Comments for Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

Comment from tim on 2009-08-30

2009-08-30T19:30:13Z

Thanks, this pskill really helps

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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Comment from Jill on 2009-08-16

2009-08-17T00:25:44Z

You, sir, are a genius and scholar. This article provided invaluable help to restoring my Firefox browser. I am indebted to you forever. Thank you!!!

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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Comment from Derek on 2009-04-10

2009-04-10T10:24:40Z

It's unfortunate that you don't answer the question you posed. I presume you don't know the answer?

I get this issue constatntly, running 3.0.8 and, since FireFox is such poor software, I'll always have to rely on proper browsers.

It's a shame... :(

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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Comment from Mariusz on 2009-03-26

2009-03-26T08:17:42Z

I experience exactly the same problems as described in the post by Tony at February 6, 2009 8:42 AM. I am running Vista Home Premium SP1. I can add to what he said that after waiting for something like 15 minutes, Windows finally shuts by itself, without necessity to kill lsass.exe first. At least this is what happened on my machine when I decided once not force 'power off'.

I also want to say that the problem with Firefox hanging and being unterminable by Task Manager, taskkill or pskill, started to regularly happen after I installed Zone Alarm firewall a few weeks ago. I will uninstall it and check whether the problem goes away. To Zone Alarm users I want to say that this problem happens even though I turned off Prosess Control in Zone Alarm.

I want to say that I am bitterly disappointed with Zone Alarm and consider it to be another piece of malware pretending to protect your computer: it sneaks Ask.com toolbars in both Internet Explorer and Firefox, and it is very difficult to get rid of them. I consider this practice to be abominable and thus strongly advise against installing Zone Alarm.

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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Comment from Rolf on 2009-02-12

2009-02-12T13:48:55Z

I had this FF-problem under Vista business at least 2 times a day (see my post Jan 14, 2009).
2 weeks ago I replaced the ZoneAlarm (free) firewall by the free COMODO firewall - the problem is gone!

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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Comment from Tony on 2009-02-06

2009-02-06T16:42:54Z

Yes, I've been troubled by the same FireFox (FF) problem on a Vista Home Premium system with SP1. In addition to the other problems I've seen mentioned, I'd like to add a little regarding my own situation. In my case, when FF locks up, although I can easily close the FF window, the process does not terminate. Task Manager, Process Explorer, and even "PsKill" are all ineffective in killing the FF process. I hoped that PsKill might work, but I tried referring to the process by its name as well as by the process number, but neither method worked.

Experience already tells me that whenever FF is left hanging like that, although it's not consuming any CPU cycles, I will not even be able to perform a normal restart/shutdown. The shutdown sequence gets hung up for an extraordinarily long period of time and I usually have to force it by using my system's power button, i.e., a hard, ungraceful power off. But quite by accident, I figured out a way to at least get around the shutdown difficulties I have when FF hangs like this. I kill "lsass.exe", the Local Security Authority Process. I was experimenting once and was trying to eliminate unnecessary processes to improve performance and I thought killing lsass might help. When I killed "lsass.exe" -- you can try it yourself -- I immediately learned that this is apparently an essential/mandatory Windows process. Killing "lsass.exe" DOES NOT "crash" Windows nor does it cause a Blue Screen of Death, but once the OS senses that lsass is no longer running, after a one minute delay, a graceful restart is forced.

So, although I regained control of my ability to restart when FF hangs, this hasn't done anything to remedy the question as to why FF hangs in the first place.

Good luck to all.

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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Comment from Rolf on 2009-01-14

2009-01-14T11:11:21Z

the following happens when I use the pskill command in order to delete the blocking firefox.exe (Windows Vista business, running with administration rights):
C:\Users\Rolf>pskill -t firefox

PsKill v1.12 - Terminates processes on local or remote systems
Copyright (C) 1999-2005 Mark Russinovich
Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com

2 processes named firefox killed.

Ok, 2 processes? There is only 1 in the task manager list!
And this process remains in the list, it is not killed.
Also using pskill with the PID of this process has no success:

C:\Users\Rolf>pskill -t 5560

PsKill v1.12 - Terminates processes on local or remote systems
Copyright (C) 1999-2005 Mark Russinovich
Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com

Process 5560 killed.

But the process 5560 firefox.exe is still there! I have to restart to get rid of it.

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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Comment from shell on 2008-12-04

2008-12-04T09:18:19Z

I get this error all the time when im in uni. It says it cant open cause its already open, BUT its not listed in the processes. We have to use firefox for all our projects. It never works until you restart (it sometimes takes 2 or 3 restarts)..so almost everytime I log on in uni i restart (and the systems in my uni take at least 30 mins to restart!!!) the computer and log in again. I have reported many times this and they keep saying they've fixed it but it still keeps happening..my friend gets it about once or twice a week and i get it almost evey time i log in. Rahhhhh!!! Its extreamly fustrating. I never get this error a home!

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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Comment from Chris on 2008-10-21

2008-10-21T19:57:52Z

I am having the same problem, only firefox.exe is NOT in my task manager...what do I do ??

Use process explorer (http://ask-leo.com/d-procexp) - it shows processes that Task Manager by default does not.

- Leo
22-Oct-2008

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Comment from Michael on 2008-09-12

2008-09-13T00:42:02Z

I use FF all the time, and only run into this when I try to install a back-up copy of a profile into the "Profiles" folder. You cannot copy the entire folder - only the contents inside it (by pasting it). :)

Posted by: Carl R. Goodwin at December 21, 2007 06:27 PM

You sir, saved me about 30 minutes of headache. Old post, new info. Thanks.

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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Comment from Anonymous on 2008-08-04

2008-08-04T18:31:01Z

There's no reason to use IE even on sites that arent supported by Firefox. Just download IE tab extension. It emulates IE in Firefox. You can download it from here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419

SFC doesn't run "on a drive", it runs on your system. That means it checks the Windows installation in use wherevere it might have been installed.

-Leo

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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Comment from concerned student on 2008-03-13

2008-03-13T18:54:09Z

i use a school mac and i always get "firefox is already running" error im new to macs and the school admins are baffled any ideas on how to view processes on a mac running osx

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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Comment from Terry Hollett on 2007-12-22

2007-12-22T14:51:55Z

I've had this problem on and off,where programs would not open up, yet in the task manager, it indicated they where open in the background.

Not just with Firefox. I do have it on my system but my browser choice is Opera, and I've had it happen with it. There was no error message, it just wouldn't open, except in the background, according to task manager.

My sister called recently and had a similar problem with Windows Live Messenger. And then another guy called me with the same problem. I first opened task manager by right clicking on the task bar and chosing it from the menue. Closed all instances of Messenger (there would be about a half a dozen or so where they tried to get it to run). Then to the 'control panel', double-clicked on 'Add/Remove programs', clicked on the list item for 'Windows Live Messenger', there where two options, 'change or uninstall', clicking on the change button will give you two options, to 'repair' or 'uninstall', I choose 'repair'. It seemed to work temperarily. I eventually uninstalled and reinstalled. So far so good.

And to top it all off, I still cannot run the newest versions of Adaware 2007 or Spybot 1.5, I still have to use the old versions. I just keep checking and downloading the newest version occassionally, maybe one of them will work one day.

Terry Hollett
www.geocities.com/terryhollett2003/

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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Comment from Peter Woerner on 2007-12-22

2007-12-22T13:04:53Z

My problem is that after I've put my computer into Stand By mode (where it actually shuts off and comes back to the same spot once you restart your computer), my firefox won't restart properly no matter how many times I follow this procedure. I need to ensure that I don't close my firefox when I put the computer into Stand By mode.

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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Comment from Carl R. Goodwin on 2007-12-21

2007-12-22T02:27:59Z

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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Comment from JUMPSHOT on 2007-12-19

2007-12-19T19:24:29Z

All you have to do is hit''control-alt-delete', when box comes up ,you'll see firefox in the box, just highlight and hit end process, the firefox browser will be shut down, now click on icon for firefox and it will load.....

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A comment on: Why does Firefox sometimes say it's already running when it's not?

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