Could be a (multi-process) sandbox issue.

Try to set security.sandbox.content.level = 0 on the about:config page to see if that has effect.

You can open the about:config page via the location/address bar. You can accept the warning and click "I'll be careful" to continue.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/about:config

thonyspp said

disabling all installed add-ons made my homepage (html 4, css1, no javascript, contents: bookmarks of local pages to test) appear once - restarting again only showed the blank tab i didn't want to see ...

Do you mean you clicked the button to Start in Safe Mode, and it worked, but when you exited Firefox and restarted normally, the problem was back?

There was a similar report in this thread: https://support.mozilla.org/questions/1157104

The usual implication of that test is that one of your extensions is causing the problem, but you'll have to try to figure out which one it is by process of elimination.

Can you post your extensions?

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/use-troubleshooting-information-page-fix-firefox

after many trials and errors the only way i found to see my local files, was by restarting firefox in safe mode, yet i did not install the extensions without reasons, so safe mode is not the answer...

cor-el, i hereby add all of them, the ones that are now trues and falses:

Extensions

Name: Application Update Service Helper -||- Version: 2.0 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: aushelper@mozilla.org Name: Classic Theme Restorer -||- Version: 1.6.5 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: ClassicThemeRestorer@ArisT2Noia4dev Name: Download Status Bar -||- Version: 15.0.0.1 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: {6c28e999-e900-4635-a39d-b1ec90ba0c0f} Name: DuckDuckGo Plus -||- Version: 1.1.2 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: jid1-ZAdIEUB7XOzOJw@jetpack Name: external IP -||- Version: 0.9.9.6.1-signed -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: externalip@erik.morlin Name: Flagfox -||- Version: 5.1.22 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: {1018e4d6-728f-4b20-ad56-37578a4de76b} Name: Flashblock -||- Version: 1.5.20 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: {3d7eb24f-2740-49df-8937-200b1cc08f8a} Name: Forecastfox (fix version) -||- Version: 2.4.8 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: forecastfox@s3_fix_version Name: Html Validator -||- Version: 0.9.7.4 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: {3b56bcc7-54e5-44a2-9b44-66c3ef58c13e} Name: HTTPS Everywhere -||- Version: 5.2.15 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: https-everywhere-eff@eff.org Name: Multi-process staged rollout -||- Version: 1.14 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: e10srollout@mozilla.org Name: NoScript -||- Version: 5.0.3 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: {73a6fe31-595d-460b-a920-fcc0f8843232} Name: Pocket -||- Version: 1.0.5 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: firefox@getpocket.com Name: QuickJava -||- Version: 2.1.2 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: {E6C1199F-E687-42da-8C24-E7770CC3AE66} Name: RequestPolicy -||- Version: 0.5.28.1-signed.1-signed -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: requestpolicy@requestpolicy.com Name: Tab Mix Plus -||- Version: 0.5.0.2 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: {dc572301-7619-498c-a57d-39143191b318} Name: Video DownloadHelper -||- Version: 6.2.0 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: {b9db16a4-6edc-47ec-a1f4-b86292ed211d} Name: Web Compat -||- Version: 1.0 -||- Enabled: true -||- ID: webcompat@mozilla.org

Name: adaware ad block -||- Version: 1.5.1.0 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: AdBlockerLavaSoftFF@lavasoft.com Name: Adblock Plus -||- Version: 2.8.2 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: {d10d0bf8-f5b5-c8b4-a8b2-2b9879e08c5d} Name: Bamboo Feed Reader -||- Version: 2.3.2 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: {b2e69492-2358-071a-7056-24ad0c3defb1} Name: BetterPrivacy -||- Version: 1.77 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: {d40f5e7b-d2cf-4856-b441-cc613eeffbe3} Name: Clear Console -||- Version: 1.13 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: clearConsole@penzil.com Name: Console² -||- Version: 0.9.1-signed.1-let-fixed.1-signed -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: {1280606b-2510-4fe0-97ef-9b5a22eafe80} Name: Disable Anti-Adblock -||- Version: 3.1.1-signed.1-signed -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: {d49a148e-817e-4025-bee3-5d541376de3b} Name: Disconnect -||- Version: 5.18.21 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: 2.0@disconnect.me Name: Element Hiding Helper for Adblock Plus -||- Version: 1.4 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: elemhidehelper@adblockplus.org Name: Firebug -||- Version: 2.0.19 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: firebug@software.joehewitt.com Name: FlashGot -||- Version: 1.5.6.14 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: {19503e42-ca3c-4c27-b1e2-9cdb2170ee34} Name: Ghostery -||- Version: 7.1.3.1 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: firefox@ghostery.com Name: Min Vid -||- Version: 0.3.6 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: @min-vid Name: Test Pilot -||- Version: 1.1.2-dev-f3fe9bf -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: @testpilot-addon Name: TinEye Reverse Image Search -||- Version: 1.3.1 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: tineye@ideeinc.com Name: TinyURL Generator -||- Version: 2.6.1.1-signed.1-signed -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: tinyurl.addon@fast-chat.co.uk Name: Torrent Tornado -||- Version: 2.20 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: s3torrent@tornado Name: Wayback Machine -||- Version: 1.8.1 -||- Enabled: false -||- ID: wayback_machine@mozilla.org

hopefully you find the answer i'm looking for thanks in advance, thonyspp

Another user narrowed it down to NoScript. There is a thread about this on the NoScript forum: https://forums.informaction.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=22761

The consensus there is if you turned on "Allow local links" for Trusted sites, then file:/// doesn't load. You can turn that off here:

NoScript "S" button > Options > Advanced > Trusted mini-tab

See attached screenshot

Or:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button promising to be careful.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste nosc and pause while the list is filtered

(3) If the noscript.allowLocalLinks preference is bolded and "user set" to true, double-click it to restore the default value of false

In my test, the results are instant: when this is on/true, files do not load, as soon as I set it back to off/false, back to normal.

Could you test that?

"(3) If the noscript.allowLocalLinks preference is bolded and "user set" to true, double-click it to restore the default value of false"

That did it for me. Is this the 'proper' fix or perhaps NoScript will fix it in an update?

Nice to have my local files again.  :D><

Hi Pj, this should have been fixed in NoScript 5.0.4 which was just pushed out very recently. To view your exact NoScript version, on the Add-ons page, click the "More" link under NoScript.

Yeah, I just checked and it says it'll update in my next browser session. I'll haven't restarted my browser for quite a few days now.  :D