Hello Iamraoul, check your security software (firewall/antivirus/antispyware) if blocks or restricts Firefox without informing you about that, maybe after detecting any change (an add-on update) to the Firefox program. Try to remove all rules for Firefox from the permissions list in the firewall and then let the firewall ask again for permission to get full unrestricted access to internet for Firefox.

thank you

Thank you Ideato, I use microsoft firewall and AVG anti virus. I deleted Firefox from exceptions and re added - no luck. I disabled AVG - no luck. Could not find permissions in AVG or Firewall.

How do you get Firefox to ask for permission?

Try to disable both the firewall and the AVG for a moment to see if the problem is there.

also you can try to boot the computer in Windows Safe mode with network support (press F8 on the boot screen) and check firefox again.

(If works in Windows Safe mode then you have a problem with other software, like security software or maybe a system driver, that is running on your computer).

did you try to open firefox in safe mode ? by holding down the shift key while starting Firefox.

Disabling AVG and firewall did not solve issue.

Also did not work in Windows SAFE mode.

Did not work in Firefox safe mode.

I am running Windows XP. I have done a full scan with AVG - nothing detected.

Is any of this narrowing down the issue? Thanks

I think you must to a clean re-install, this means you remove Firefox program files and then reinstall Firefox. Please follow these steps:

Note: You might want to print these steps or view them in another browser.

1. Download the latest Desktop version of Firefox from http://www.mozilla.org and save the setup file to your computer.
2. After the download finishes, close all Firefox windows (click Exit from the Firefox or File menu).
3. Delete the Firefox installation folder, which is located in one of these locations, by default:
   • Windows:
     • C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox
     • C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox
   • Mac: Delete Firefox from the Applications folder.
   • Linux: If you installed Firefox with the distro-based package manager, you should use the same way to uninstall it - see Install Firefox on Linux. If you downloaded and installed the binary package from the Firefox download page, simply remove the folder firefox in your home directory.
4. Now, go ahead and reinstall Firefox:
   1. Double-click the downloaded installation file and go through the steps of the installation wizard.
   2. Once the wizard is finished, choose to directly open Firefox after clicking the Finish button.

Please report back to see if this helped you!

Thank you.

Delete everything in the Mozilla Firefox folder? There is no installation folder listed. There is an uninstall folder.