hello, please try downloading the full installer for firefox 23.0.1 from https://www.mozilla.org//firefox/all/ and just install it on top of your current version (all your personal data - bookmarks & passwords will be kept by this procedure).

Tried that. Does not work. Still annoyingly failing to update to 23.0.1.

If updating or installing on top doesn't work then do a clean (re)install of the current Firefox 23.0.1 release and make sure to remove the Firefox program folder in case your security software is causing problems.

Download a fresh Firefox copy and save the file to the desktop.

• Firefox 23: http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all.html

Uninstall your current Firefox version, if possible, to cleanup the Windows registry and settings in security software.

• Do NOT remove personal data when you uninstall your current Firefox version, because all profile folders will be removed and you lose personal data like bookmarks and passwords from profiles of other Firefox versions.

Remove the Firefox program folder before installing that newly downloaded copy of the Firefox installer.

• (32 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\"
• (64 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\"

• It is important to delete the Firefox program folder to remove all the files and make sure that there are no problems with files that were leftover after uninstalling.
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Uninstalling_Firefox

Your bookmarks and other personal data are stored in the Firefox profile folder and won't be affected by an uninstall and (re)install, but make sure that "remove personal data" is NOT selected when you uninstall Firefox.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_backup

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Standard_diagnostic_-_Firefox#Clean_reinstall

Life's too short for this. I just turned off the auto update and will wait for the next update.