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XPCOM Error and New Install Don't Work

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March 5, 2016 - 7:57am
#1
tompet61
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XPCOM Error and New Install Don't Work

Only problems with Firefox since version 44.0. Most of the errors are already addressed in other threads but I got an error saying “can’t load XPCOM”. I have done a check disk from Windows Vista and it did some repairs of broken items on the external hard drive. It didn’t make any difference. Then I followed advice I found online for the regular Firefox and uninstalled everything, after taking back up, of course.

I downloaded the new file of Firefox from Portable apps but it will not install. Most of the time nothing happens and sometimes I get an error message after a while that says that the header is corrupt. I have tried to download the file several times but just can’t get it to work.

I have a regular Firefox in the same PC and it works. I just want to use my portable Firefox as the computer is shared.

I get the same error message “can’t load XPCOM” in Seamonkey that I also use. But not in any other browser.

Windows Vista
External Hard Disk
Latest Firefox, Seamonkey and Portable Apps platform.

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March 5, 2016 - 8:07am
John T. Haller
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Drive or Permissions

This is either an issue with your drive or permissions.

Temporarily install a clean copy (new, none of your existing data) right to your desktop directory to confirm it's not your machine.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

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March 6, 2016 - 3:25pm
(Reply to #2)
tompet61
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Thank you for your reply. I

Thank you for your reply. I have a functioning version of Firefox on my computer. I have also repaired the disk partitition with check disc and it repaired many missing files, especially at the web server Xamp. The hard drive seems to function normal now but I don’t know if there still are things in the register or if it was cleaned up.

I now have several portable apps software that won’t run, like the VLC Player.

I moved a backup of Firefox back and now I get the “can’t load XPCOM” error. For regular Firefox you suppose to uninstall everything and clean the register. But I don’t know what is in the register from portable apps software.

It might be permissions but how do I check and repair that?

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March 6, 2016 - 4:53pm
(Reply to #3)
John T. Haller
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Install Local

First, please install a fresh copy of Firefox Portable locally just to your desktop to ensure it works.

Next, try your backup copy of Firefox Portable locally to ensure it works.

If both work, the issue is with your drive. If you drive was formatted as NTFS incorrectly, there could be permissions errors. Right click the drive in Explorer and select Properties. Select the Security tab. If this is an external drive used on multiple computers, it should have Everyone set with Full Access. If it does not, click Edit, add the Everyone account and give it Full Access.

Finding multiple errors on an external drive is often an indication that the drive is dying. Be sure you have the whole thing backed up. Do not delete your old backups as there could be more corrupt files on the drive now than when last you backed it up.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

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March 21, 2016 - 12:00pm
ArSo
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Hi,

Hi,
I wouldnt want to hijack this thread but I have similar problem.

I have installed portableapps on 11.03 together with firefox portable.
around 19.03 I have updated firefox portable to new version using portableapps updater.
Since then when I try to open firefox I get can't load XPCOM window and firefox doesnt open.
Things that I tried:

- uninstall firefox portable and reinstall using portableapps UI
- download new portableapps installation and install it on the desktop, download firefox, same xpcom error appears with new installation
- installed normal firefox x86, it works, installed firefox x64, it works
- tried manually running firefox exe from inside portableapps. the one from firefox folder works, the one from firefox64 shows xpcom error
- tried running both firefox from portableapps UI and portableapps itself as administrator, still xpcom error

I am running Windows 7 enterprise x64

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March 21, 2016 - 12:15pm
(Reply to #5)
John T. Haller
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Antivirus

The only thing I can think of offhand is your antivirus or corporate policy. There is NOTHING changed about the bundled copy of Firefox within Firefox Portable. If that doesn't run when you install Firefox Portable to your PC to a known good drive (not an external) and run firefox.exe directly, then it's something up with the PC itself or the way it is configured and not something we have any control over at all.

As it is Windows enterprise, have you checked with corporate to see if it's being specifically denied?

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

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March 22, 2016 - 11:39am
(Reply to #6)
ArSo
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Ok,I have no idea why the

Ok,I have no idea why the firefox portable worked before that update but I have traced the issue to webroot antivirus.

For a quick test, if anyone else will have the problem in future, disable identyty shield and the firefox opens normally.

to add the firefox to 'safe list' click the cog next to identity protection -> application protection tab, check the list of blocked files
in my case it was xul.dll from the firefox folder, and change from block to allow.

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June 25, 2018 - 9:09am
Ayoungduk13_2018
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Able to Reproduce for Developer

I have similarly run across this error on the Developer edition of Firefox Portable. Using the latest available version (61 beta 3), the portable version is able to update throughout 61.bx updates; however after the end of last week, the latest update is now for 62 beta 2, which seems to introduce this issue. I have now been able to recreate it with multiple re-install attempts (ie, install latest available 61 beta 3 => run => loads up fine => allow update to install => re-run => XPCOM error.

Not sure if there was an api change or something, but the newest updates to the Developer portable appear to break the installation. I cannot attempt to use the linked repair programs, as they are blocked by my work install policy. For now I will have to reinstall, use the 61 beta 3 version, and hold off on updating.

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June 28, 2018 - 8:41am
(Reply to #8)
Ayoungduk13_2018
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Update 62 Beta 3

The newest update now seems to install without issue, thankfully whatever happened in Beta 2 seems to have been resolved for me.

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