Loss of editing controls in Firefox

[Leigh]

Actually the issues are Firefox develops memory problems and this leads to problems like this, it slows down ...

This is a classic windoze memory leak problem that has nothing to do with Firefox.

When you allocate memory under windoze, it generates a 16-byte mezzanine header that has the owning process and the size of the block and ???.

When you release the memory, that mezzanine header is not released, but remains in memory. This creates two problems:
1) These accumulate over time, in large numbers for programs that rely heavily on dynamic memory allocation;
2) The headers present in RAM prevent efficient memory consolidation and allocation.

This is a well-known problem that μ$oft chooses to ignore.

- Leigh

[Tom Westbrook]

I couldn't reproduce the problems you're finding with Firefox 3.6.19, but I'm on Win7. You might have disabled JavaScript (under Content in Options). If that's not it, you can disable Add-ons & Plugins somewhere in the plugins manager. Might also be helpful to shut down Firefox, then move your whole Profile directory (Google to find disk path on XP) to a safe place & start up with a plain vanilla config to see if it's in your settings or not.

[rdenney]

I couldn't reproduce the problems you're finding with Firefox 3.6.19, but I'm on Win7. You might have disabled JavaScript (under Content in Options). If that's not it, you can disable Add-ons & Plugins somewhere in the plugins manager. Might also be helpful to shut down Firefox, then move your whole Profile directory (Google to find disk path on XP) to a safe place & start up with a plain vanilla config to see if it's in your settings or not.

I thought also that I'd accidently disabled javascript, but I checked and everything was enabled.

I think I will upgrade Firefox on that machine as a next step. It needs it in any case. Clearly, something got corrupted in a configuration file, but what bugs me about that theory is that those same controls worked on other vbulletin forums, including vbulletin's own forum.

I'm on a different machine now and all is well, but I need to check back on that laptop and work the problem more.

Thanks for all the replies--it gives me something to explore.

Rick "reasonably sure now that this is a Firefox problem, not a Windows or LFPF problem" Denney

[rdenney]

An upgrade to version 5.0.1 of Firefox has resolved my issues. I can only assume that something in a configuration file had gotten corrupted in way that required completely rewriting the file.

Rick "back to normal on this computer" Denney

[Gem Singer]

Rick, Where did you find the upgrade?

I just reloaded the latest version of Firefox, and the problem still exists.

[rdenney]

Rick, Where did you find the upgrade?

I just reloaded the latest version of Firefox, and the problem still exists.

I just downloaded it off the Mozilla website. I wish I could help--but this was a sort-of spray-and-pray approach, hoping that I would overwrite whatever file had gotten messed up with something new.

Rick "who might dig around for files in the program directory that show a modification date later than when the problem appeared, in hopes of finding a configuration file that got corrupted" Denney

[Gem Singer]

Thanks Rick.

I removed all traces of previous Firefox downloads and performed a new download from the Monzilla website (the latest version of Firefox).

I followed the instructions on the Monzilla website to the letter. The new donload of Firefox works just fine. However, I still am unable to edit, download pictures, or reply directly to PM's on this forum.

It's not caused by my settings.

Having a similar problem with Safari.

The mystery continues.

[rdenney]

Thanks Rick.

I removed all traces of previous Firefox downloads and performed a new download from the Monzilla website (the latest version of Firefox).

I followed the instructions on the Monzilla website to the letter. The new donload of Firefox works just fine. However, I still am unable to edit, download pictures, or reply directly to PM's on this forum.

It's not caused by my settings.

Having a similar problem with Safari.

The mystery continues.

The editing features use Microsoft editing tools, which suggests to me the use of Microsoft ActiveX application tools on the server, or something similar. I don't know how those are transferred to a client computer, but they may use an IP socket/port or some such that is being trapped by your firewall or virus protection software (or by the same on your ISP). I have this feeling that there is a possibility in there somewhere.

Rick "guessing out of ignorance" Denney