We're calling on all EU-based Mozillians with iOS or iPadOS devices to help us monitor Apple’s new browser choice screens. Join the effort to hold Big Tech to account!

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Menus garbled in FF 33

sportsflorida
sportsflorida
more options

Just updated to Firefox 33, and all the menus and browser text (for example, in about:support, etc.) are nothing but asterisks. My language is properly set in Windows, and I did nothing out of the ordinary to make it happen. Just hit the update button, restarted, and when it opened again, I couldn't read anything. The webpages themselves can be read, but nothing native to the browser itself. And since I'm not well-schooled on "Asterisk," I'd prefer English if possible. Any ideas?

Just updated to Firefox 33, and all the menus and browser text (for example, in about:support, etc.) are nothing but asterisks. My language is properly set in Windows, and I did nothing out of the ordinary to make it happen. Just hit the update button, restarted, and when it opened again, I couldn't read anything. The webpages themselves can be read, but nothing native to the browser itself. And since I'm not well-schooled on "Asterisk," I'd prefer English if possible. Any ideas?

All Replies (4)

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Hmm, maybe Firefox has developed an allergy to your preferred system font for menu text??

Could you test in Firefox's Safe Mode? That's a standard diagnostic tool to deactivate extensions, hardware acceleration, and some other advanced features of Firefox. More info: Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode.

You can restart Firefox in Safe Mode using either:

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
  • Help menu > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

Not all add-ons are disabled: Flash and other plugins still run

After Firefox shuts down, a small dialog should appear. Click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Reset).

Any difference?

If that fixes it, I suggest disabling Firefox from using hardware acceleration. You can set that in the Options dialog here:

"3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Options > Advanced

On the "General" mini-tab, uncheck the box for "Use hardware acceleration when available"

When you exit Firefox and start it up normally again, that change should be in effect.

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Hmm, if you can't read the menus, the keyboard shortcuts are:

Alt+h (to open the Help menu)

r (to "click" Restart with Add-ons Disabled )

Enter (to confirm)

sportsflorida
sportsflorida Question owner
more options

Thank you for your reply. I tried changing the system font, and the one in Firefox just for the browser (under 'tools/options/content,' which I was able to do from memory), and neither attempt worked. I also tried restarting firefox in safe mode, but that didn't work either. Nothing on my computer changed from the time I was running 32.0.3 until I tried to use 33.0. It is indeed a mystery.

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Hmm, in case the update jumbled some files, you might want to try replacing your Firefox program files using a "Clean reinstall" procedure, which is as follows:

(1) Download a full installer for Firefox 33 from https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/all/ to a convenient location. (Scroll down to your preferred language.)

(2) Exit Firefox

(3) Rename the Mozilla Firefox program folder (for 32-bit versions of Windows) 

C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox

to 

C:\Program Files\OldFirefox

(4) Run the installer you downloaded in #1. It should automatically connect to your existing settings.

Any improvement?

Note: Some plugins may exist only in that OldFirefox folder. If something essential is missing, look in these folders:

  • C:\Program Files\OldFirefox\Plugins
  • C:\Program Files\OldFirefox\browser\plugins