How can I replace my Firefox? The one I have came with the ISO Linux file but often crashes...

Asked by Alberto

Hello guys,
I found an answer about a similar problem but is old, 2006...
My Firefox came with the ISO file I installed when I installed Xubuntu 14-04-02 LTS.
I regularly updated the system and now, every now and then, my Firefox 41.0.2 crashes.
I wrote to Mozilla support and they need the crash report available typing the command "about:crashes".
But as my Firefox comes from a third party (Linux) this commad doesn't work...
So they told me to remove the original Firefox and to install a new one downloaded from their site, with which the about:crashes shuold work. In this way Mozilla's geeks could help my about the crashes...
Mind you, this is what I understood...!

What do you think?

How can I install the file I downloaded (it's bzip-compressed) without (I suppose) using Ubuntu Software Center?
When I had W XP I could do it running the executable, but now?
I don't want to make a mess...

Thank you
Alberto

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Ubuntu firefox Edit question
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Solved by:
Manfred Hampl
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Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said :
#1

What is the output of:

lsb_release -a; uname -a; apt-cache policy firefox

Thanks

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said :
#2

Your Firefox is only packaged for your distribution. It still comes from Mozilla.

Revision history for this message
Alberto (alby-the-baldy) said :
#3

Hello Andrew,

I raed what you wrote and what I can say is the command about:crashes gives the following message:

The address isn't valid

This is strange because commands about:? and about:config (I DID NOT CHANGE ANYTHIG) works correctly.

Following the data you asked for:

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 14.04.3 LTS
Release: 14.04
Codename: trusty
Linux trappolone 3.13.0-66-generic #108-Ubuntu SMP Wed Oct 7 15:21:40 UTC 2015 i686 athlon i686 GNU/Linux
firefox:
  Installed: 41.0.2+build2-0ubuntu0.14.04.1
  Candidate: 41.0.2+build2-0ubuntu0.14.04.1
  Version table:
 *** 41.0.2+build2-0ubuntu0.14.04.1 0
        500 http://mirror.crazynetwork.it/ubuntu/archive/ trusty-updates/main i386 Packages
        500 http://mirror.crazynetwork.it/ubuntu/archive/ trusty-security/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     28.0+build2-0ubuntu2 0
        500 http://mirror.crazynetwork.it/ubuntu/archive/ trusty/main i386 Packages

Thanks and regards, Alberto

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said :
#4

The version you have is the latest version. This is normal in Ubuntu. Canonical are pushing to keep Firefox bang up to date.

If you rename ~/.mozilla (I assume you do not use Thunderbird as your email client) then launch the browser, is it ok?

Thanks

Revision history for this message
Alberto (alby-the-baldy) said :
#5

Hello...
You are right, I don't use Thunderbird as my email client.

Please, I didn't get what I have to do:
should I rename the subdirectory /home/alberto/.mozilla? I know how to do so but not the new name of it...
Afterwards I should try and Launch Firefox to see the result, shouldn't I?

Thanks

Revision history for this message
Alberto (alby-the-baldy) said :
#6

...more, if I type about:about in the Firefox URL bar the about:crashes command isn't listed. It might be omitted, as Mozilla say, but it sounds weird.

An idea...:
what if there were some problem with extensions?
I mean, a few minutes ago Ff crashed but didn't, that is: it displayed an Ubuntu message saying it had crashed (not true, as it was still working!) and asking what to do, leave closed or relaunch, and send a message to Mozilla. I looked for details and found:

extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing

And Ff was still working, correctly...!

I hope I could help you to help me

Thanks

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said :
#7

Run:

mv /home/alberto/.mozilla /home/alberto/.mozilla_old

Then launch the browser

Revision history for this message
Alberto (alby-the-baldy) said :
#8

Mumble mumble...
Question inside the question, I'm sorry:

By run you mean to type the whole command string you gave me to the prompt, don't you?
Or sould I open Terminal in /.mozilla and then.... I'm lost...

Thanks

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said :
#9

Just copy the command and paste it to the terminal. It's why I give the exact command.

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Alberto (alby-the-baldy) said :
#10

Hello...
Done. Something like a factory reset, isn't it?

But:
-command about:crashes still gives: The address isn't valid,

-my old, dear settings, my bookmarks? Can I recover them? They should be stored in /home/alberto/.mozilla /home/alberto/.mozilla, am I right?

Thanks

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said :
#11

Read the command and think. Where do you think they are..

Revision history for this message
Alberto (alby-the-baldy) said :
#12

Hello, mumble mumble...

/home/alberto/.mozilla /home/alberto/.mozilla ?
 How can I load them?

Revision history for this message
Alberto (alby-the-baldy) said :
#13

I made a typing mistake...

/home/alberto/.mozilla ?

Then the next command you might suggest could be:

mv /home/alberto/mozilla ?

(Thanks)

Revision history for this message
Best Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said :
#14

Based on actionparsnip's advice you have moved your folder with the settings to a backup location.
Due to the fact that starting firefox again has already created a new settings directory, yu have to move that away to be able to restore the old one. And then you can move the old one back.

mv /home/alberto/.mozilla /home/alberto/.mozilla_tmp
mv /home/alberto/.mozilla_old /home/alberto/.mozilla

@actionparsnip: also my firefox on Ubuntu does not understand about:crashes

Revision history for this message
Alberto (alby-the-baldy) said :
#15

Hello Manfred,
done, I got my settings and bookmarks back. Great.
Learnt something interesting, once again... Greater.
Cli makes me feel very inside the system...

There is still a huge lot of road to walk to become a geek... :-)

Thank you and thank Andrew, I guess he can read me.

Regards
Alberto

Revision history for this message
Alberto (alby-the-baldy) said :
#16

Thanks Manfred Hampl, that solved my question.