How do you usually start Firefox -- using a program icon, or a web page shortcut, or a link?

Does it work if you use the search box on the Windows Vista start menu and enter

firefox.exe

and press Enter?

You can also try http://www.slipstick.com/problems/this-operation-has-been-cancelled-due-to-restrictions/

Thank you both for your replies. I had tried every possible way of opening firefox, including using firefox.exe directly and had also tried the suggestions in the link above but neither had previously worked.

Having been through every suggestion I could find related to the problem I'm afraid I gave up looking and did a system restore which has solved the issue!

Hello,

I am having exactly the same problem, and I tried everything, all the tips I found everywhere, but nothing seems to solve it. I have Windows 8.1, my default browser is Opera, but I just can't open Firefox (which I use frecuently for testing purposes). This problem started around a month ago. I never had a similar issue before.

Right now the ONLY way to launch Firefox is through COMMAND PROMPT typing firefox.exe.

Please any hints to solve this annoying situation?

Thanks.

Hi mcclausky, the article cor-el linked to earlier in this thread has some suggestions for fixes. Which ones did you try and what happened when you tried them?

Jscher,

I tried :

• Editing the registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.html  ; changing the keys .htm, shtml, .xht, .xhtml, .xhtm to htmlfile, restarting windows.
• Resetting web Settings: setting IE as the default
• Alan's Solution: Setting IE as the default browser, then reinstalling Firefox and setting it as default browser.

No success.

Hi mcclausky, normally this error only affects links and web page shortcuts, and does not affect program icons. Could you create a new shortcut and see whether that helps?

One way to do this (on Windows 7 and earlier, not 100% sure about Windows 8.1) is to open the Firefox program folder:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\

Then right-click firefox.exe and choose Create Shortcut. Usually Windows will say it can't create the shortcut there and offer to place it on the desktop.

Does that new shortcut work any better?

Jscher,

I tried the shortcut trick, still no success.

I have also tried to run the firefox.exe file directly from File Explorer, nothing.

The only way I found to run the App is by opening a command prompt, manually navigating to C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox and typing firefox.exe.

It's the weirdest thing....

Hi mcclausky, if you right-click the new Firefox shortcut > Properties, do you see anything "custom" on the Shortcut or Compatibility tabs? I've attached mine for comparison.

Hi Jscher....

Nothing custom on the shortcut properties, mine looks just like yours.

Hi mcclausky, you may need to manually remove a policy setting from the registry. You also should scan for malware that might have created this problem.

This article lists scanning and cleaning tools other Firefox users have found helpful: Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware.

To check your Windows registry for policy settings that might affect Firefox or other programs, I suggest consulting a Windows forum or Microsoft's forums. For example:

• http://windowssecrets.com/forums/

• This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator. - Microsoft Community

• Restrictions. This operation has been cancelled due to to restrictions in effect on this computer.Please contact your system administrator. - Microsoft Community