Comuter Died. Help! Help!
January 29, 2020 8:41 AM Subscribe
Firefox has locked up on my computer. I still have access to locally stored files and there is a replacement computer on the way.
How do I move the stored emails and the address book from the old computer that does not have a functioning browser to my new computer?
There fortunately is a copy of xplorer2 on the system that allows individual files to be removed to a flash drive.
The system also is backed up on a Seagate Backup Plus drive. I do not know if the emails and address book will be transferred to the new system.
What do you use for email? If you use gmail, your contacts and mail are on the web. Try logging in on another computer(library) to check.
posted by theora55 at 9:40 AM on January 29, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 9:40 AM on January 29, 2020 [2 favorites]
What do you mean by "Firefox has locked up"?
posted by srboisvert at 9:44 AM on January 29, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by srboisvert at 9:44 AM on January 29, 2020 [5 favorites]
If all else fails, a Linux-savvy friend with a Linux distro on a bootable USB stick will be able to extract your email and address book files from the hard disk. Can you tell us what software you are using?
MozBackup will work with Firefox and Thunderbird, but not with anything that's not made by Mozilla (or based on something that is).
posted by Too-Ticky at 9:54 AM on January 29, 2020
MozBackup will work with Firefox and Thunderbird, but not with anything that's not made by Mozilla (or based on something that is).
posted by Too-Ticky at 9:54 AM on January 29, 2020
Response by poster: srboisvert; Firefox takes about 10-15 minutes to show even a partial page. Sometimes I get a message that a script (chrome://global/customElements.js:450) has stalled and do I want to wait or stop the script? If stop the script is chosen I usually go to a stalled Firefox page. Once I got a functional page that lasted about 8-10 minutes before slowing down and eventually stalling. I could to read and file email until the page stalled.
I notice in Task Manager that for the past couple of weeks multiple copies of Firefox were loading.
Too-Ticky, I have the latest Firefox.
posted by Raybun at 10:31 AM on January 29, 2020
I notice in Task Manager that for the past couple of weeks multiple copies of Firefox were loading.
Too-Ticky, I have the latest Firefox.
posted by Raybun at 10:31 AM on January 29, 2020
Try this: close any Firefox windows. Then, holding down the shift key, double-click on the icon (or single-click if it's in your taskbar shortcuts). You should have the option to 'Start in Safe Mode'. Question is, is it OK in safe mode?
posted by pipeski at 10:57 AM on January 29, 2020
posted by pipeski at 10:57 AM on January 29, 2020
I'm not sure what the connection is between FF working and being able to transfer files. Could you clarify these points to make sure we're answering the question as you intended it?
- If FF were working, how would you transfer these files?
- Is the old computer otherwise functional, or is it actually dead?
- Do you know where (in what directories) the emails and address book are stored? If not, what steps do you usually use to access your email?
posted by trig at 11:27 AM on January 29, 2020 [1 favorite]
- If FF were working, how would you transfer these files?
- Is the old computer otherwise functional, or is it actually dead?
- Do you know where (in what directories) the emails and address book are stored? If not, what steps do you usually use to access your email?
posted by trig at 11:27 AM on January 29, 2020 [1 favorite]
(Also, what operating system and version are you using? E.g., Windows 10?)
posted by trig at 11:34 AM on January 29, 2020
posted by trig at 11:34 AM on January 29, 2020
what steps do you usually use to access your email?
This is the most important question here. Firefox is not an email client. So you might be using it to connect to your webmail provider (which one?) or you might be using Thunderbird, which is sort-of related to Firefox.
If you are using webmail, can you access it using a different browser ( = not Firefox)?
posted by Too-Ticky at 12:11 PM on January 29, 2020 [1 favorite]
This is the most important question here. Firefox is not an email client. So you might be using it to connect to your webmail provider (which one?) or you might be using Thunderbird, which is sort-of related to Firefox.
If you are using webmail, can you access it using a different browser ( = not Firefox)?
posted by Too-Ticky at 12:11 PM on January 29, 2020 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Trig
Latest version of W10. AV does not detect any issues. Older system upgraded from W8. New Dell system on way. The old one is "otherwise functional" with programs that do not require registry entries. This is why I have full access to all files with the xplorer2 file manager. I would love to be able find the relevant files and save them on a flash drive. Using gmail.
posted by Raybun at 12:13 PM on January 29, 2020
Latest version of W10. AV does not detect any issues. Older system upgraded from W8. New Dell system on way. The old one is "otherwise functional" with programs that do not require registry entries. This is why I have full access to all files with the xplorer2 file manager. I would love to be able find the relevant files and save them on a flash drive. Using gmail.
posted by Raybun at 12:13 PM on January 29, 2020
Best answer: If you're using Gmail you'll be fine. Your address book and emails are in your cloud account on their servers, the browser/computer you use to access them is irrelevant.
posted by Athanassiel at 12:17 PM on January 29, 2020
posted by Athanassiel at 12:17 PM on January 29, 2020
The script you mention is related to firefox's implementation of web components which are used for the Firefox UI.
I'd try safe mode.
Then I'd try resetting firefox
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/reset-firefox-easily-fix-most-problems
Then I'd try creating a new user profile.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-firefox-profiles
Then I'd try completely uninstalling firefox and reinstalling.
posted by srboisvert at 1:09 PM on January 29, 2020 [2 favorites]
I'd try safe mode.
Then I'd try resetting firefox
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/reset-firefox-easily-fix-most-problems
Then I'd try creating a new user profile.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-firefox-profiles
Then I'd try completely uninstalling firefox and reinstalling.
posted by srboisvert at 1:09 PM on January 29, 2020 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks to everybody. Since I will be starting with a new system I will reconstruct everything with fresh software and then copy over just the files that will be used. I am also hesitant to use the backup files that might reinstall the old problem. There are nine years of cruft in the old system and this will be an opportunity to houseclean.
Thank you all again!
posted by Raybun at 5:34 PM on January 29, 2020
Thank you all again!
posted by Raybun at 5:34 PM on January 29, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by essexjan at 9:07 AM on January 29, 2020 [1 favorite]