can't access Firefox any more

When I click on my Firefox icon today, nothing happens. Last night I was experimenting with Download Managers... Downloaded/installed LeechGet 2004, including some special menu extension something-or-other & JSI file (both .xpi, if that means anything to someone) that were designed to make the program work with Mozilla/Firefox. Couldn't seem to get the program up and running, though, so I also downloaded a "plugin" for Firefox. Still couldn't get LeechGet to take charge of a download (kept defaulting to Firefox's downloader).
Finally I downloaded/installed Download Express, and using IE, I was able to get THAT to work (I downloaded Open Office over the course of the evening). This morning, I wanted to see if I could get Download Express to work with Firefox (I saw nothing mentioned about it on the Download Express webpage), but I can't get Firefox to come up at all.
I have Firefox 0.9.2 actually installed on my computer (WinME), but also downloaded the .zip file of 1.0PR, and that's what I've been using lately. Neither icon works for me now.
Suggestions, please?
Thanks,
Rebecca

 

rebecca,

I believe that your experimenting with Download Managers is why your browsers won't start. See this Mozilla Firefox Knowledge Base Article:
Firefox Won't Startup.

Ramona

 

Thanks for the link; I tried what they suggested, and in the end just ended up uninstalling and then reinstalling Firefox. No problems with it now.
One question for you, though: I backed up my profile folder, and would like to "reinstate" it. When the installation process asked me if I wanted to import anything, I said no, since I figured it wouldn't know where to look for my backed up copy of my profile folder. I tried deleting the default profile folder and replacing it with my old one, but then when I opened up Firefox, I got a screen asking me to create, rename, or delete a profile. I tried all 3 options, but still haven't been able to have Firefox accept my backed-up profile. What am I doing wrong now?
Thanks!
Rebecca
Oh, and PS - I'd installed the Netscape/Mozilla plug-in for LeechGet (download manager) last night. I *think* that's different from an extension, but given the problems I ran into with the extension business, am I safe still having the plug-in on my computer? I'm not planning to touch the download manager again until I have an answer to that!

 

rebecca,

You could have given the location of the Profile from the backup location, however Firefox only gives this option on the first install.

When you were given the screen to create, rename, or delete a Profile, that is the Profile Manager.

Open the Profile Manager again:
If you are using the Zipfile:
Right click the Desktop shortcut
Click on the Shortcut tab
Add this switch to the end of theTarget field, leaving one trailing space:
-p ProfileManager
The Target line should then look like this:
"C:\Program Files\firefox\firefox.exe" -p ProfileManager

When the Profile Manager opens, select: "Create a new Profile "
Use the same name as the backup Profile
(Assuming the backup Profile is still in place in the Firefox folder.)

See if that will get you started.

Ramona

 

rebecca,

I found that LeechGet does NOT work with Mozilla Firefox 0.9, or later. See this information at the Plugindoc site:
http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/windows4.html#LeechGet

Ramona

 

I actually installed 1.0PR this time around, instead of using the zipfile (which is what I was using before the Download Manager fiasco), if that's of any consequence...
I tried right clicking on the desktop shortcut, then clicking on properties, found the shortcut tab you alluded to, added the -p ProfileManager to the end of the target, and sure enough, when I reopened Firefox, the Profile Manager dialog box showed up as hoped for! BUT -- when I try to create a new profile using the backed up profile name from before, all it does is create a NEW profile with the old profile's name as part of the new name n(i.e, my original folder name was default.z1c; when I enter that name as the folder I want to create, I end up with 'v5ac89b9.default.z1c').
I experimented with deleting the whole new "Profiles" folder and copying and pasting my old one into the Firefox folder - to no avail. I also tried renaming the specific old backed up profile (in the "Profiles" folder) to the name of the new one (the "v5ac89b9.default.z1c" one), and deleting the newly created one by that name altogether - still no luck.
I know I'm missing something here, because obviously if you have multiple users on a computer, each has to be able to access his/her own profile, but I can't seem to find any instructions on how to switch users/profiles! Seems to me that if I could do THAT, then all I'd have to do is "switch" to my old profile folder and all would be right in my Firefox world, would it not?

"(Assuming the backup Profile is still in place in the Firefox folder.) "
I'm getting confused about what folder we're talking about. I have copied/pasted the backed up "default.z1c" folder into the new "Profiles" folder. What I'm trying to say is that in my Firefox folder I have a "Profiles" folder; within THAT folder, I have my default.z1c folder and my v5ac89b9.default.z1c folder. Should I be pasting my entire "Profiles" folder into the Firefox folder? [I did back the whole thing up, but other than my one attempt to replace the new Profiles folder with the backed up one, my other efforts have all been directed specifically at the default.z1c folder itself.] If I were to do that, then I'd have two folders called "Profiles" in my Firefox folder, and that doesn't seen copacetic...

Thanks for the link to the info on LeechGet!

Rebecca

 

Rebecca,

With the Full Install, all you have to do is click on:
Start | Programs | Mozilla Firefox | Profile Manager

It's only for the Zipfile that you need the command line switch.

Switch Profiles is a Netscape feature, but to the best of my knowledge doesn't work in Firefox.

I'm referring to the default.z1c Profile. Be sure you still have a good backup of your default.z1c folder, as you are going to wind up losing everything, if you aren't careful. I would delete the v5ac89b9.default.z1c Profile, using Profile Manager, and if you have nothing in the Profile you want to keep, then also Delete Files, when asked. You can create a Profile without the .slt, and here is the KB Article:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/index.phtml?title=Firefox_:_Tips_:_Profile_without_.slt

Personally, I think it would be easier to simply copy the pertinent Profile data from the old Profile to the newly created Profile:
Copy your important Profile data from the default.z1c folder to the newly created folder:

bookmarks.html
cookies.txt
hostperm.1 - List of permissions for cookies, images, download sites
signons.txt - Passwords

Ramona

 

I tried moving the 4 files you mentioned from my backup (I've got two copies of the original profiles, saved in two different locations -- just to be safe!), and it looked like it was working. The computer asked me if I wanted to replace the existing bookmarks (in the new default folder - let's call it bookmarks B, for the sake of clarity) with the bookmarks file I was trying to "import" (from my original default folder - call this one bookmarks A). I said yes, confident that I was finally headed in the right direction, as the Bookmarks A file was 189KB vs. the Bookmarks B one, which is only 33.6KB (to which I haven't added any bookmarks of my own). The size of the other 3 files were more or less the same, but I still opted to replace the new ones with those from my original default.
I shut down Firefox, reopened it, clicked on bookmarks, and there's still nothing of my own there! I tried rebooting the computer - same thing. I double checked the current profile, and sure enough, both the bookmarks.html and the bookmarks.bak files are back to the 33.6KB original size.
I don't have anything to lose by uninstalling Firefox and reinstalling it again, if you think I might fare better by starting from scratch, because for some inexplicable (to me) reason, what I'm trying to do now apparently is not a possible procedure. Maybe whatever the glitch is in my computer that's prevented me from being able to install IE6 or Netscape is also wreaking this havoc?

 

Got It!!!

Made one last ditch attempt before giving up for the night: uninstalled Firefox and then reinstalled it, and copied those files again BEFORE ever opening/running Firefox -- and it worked! Ahhhh!!
Thanks for all your help, Ramona!