Firefox 1.0.5 browser released

Security update release

[jdMorgan]

The latest version of the Firefox browser is now available at mozilla.org [mozilla.org].

Updates include several security fixes to Firefox 1.0.4.

Be sure to read the Firefox 1.0.5 release notes [mozilla.org] before installing, particularly the note about installing to a clean program directory.

Jim

[RammsteinNicCage]

Is there any reason why they always want us to uninstall the previous versions? I've never had any other program like this and it's kind of a pain, even though it only takes 2 seconds. :p

Jennifer

[keyplyr]

Thanks Jim

[Hester]

I installed it over the existing directory and it worked fine.

[Tomness]

When I did that, it never worked.

[MatthewHSE]

I've never over-installed without encountering minor issues afterwards. I believe 1.1 is supposed to fix this kind of thing, but until then, a clean installation is best.

[wrgvt]

I just installed it (Windows 2000) over Firefox 1.0.4 without uninstalling that first without a problem.

[bedlam]

Be sure to read the Firefox 1.0.5 release notes before installing, particularly the note about installing to a clean program directory

Is there any reason why they always want us to uninstall the previous versions?

I've never over-installed without encountering minor issues afterwards. I believe 1.1 is supposed to fix this kind of thing, but until then, a clean installation is best.

I assume you guys are talking about this:

Prior to installing Firefox 1.0.5, please ensure that the directory you've chosen to install into is clean and doesn't contain any previous Firefox installations.

Isn't this just a badly-worded way of saying "avoid creating a situation where there are side-by-side installations of Firefox on the same system"? I always install the updates over the previous versions, and it hasn't caused me any problems on Win 2k, Win XP or Mac OS 10.3.8 since about version .8...

-B

[MatthewHSE]

No, you can install many versions of Firefox on the same system with no problem, although you'll want a separate profile for each version you run. Installing a later version right over an existing version, though, can cause problems. Normally it seems to be related to extensions, which may be why so many people never have a problem with over-installing. My guess is that it has something to do with the number or combination of extensions installed. I run over 40 extensions, and can never count on an over-installed upgrade working properly (although the problems will normally be minor and not noticed for several days).

[bruhaha]

My guess is that it has something to do with the number or combination of extensions installed

So what are we supposed to do? Start from scratch and re-download every single extension, reset all preferences...? Or is there some way extensions & preferences can be retained through a uninstall + install?

[drhowarddrfine]

What I did was delete the c:\program files\firefox folder and installed. You're settings are stored elsewhere. No problems.

[Hester]

I think the warning is aimed at people who have versions prior to the one that changed the way extensions work. I think after that, you should be OK, unless the latest version breaks an extension. I had just one installed and it continued to work in 1.0.5. I then installed another meant for 1.0.4 and it worked fine.

[wickydoodah]

What I did was delete the c:\program files\firefox folder and installed. You're settings are stored elsewhere. No problems.

I did the same thing and now have I got problems! Firefox 1.0.5 is toast... it no longer saves passwords (even with the option checked), previous passwords are gone, all history is gone, can't open links in new windows (but can in tabs), and about every other time I start Firefox it hangs and I have to use Task Manager to kill it. And that's only what I've discovered so far. I've uninstalled/reinstalled it 4 different times, twice installing on top of the old installation, and twice deleting everything (program and profile folders) before the install but nothing fixes it.

I'm beginning to wonder if Firefox is headed in the same direction as IE! Frankly, I'm growing tired of the frequent updates even though I never had this type of problem before. And it seams like many of the extensions no longer work after an update.

Perhaps IE isn't so bad after all? Naaahhhh.....

[bumpaw]

I think I'll wait for Firefox 1.0.6 which is just around the bend according to:

Just days after the releases of Mozilla Firefox 1.0.5 and Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0.5, it appears likely that 1.0.6 versions of the two applications could be coming as early as next week. It is understood that API changes in 1.0.5 unintentionally broke some extensions.

from [mozillazine.org...]

[RammsteinNicCage]

Heh, I'm surprised that they would do that because of broken extensions. Are they official extensions (are there official extensions) or community made?

Jennifer

[drhowarddrfine]

wickydoodah,
You must have accidentally done something else. I've had absolutely zero problems just deleting that folder. I did not uninstall FF first. If you uninstalled and then deleted the folder, that may have made a difference because the uninstallation could have removed your passwords and other things (I do not know if this is true).

[encyclo]

It you want to be sure, you should start by backing up your Firefox settings directory (usually under Application Data) - this step is very important! Once done, you should use Add/Remove programs in the Windows control panel to uninstall the old version of Firefox. Your personal settings directory will not be affected by this. After that, you can install the new verion of Firefox.

Once installed, it will almost always detect your settings directory with no problems. I don't run Firefox on Windows, but I do this for my wife's Mozilla suite every time there is an update, with no problems whatsoever. If you just delete the installation directory, you are asking for trouble over the longer term.

[2by4]

All extensions are community made as far as I know. To different standards and levels of course. When you install the new 1.0.5, it finds your preferences folder automatically, you dont' have to do anything, you can back it up if you want, but you dont' need to. Or you can do what matthewhse does, and create a new profile for each new version, then copy over your various user preference files, bookmarks, cookies, history etc to the new profile, the safest thing to do, but not really necessary in most cases.

[Hester]

I'm beginning to wonder if Firefox is headed in the same direction as IE! Frankly, I'm growing tired of the frequent updates.

You mean the ones to ensure security? You'd prefer to be wide open to hackers? Or go back to IE where Microsoft doesn't fix critical security holes for weeks? I'm glad Firefox fixes its security holes so quickly.

Perhaps you should try Opera instead of IE.

[drhowarddrfine]

Speaking of which....FF 1.06 is officially released today.

[bumpaw]

I updated Firefox to 1.0.6 without a hitch. All 24 extensions present and working. I uninstalled as advised by encyclo, my settings are always backed up but they were found without a hitch.

Release notes for 1.0.6 [mozilla.org]

[RammsteinNicCage]

Maybe that's the problem with FF's fast updates and releases - they aren't fully, exhaustingly tested. Not to say that IE's updates are perfect, but I'm sure they have to do a LOT more testing to make sure they aren't really screwing something else up.

Jennifer

[g1smd]

>> I'm sure they have to do a LOT more testing to make sure they aren't really screwing something else up. <<

Even so, they have royally screwed up everything they have done in the last two decades. I'm sure that that is not the reason.

[ergophobe]

My guess is that it has something to do with the number or combination of extensions installed. I run over 40 extensions,

Not quite that high, but this is the worst part of upgrading FF. I always seem to end up having to download and install the extensions all over again (and some of them aren't simple to find).

Any tips on a smoother upgrade without having to manually do this?

[bumpaw]

encyclo's method above never fails me, but I only have 24 extensions. One was disabled and I had to go and get the newest version.

I did the same thing for Thunderbird 1.0.6 that's just out also.

Backing up the settings is important to me.

[g1smd]

I dunno where you get all those extensions from. I installed one.

[2by4]

g1smd, try these:

adblock + proper use of * characters = no more ads
all in one gestures - how can you live without it?
google page rank status - our friend
sort bookmarks - nice little thing to sort bookmarks, very useful
javascript debugger - why not?
web developer toolbar - no web developer should be without it.

I use a bunch more, but those are IMO the ones I can't live without, well there's one more, but until the guy gets it more user friendly I can't really recommend it, as utterly fantastic as it is.

I think 1.1 is coming out next month sometime, that should smooth the upgrade process significantly, and much more importantly, it makes it possible to do corporate rollouts, which weren't really feasable currently due to how corporate networks need to store user data and do updates.

Except for one extension on 1.0.3 - not one of the above ones, I haven't had any real problems with updates, just make a new folder, or delete files from old folder, then install new version. Note, on 1.0.6, I couldn't see my bookmarks until I clicked manage bookmarks, then they were all back.

Further note: 1.0.5 messed with extensions a bit apparently, changed API, 1.0.6 is out and fixed that issue. Tbird 1.0.6 is also now out.