Problem with Windows 7 x86/x64. Processes not closing...

spikey57 · 31 Aug 2009 at 22:35

Just wondered whether this problem has been encountered by anyone else?

Where by browsing in firefox/opera/whatever. It stops responding/ loading the page. You close the browser and then go to start up the browser again. There is no square around it in the taskbar/startbar to indicate that it is already running.

When you go to start it, it tells you that the program is already running and has become non responsive. Either restart your computer or end the process.

It is happening across 3 pc's. My laptop running x64, my dads main pc running x86 and also his media pc again running x86. They are all running build 7100.

Anyone come across this and have they found the cause or solution to the problem?

Thanks,

Spikey57

cokecan · 31 Aug 2009 at 22:59

i had this when i briefly used win 7 x64 build 7100. i just closed the firefox process in task manager and re-loaded

spikey57 · 1 Sep 2009 at 08:57

Would that be a case of reinstalling firefox/ whatever browser, or simply just reloading the program like normal. As when I try this, firefox or whatever browser just seems to crawl to a halt and when you click a link nothing happens.

Thanks for the quick response!

spikey57 · 2 Sep 2009 at 09:49

OK, after a lot of faffing about, I deleted my Firefox profile, which didn't solve the problem, as even without a process running in task manager, it still said that it was running and displayed the same error message. I then uninstalled it making sure to check the box that says to remove all bookmarks etc, downloaded a fresh copy, and then restarted my laptop.

Installed the fresh copy with no plug-ins or extensions. All seems well. 2 minutes later, back to square one!!

No joy!! Getting rather annoyed with this now!!

cokecan · 2 Sep 2009 at 10:45

i never found a solution for it

but just to check, in task manager your looking in the processes tab and not the applications tab? usually it will dissapear from applications but the actual process will still be visible in the processes tab

spikey57 · 2 Sep 2009 at 12:52

Yes that is correct. I am looking at the processes tab. It's not running in the applications tab in task manager, but the process is still there in the processes tab.

It's now saying that it is still running but not responding even though I've closed the process and it's not in either the application tab or the process tab. So I end the process.

So I think I may just have to bite the bullet and leave FF for opera, not as nice in my opinion, but still a better alternative to IE. If I get the chance I will upload a screen shot of it tonight. I had to restart my laptop to make it work again, and even then it worked for about 5 minutes and then screwed up again.

Worst case Scenario I'll have to format and reload just to rule out anything to do with windows 7.

I read up that it could be something to do with it looking at the shortcut location i.e the one in your start bar, and opens up a copy of firefox, and then copies an instance of that shortcut into the profile or data session folder. (In effect opening up firefox within firefox) So when you close the main window, it still leaves the other session of firefox running. It leaves the process running, but when you close the process, it fails to terminate it properly.

I don't know why it is happening with this version of firefox, as I have used it since Firefox 1, and this is the first time I've encountered it.

Credo · 2 Sep 2009 at 15:29

I get Firefox behaving like this on my company laptop, which is running Windows XP SP2. So not exclusively Win7 it seems. I have to kill the 'firetray.exe' process to be able to re-launch Firefox (3.5.2 in my case).

bledd · 2 Sep 2009 at 16:02

Do you guys have Asus Xonar cards by any chance?

spikey57 · 3 Sep 2009 at 08:53

No I have an HP laptop. my dad uses onboard sound for all his pc's.