Can no longer see 'extensions' nor 'adblock'...help!

A little knowledge is always a dangerous thing. I was trying to remove an item from adblock and I seem to have removed 'adblock' in its entirety, as well as my ability to click on 'extensions' (under 'tools') to see what's there.

I have no idea what exactly I did to cause this, but I need to restore both features.

I downloaded adblock again but it still doesn't appear in my status bar...and nothing I can find seems to restore seeing my installed extensions. (Extensions appears on the menu list under tools, but nothing shows when I click on it).

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

 

Which "adblock "? Is this a separate program or an extention?
I don't see any reason to use any such program unless you want a totally clean screen, and, there is a risk there.
You could try to create a new profile, and start from scratch. Or uninstall the extentions. And then then reinstall them. Do you mean that clicking on extention gives no response?

 

Westside ...

He can't uninstall his extensions because he can't click on Tools > Extensions.


Hi doubleu,

You haven't given us a lot to work with, but I'm guessing that you're using Firefox, version unknown.

Apparently, you're still able to use your browser, as you mentioned downloading the Adblock extension, and you're able to post here.

Before going on, if you don't have downloaded copies of all of your extensions, I'd suggest that you do so. Keep them together ... I preface all of mine with "Mozilla_ ", so that they're always together, no matter what folder I put them in. As you may already know, it's almost always necessary to right-click on the "install" link and select "Save Link As..." to download an .xpi file.

Here's the important part:

Extension information is kept in the extensions folder in your Firefox profile folder. Each extension subfolder, which has a bewildering name such as {3f0da09b-c1ab-40c5-8d7f-53f475ac3fe8}, contains a chrome folder containing a .jar file (e.g. adblock.jar), which will tell you what the particular extension is.

Close Firefox, and move the subfolders in the extensions folder (as well as the Extensions.rdf file) to a temporary location. If you use Tabbrowser Extensions, as I do, you should also move the tabextensions folder and the tabextensions.js file in the main profile folder. You may have to reboot before doing this, and it may be necessary to do it in Safe mode.

You should be able to open a plain vanilla version of Firefox. Close Firefox and install your downloaded extensions (double-click on each and select Firefox from the list of programs that opens. If Firefox is not in the list, browse to the firefox.exe file).

Once Firefox is working with your extensions again, you can delete the previously moved extension information.​

Please post back and let us know how you make out.

 

First, open 'Firefox - Safe Mode' (from the Start Programs menu). Then see if you can open the Tools -> Extensions window and uninstall Adblock from there:
From http://aasted.org/adblock/viewtopic.php?t=1784 (Adblock forum post)

P.S. There are other posts on the Adblock forum you may wish to check out, for example:
http://aasted.org/adblock/viewtopic.php?t=1211
After deinstalling Ad Block, extensions window won't open

 

Mike ...

Thanks! I keep forgetting that Firefox has its own Safe Mode (when it works). Makes life much easier.

 

Jim,

I figured as much

I just edited my post above, to add another link from the Adblock forum.

Mike

 

I have Adblock and it is working fine with FF1.0.2. I am using my original profile and used the .exe for install. My extensions window is also functioning with no probs.

I have seen the FF Safe Mode but never knew what it was for.

 

If you update FF frequently via the nightlies, as some of us do, it helps to keep FF running properly when it might otherwise be frozen (or broken) by outdated extensions. It shows the installed extensions via the Tools > Extensions menu, but doesn't load them. That way, you can uninstall or update them, as necessary, without going through the rigamarole I described above, in post #3.

 

Some people report problems with Adblock after upgrading to Firefox 1.0.2. Uninstalling and then restarting Firefox and reinstalling Adblock seems to work (the correct way to uninstall Adblock in Firefox is to use the Tools > Extensions window, Uninstall button). See:
http://aasted.org/adblock/viewtopic.php?t=1740
Adblock 0.5 d2 nightly 39 and Firefox 1.02

Firefox Safe Mode disables all themes and extensions. See:
http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/faq#troubeshoot-addons

 

Thanks for all your suggestions. Here's what I've done, but I'm now in a worse fix than before....at least I think so.

I could not open FF (1.02 by the way) in safe mode. Don't know why but it wouldn't open.

So, I uninstalled FF, using 'add/remove', rebooted, and then reinstalled FF.
Strangely, to me anyway, when I reinstalled FF, all the extenstions, except Adblock, reinstalled automatically. Seems to me I should have had to reinstall the extensions after reinstalling FF....at least that's what I thought.

So, I again uninstalled FF using 'add/remove' and also deleted all Mozilla Firefox folders from Programs. (I did copy bookmarks and the extensions folder to my desktop before deleting the files).

Now I'm back to OE as a browser. Problem is that although I can access the Mozilla.org website, I can not download FF. Nothing happens when I try. I "ve searched to see if I've somehow blocked it, but can find nothing.

I'm hoping that having removed all traces of FF (presumably), then reinstalling it should then allow me to individually reinstall any extensions I may want. Problem is, I can't even download FF now.

What now? Specifically, what could be preventing FF from downloading?

 

I assume you meant IE (browser), rather than OE (mail program)? Perhaps you're unable to download because of a setting in IE's Internet Options? I don't use IE, so I'm unfamiliar with what they might be.

I take it that you haven't saved a downloaded copy of FF?

You got your extensions back because they're in your profile folder, not the FF program folder. And, you haven't removed all traces of FF ... there are many references to it remaining in the registry.

If you can, download RegSeeker (the DL link is under the first two images) and run it ... it doesn't need to be installed. Search for all instances of firefox, click on "Select All" when the search is complete, then right-click and select "Delete Selected Items" (or whatever the proper command is).

Now try to reinstall FF. I really prefer the .zip versions, for reasons outlined elsewhere in this forum, but use the .exe version if you'd prefer.

If you continue to have problems, let us know.

 

Make sure mozilla.org has not been placed in your Internet Explorer Restricted Sites
(Tools > Internet Options > Security tab > Restricted > Sites button)

Check your IE security settings and make sure that file downloads are not disabled in the Internet Zone .... I can't imagine they would be!
(Tools > Internet Options > Security tab > Internet > click Custom Level button)

If you still have problems I would try the Internet Explorer forum.

Uninstalling Firefox and removing the Program Files will not touch your profile, which is stored in a different location on your hard drive:
http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/profile#locate

Once you get Firefox reinstalled, if you are unable to start Firefox, even in Safe Mode, then create a new Firefox profile. See: http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/profile#new

 

Well, I took the advice about RegSeeker and cleaned out anything with firefox attached to it.

I was then able to download and install FF but the extensions were still present (but could not be seen under 'tools') so I took the advice about my profile and somehow managed to restore FF without the extensions, etc. I even managed to import my old FF bookmarks from the file saved on my desktop.

Still not sure what I did (I know, I know....dumber than dumb, eh?) but thanks to everyone for holding my hand through all of this.

This is a great forum. Thanks to all.

 

I never figured that cleaning the registry of "firefox" would help with downloading it....

 

The problem with it is that everyone has his own way of doing things, which often fly in the face of "convention ".

Case in point: Both Firefox and Thunderbird and their profiles can easily be "installed" (I'm beginning to hate that word) anywhere on your computer that you like. They don't have to go in the "default" location. Sometimes, that makes it difficult for those of us who don't (or won't) accept the default way (usually the M$ way) of doing/organizing things to answer the questions of those (frequently novices) who do.

For example, I prefer not to use the installer versions of FF and Tbird. They're unnecessary, their downloads are larger, and they don't always install properly. The .zip versions are smaller, can more easily be placed anywhere you want, and create the proper registry entries when the programs are opened.

I'm the sole user of my two computers, and my hard drives are divided into four partitions. So, my two programs are located at E:\Userfiles\Mozilla\Programs\Firefox and E:\Userfiles\Mozilla\Programs\Thunderbird. My profiles are located in the same basic location, but in a different folder: E:\Userfiles\Mozilla\Profiles\Firefox and E:\Userfiles\Mozilla\Profiles\Tbird.

Because I also maintain and use a friend's computers the programs are in the same locations, but we use separate profiles: E:\Userfiles\Mozilla\Profiles\Firefox\JSS and \KMR because we use different bookmarks, and E:\Userfiles\Mozilla\Profiles\Tbird\JSS and \KMR so our mail doesn't get mixed up.

I realize that not everyone does things my way, but it works for me, and it helps to keep my C: partition lean and clean.

1. To each his own, but I find it easier to close FF with the Close box (the X in the upper right corner of the window).

2. and 3. If you mess around with these two programs (FF/Tbird) as much as I do, it's handy to have a shortcut to their profile managers, either on your desktop or on your Start menu. In the shortcut's Target: window type the complete path to firefox.exe, followed by -p. In my shortcut, it's E:\Userfiles\Mozilla\Programs\Firefox\firefox.exe -p. Same for Tbird. Once you've created the shortcut(s), you never have to type the instructions again, unless you move the program(s) to a different location.

End of rant.

 

when using zip version, where is the profile.ini file located ?

regards:captjlddavis

 

The profiles.ini file always remains at C:\Documents and Settings\<Username>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\profiles.ini. It's created by the Profile Manager, and can be edited either manually or with the Profile Manager, but that's necessary only when a new profile is created or an existing one is moved to a new location.

All it does is tell Firefox (whether installed or unzipped) where to look for the user profile(s), which is why old profiles can be used over a long period of time, with ever newer versions of FF.

I've been using the same profile since sometime last year, but it updates itself as new extensions (and, presumably, themes) are added or subtracted. The parent.lock file seems to be updated daily and the info in the profile's chrome and its overlayinfo subfolder seem to update with every new version of FF.

EDIT: The parent.lock file is updated each time FF is opened. When you close FF the file disappears (at least mine does, as I have no sites locked out ... it's a 0 KB file). I just "installed" (unzipped) the 04-08-05 aviary version of FF, and the info in the profile's chrome and its overlayinfo subfolder did NOT update. I had come to that conclusion because that information has yesterday's date on it. Now, I don't know what updates it, unless it's a change in the browser's appearance.

 

Regarding the parent.lock file:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Mozilla_Suite_:_Issues_:_Profile_in_Use