-in-firefox/
- NPAPI Plugins in Firefox
This forum does not need Java but it does use javascript and will not function correctly if you block javascript. If you have javascript blocked you will for instance lose the formatting icons in the Post a Reply box where you type.
Hello John99 --
Thank you for your assistance in this issue I'm having with your latest and greatest 'Update' to mozilla's Firefox Browser.
When you say 'something has gone wrong' that makes me worry... ..especially if that 'something' was from your end of things.
I did not on my own volition, c h o o s e to go and get the newest version of the software.
YOUR COMPANY sent me (as usual) the 'notification' that a 'new version' was available.
That indicates to me that was a result of having a particular EXISTING version, on an existing machine (32 bit) which wants (on its own) to update itself.
Are you insinuating that it 'somehow' wanted to update itself with the WRONG version of itself?
Please explain.
Not my Company ;-) I am just a fellow user of Firefox.
Firefox should by default update to the latest versions and that is good and should help you have the latest features and the latest most secure version of Firefox.
From your list of problems I wondered if you had installed 64bit Firefox. The forum software picked up the User Agent string sent out from your alternative browser (right edge of forum towards the top) as
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/51.0.2704.106 Safari/537.36 ASW/1.51.2220.62
That would normally indicate you are using a Windows 7 64 bit version in 32 bit mode, so I considered it a possibility you had the 64bit version installed. You do appear to have 64bit Machine with 64bit Windows installed. Did you read then follow the instructions for determining whether it is a 64bit version of Firefox that you are using ?
Anyhow although I do not use Windows normally I am at present using Firefox 32 bit on a Windows 7 64bit laptop and see no problems with flashplayer. I do not need and am not going to test out Java at present. I suspect you do not really need java. You do NOT need Java for this forum to work correctly.
What are the problems you have with this site using Firefox can you post a screenshot please. I will attach a shot of this post being typed. The thumbnail will expand when clicked.
To avoid confusion: http://kb.mozillazine.org/JavaScript_is_not_Java http://kb.mozillazine.org/Java http://kb.mozillazine.org/JavaScript
None of the Mozilla Firefox webpages use Java. I haven't needed Java for years now, and haven't had it installed for the last 5 or 6 years.
And check that your Flash Plugin is up to date: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/plugincheck/ Adobe releases new versions of Flask frequently. The current - Flash Version 23.0.0.207 - was just released 8 days ago.
Thank you for your help people. (My apologies re: 'company' afiliations/not - my mistake)
I have discovered others who have 'updated' their Firefox using the auto-configured notification (and associated link) -- and have had the same issues.
I have temporarily resolved this by uninstalling (the new 50.0 version) and re-installing the last WORKING version (v. 49.0.2) and currently have no issues.
I double-checked which 'version' was sent to me automatically by Mozilla and it came up displaying nothing except '50.0' ... there were no other indications of whether the version I was updating to, was 32-bit vs. 64-bit on the download.
I have to assume that this is a problem which still needs to be addressed and that this 'update version' should have remained in testing or labled 'beta' before being released on Automatic Updates for the browser.
Until then...
..ANYONE ELSE who has had problems with this PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS THREAD so that the good folks at Mozilla will (hopefully) read it and make some effort to root out the issues.
Version 50 32 and 64 bit both work for me as expected in Windows 7 & 10 and Linux. The problem is almost certainly at your end.
Did you read the article I previously linked to
Follow that when you upgrade again, but if Firefox 49 is 32 bit and working ok it should upgrade ok to a working Firefox 50
You are free to use unsupported versions of Firefox if you wish but remember that once fixes are made and announced the bad guys are able to target those that do not upgrade.
Firefox uses a nominal 6 week cycle for upgrades with most changes going through 3 six week tests before going in to the Release. Whatever you see as a problem is not affecting me or the majority of Firefox users. Telemetry, Feedback, Bug reports & this forum would all have picked up any major failure affecting all users.
Of course you will discover others with similar problems Firefox has a user base of about 1/2 billion so if 99% have no problems the 1% still runs to millions of people. All that proves is that modern communications and web-searches are effective in finding the vocal minority.
- (Do not) Install an older version of Firefox
- Known Vulnerabilities https://www.mozilla.org/security/known-vulnerabilities/firefox/
