Mozilla Rushes Out Firefox 7.0.1 Update
If you follow this tech blog closely you know already that the latest release of Firefox, which would be Firefox 7.0, contained a bug that hid away some or even all add-ons of a user who updated a version of the browser to the latest stable iteration. Mozilla after noticing the problem stopped the distribution of automatic updates to users running the stable version of the browser on their computer.
The company was quick enough to provide a temporary solution for the bug that brought back all the add-ons for affected users. We covered the issue and workaround here in detail.
Firefox 7.01, the update that fixed the hidden add-on issue is now available for all users. It can be downloaded from the official website or via the web browser's internal updating. To do that one would have to click on Firefox > Help > About Firefox to trigger the check for a new version of the Internet browser (assuming that the one button Firefox menu is the preferred layout).
This new Firefox release fixes only this single issue. Some users have questioned why Mozilla did not catch the bug in the Nightly or Aurora phase of development. While it is probably to easy to link the bug to the rapid release cycle, one has to consider the fact that the accelerated release process could have something to do with it.
Taking into consideration that this is the first major bug, and that the last two releases did not contain serious bugs that required an emergency patch, it is to early to tell if the rapid release process had any influence here.
Tech interested users and websites like mine will however look closely at the coming releases to see if history repeats itself, so to speak. I give Mozilla the benefit of the doubt and assume that a bug like this could have been missed before the rapid release cycle as well.
Please let me know what you make of it.
Update: Mozilla Thunderbird, the email client, has also been updated to version 7.0.1.
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It so screwed up my browser. The NEW 7.01 did nothing for me except HIDE MY ADDONS. ( extensions) NOONE in the support forum will tell me where they are… Nothing \worked right and it even took and hid my freecorder toolbar while installing an ASK toolbar and search…. I DOWNGRADED back 3.06 Screw them!
After using FF for 6 years, I’m through. Every time I start the damn browser it has to download and install another point release. Forget it – I’m moving to Chrome and never looking back.
Chrome does it all the time. It just doesn’t tell you, making you wonder why it starts so slowly today…
My problem with 7.01 is simply unbelievable ! Every 12 to 15 second browser freezes it self for 3 to 5 sec. (with short ‘Not Responding’ in address bar) – it doing this in precise intervals that looks like it pulsating. It started after I incidentally updated my precious stable (previous) version and I am pretty desperate.
Me too
I thought it was virus at first but other programs run ok on my computer
It’s so annoying…. It says “not responding” every 5 minutes…
Does anyone know how to fix this???
You are lucky, 5 min for me would be blessing ;-)
My suggestion would be to start Firefox in Safe Mode to see if the issue occurs as well. If it does, try a new profile and see if that resolves it.
Well, here what I did – I reinstalled 5.0 but problem persisted although much less severe then with 7.01, so I assumed that some of the add-ons are culprits. I reinstalled 5.0 again and run it in Safe Mode and everything was superb. so I installed 7.01 and run it in Safe Mode and it looks like its all ok – but now I need to go through all these add-ons (so many of them) and try to find which make this problem. Scary thing is that it can be add-on new version that is problematic and that old version works fine !
Can not login to my account or use any of the click on words to work youtube now with firefox 7.0.1 . Also found the same problems with a few other web sites where you have to click on words to login in or advance the screen .
Youtube is completely weird with Firefox 7.0.1 and can not Like or dislikes, share, subscribe etc,. nor any buttons I click works! The Youtube does not load commands completely as before.! can watch the movies though.
I can’t upgrade without the Google Toolbar. Yet Firefox pops up the question every 20 mins for the last 2 weeks!
After upgrading to v7, I’ve noticed the memory usage has increased significantly. I’m sure it’s one of the 20 extensions I’m using, but after updating all of them & disabling the ones I use infrequently, it’s still a problem (and the problem didn’t exist in v6x). I know the “solution” is to disable one at a time, restart Firefox, and see if I can find the one causing the problem, but I’ve done that before with earlier versions of Firefox and I’m just not going to go through that tedious process again. Downgrading to v6 seems like a more reasonable solution, at this time.
Has anyone else had the same experience, and if so, did you find the extension causing the problem?
Yes, I am having terrible problems with overall slow speed, but the main issue is typing emails is terribly slow, a delay after each letter. I disabled all add ons and it improved some, but not by much. I don’t know how to go back to a previous version, but will have to research it, I guess. If someone could post a link as to how to do this without losing or duplicating data, I would appreciate it.
http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/channel/
Firefox 9.0 Aurora channel released, now with 30% faster performance.
Thanks for posting, I’ll write a post today detailing the changes in Firefox 9.
I agree 100% with Robert Palmar. Add-ons have been one of the major ‘selling points’ for Firefox.
Additionally, I still believe, Google Chrome update process which is copied by Mozilla is nothing but updates just for the sake of it. If Mozilla had to push new features ‘more often’ to users, they could’ve done it with 4.1, 4.2.
Regarding success of Chrome, all I can say is, these two browsers have different ‘personalities’. This is a significant point for me wrt Firefox. Like in daily life, if you assume someone else’s personality, there will be disorder without fail.
VG said this bug happens when you have uptades to install for some add-ons. So, keep your add-ons updated to make your browser updated without bugs.
glad to see they corrected it quickly.
Upgrading to 7 (from 6) broke a few add ons, e.g. CookieSafe! It really sucks this upgrading thing!!!
In the office I am still on 3.6.16 and I am perfectly happy! Sorry to say it again but >> stupid upgrades <<!
Yup, me too. I’m still at 3.6.23. I’ve put considerable effort in maximizing the viewable space on this damn thing with add-ons that still won’t work in 7.x.
I am not sure there can be any excuse for this.
Add-ons are fundamental to Firefox, the reason for
its initial growth and success, and the defining feature
still for users who have stayed with it despite competition.
Breaking add-ons is major headache with any new update
and the reason I always hesitate to upgrade right away.
One should think at this point the first thing Mozilla
would pay careful attention to is how any update
affects add-ons and it is clear they did not.
This “update” scewed up my addon bar. Going back to 7.0.
That doesn’t seem likely, although if you are in fact making a legitimate complaint then just restore the default toolbar set via the “Customize Toolbar” palette, then rearrange the buttons and toolbars to your desired configuration.
BIG DEAL ITS FIXED ..SO THE PROBLEM IS ….WHAT?