You Tube/firefox issue

[Knipples]

Got this really annoying couple of things going on with my laptop, and i've exhausted everything I can think of to try, so thought I would try you lot.

I'm using firefox on a Windows 7 laptop, and the issue with firefox is (bear with me while I try and explain this) that I have to have two tabs open to get a page to load, and I have to flick to the other tab to get the page I want to load. For example if I want to look at something on facebook, I have to open a second tab or it just sits there refusing to load, but if I open the second tab (to look at another site, lets say BD) the facebook page loads, but then if I want to click on anything within facebook, I again have to flick back to the BD tab or nothing will load.

It does it on every website I try and look at, and whilst its fine to have two tabs open sometimes, it is getting a bit tedious now. The second tab then does the same thing in that if I then wanted to click on something on BD, I have to flick back to the facebook tab to get the BD page to open.

I've run the virus scans numerous times (have Avast on here, as well as superantispyware and malware byters) I have also reinstalled firefox recently, to see if that helped, but it didn't.

The other issue that may be linked to this, is that youtube either doesn't work at all (even loading the homepage) or takes ages to load, and then if I try and search for a video it takes ages and ages to give me the list of videos, and then to load the video itself, if it even works at all. Plus if people post youtube videos in threads, for the most part I can't see it embedded, I just see a white box where the video should be.

However I don't think its a bandwidth issue because if someone links to a video from somewhere that isn't youtube, it usually works, and I can stream stuff like iplayer fine, as well as when I "borrowed" some stuff via Leo a few weeks back, that downloaded all fine, and there is no issue with line speed.

Can someone help me please, because its driving me bloody insane.

[Mark]

Sounds like a broken extension. Check through the list and see if there's anything you can get rid of (even if you reinstall it later).

If all else fails, delete your Firefox profile and create a new one. This will lose all your Firefox settings - but that should include whatever is causing the problem.

Copy these instructions into Notepad or something similar.
Back up your bookmarks. Go to Bookmarks > Organise Bookmarks, then Import and Backup > Backup... and save the file somewhere safe.
Make a list of your extensions. Go to Tools > Add-ons and note down anything you want to keep.
You will lose all cookies, so make sure you know passwords for any important sites (like BD, OcUK, Facebook, your local football team, etc. :)).
Close all Firefox windows.
Using Explorer, go to Users > [your user] > AppData > Roaming > Mozilla > Firefox. Delete the Profiles directory.
Now go to Users > [your user] > AppData > Local > Mozilla > Firefox. Delete the Profiles directory.
Restart Firefox.
Import bookmarks. Go to Bookmarks > Organise Bookmarks, then Import and Backup > Restore > Choose file... and choose the file you saved.
Install any extensions.
Enjoy!

[Blighter]

Have you tried a reinstall?

[divine]

Have you tried reading the post properly?

[Blighter]

Ah didn't see the reinstall bit somehow :S

[Mark]

Reinstalling rarely helps since the profile is still there and that is usually where the problem is.

[Knipples]

Before I try this (I may leave it until tomorrow when I have a bit more time/energy) when you say extensions, are you talking about WOT etc? As in where do I find the extensions.

[Mark]

Not sure what WOT is, but the instructions say where to find the list. :)

[Knipples]

Started doing it, step 6, where do you mean i find users, when I click on my name on the box that pops up when I click the windows icon, there is no app data (will go away and try again just to be sure)

[Dymetrie]

Started doing it, step 6, where do you mean i find users, when I click on my name on the box that pops up when I click the windows icon, there is no app data (will go away and try again just to be sure)

C:\users in explorer :)

[Knipples]

C:\users in explorer :)

I've got that far, I can't see an app data option? :)

I have
contacts
desktop
downloads
favourites
links
my documents
my music
my pictures
my videos
saved games
searches
tracing

and thats it.

[Dymetrie]

I've got that far, I can't see an app data option? :)

Yes! It's a hidden folder so you need to select 'show hidden files and folders' in file settings (on my iPhone and can't remember exactly where the option is!).

[Knipples]

Yes! It's a hidden folder so you need to select 'show hidden files and folders' in file settings (on my iPhone and can't remember exactly where the option is!).

Sorry to be annoying but where would I find the file settings? :)

[Glaucus]

top left of the file window, select

Organize > Folder and search options > view

then select show hidden files, folders and drives.

IIRC it on selects that setting for the folder you are currently in.

[Knipples]

Ta, gonna try it now, will hopefully be back in a bit

[Knipples]

Nope still got the same problem with the tabs. And I havent reinstalled any extensions yet.

You Tube won't even load now. :(

If it helps I just tried you tube on IE, and thats taking bloody ages to load as well.

Oh and I just tried to update my plug ins on FF and it says an error occured.

[Blighter]

start -> run -> CMD -> type "ipconfig /flushdns" -> press enter

[Mark]

Did you zap both folders?

Sorry about not including the instructions for hidden folders. Couldn't remember whether it was or wasn't and my Win7 box is currently off.

If you're still stuck tomorrow I'll have another poke around and find what I missed, or help out online, or something. :)

[Knipples]

start -> run -> CMD -> type "ipconfig /flushdns" -> press enter
Just did that :)
Did you zap both folders?

Sorry about not including the instructions for hidden folders. Couldn't remember whether it was or wasn't and my Win7 box is currently off.

If you're still stuck tomorrow I'll have another poke around and find what I missed, or help out online, or something. :)

Yup, something else weird, when I just went to multiquote you and Blighter, I had to go to the other tab (as in i've got facebook open in the other tab) before the box where I click on to multiquote would go red.

Am back in the hospital this afternoon if I don't reply to any posts so regularly, will take any more help people want to give me, because now i've mentioned it, its really bugging me! :(

[Mark]

Good luck today! I'll see if I can figure out how to operate remote assistance - just in case it's needed.

[Burble]

Try to create a new user account in WIndows then use that and see if you're still having the problems.

To do that in Windows 7 go into control panel, user accounts, user accounts, manage user accounts, add.

[Knipples]

Will try that tomorrow. Thanks.

Dont know if this will help but when You Tube does load, down in the corner it says "waiting for s.ytimg.com"

[Blighter]

Do you (or did you previously) have an adblocker?

[Knipples]

Do you (or did you previously) have an adblocker?

Not that I am aware of installing no.

[Blighter]

http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable

Try that (it is safe, I always use it :p) and see if it works :)

[Knipples]

http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable

Try that (it is safe, I always use it :p) and see if it works :)

The link works yes, or are you saying I need to install that version of FF? How does it differ to the version I am already using? :)

[Blighter]

The link works yes, or are you saying I need to install that version of FF? How does it differ to the version I am already using? :)

Sorry should have explained.

It's a portable version meaning you don't need to install it, and more importantly in this case, it doesn't use any settings/configs on your computer.

Should help to narrow down where the problem is.

[Mark]

Good idea! That'll eliminate a fair few things.

[Knipples]

Ok will do it tomorrow :)

[Knipples]

Nope youtube still won't load. I had to update the adobe reader because it said it was out of date, but it said everything else was up to date.

[Blighter]

Has to be an OS/Internet connection issue then. Is it possible to try connection from another connection (work/friends/mcdonalds) to try?

[Knipples]

Yeah I guess i'm going to have to try that, although my iphone loads you tube fine when its on the wifi in the house.

[Burble]

Try to create a new user account in WIndows then use that and see if you're still having the problems.

To do that in Windows 7 go into control panel, user accounts, user accounts, manage user accounts, add.

Did you try that?

[Knipples]

Resurrecting this thread, because I pretty much am certain that its the modem at home thats causing this problem. Took myself away to Devon for a few days (am posting on the laptop from the B&B now) and there arent any problems with you tube or the tab issue.

We have virgin media at home, and the modem is ancient. Can someone recommend me a router I can get that can replace the knackered one without costing a fortune. We have the internet coming in via the cable means and not via the phone line if that helps.

There are currently two boxes that run the internet, one has the white virgin cable coming in from the box in the lounge, and then it goes into a wireless router. They are both the same age so I am guessing I need to replace both.

[Mark]

First thing to do would be to bypass the wireless router and plug your laptop straight into the modem (I think you can do that). From my limited knowledge you may have to reboot the modem because it only likes one network device at a time.

The reason for doing this is to test the modem. If it's that, then that's Virgin's problem and they should replace it (for free!)

[Burble]

Pull the plug on the modem occasionally and tell VM that the modem is rebooting. They'll send you out a new one no questions asked.

[Mark]

I like that plan. :)