This issue can be caused by an extension that isn't working properly.

Start Firefox in Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode to check if one of the add-ons is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Tools > Add-ons > Appearance/Themes).

• Don't make any changes on the Safe mode start window.

See:

• Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems

i'm sorry but i'm not very tech-literate. how do i start firefox in SAFE MODE? and can you give me turn-by-turn directions for after that?

btw, i don't know what add-ons are anyway...

thank you!

You can read the Knowledge Base article about Safe mode (this is a link). You can either use Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled or hold down the Shift key while double clicking the Firefox desktop shortcut.

• https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Safe+Mode

Add-ons are extensions that you can use to give Firefox extra features.

See https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Customizing+Firefox+with+add-ons

well, this worked for awhile but the problem has recurred. this is very frustrating as i'm a journalist and visit many sites per day. yesterday i was typing data into a very long online job application. in my excitement, i forgot to open a new tab to go to another site. because of this problem, the previous URL didn't appear in the navigation box, i was unable to click back, and as a result, all the data i had typed into the application was lost.

i see that there is a folder on my firefox TROUBLESHOOTING INFORMATION page. can you not diagnose it from the contents of that folder? or is is a firefox design flaw?? i've been using firefox for many years now and this hasn't happened before.

How did you solved it the previous time?

Can you still remember which extension caused it back then?

i followed your instructions as you recommended in the thread above. there was no way to know which extension caused it, or even if it was caused by an extension.

let's assume it was NOT an extension that caused it.

do you have another idea that i can use to solve it?

Did you try Safe mode this time?

In Firefox 4 you can use one of these to start in Safe mode:

• Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
• Hold down the Shift key while double clicking the Firefox desktop shortcut (Windows)

cor-el, can you see this whole thread? if so, you will see that you already recommended SAFE MODE and that i already followed your recommendation with no luck. so i am asking now if you have a DIFFERENT solution to offer.

Yes, I did see it, but I just wanted to make sure that you had tried it once again.

A problem with the file places.sqlite that stores the bookmarks and the history can also cause this.
See:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Bookmarks_history_and_toolbar_buttons_not_working_-_Firefox