[Solved] My just updated to Firefox Quantum v65.0.1 (64bit) is very broken

[handy]

I just did the big update plus the some packages from a day or so ago that included the new version of Firefox v65.0.1. I use Firefox as a backup browser (as like many now, I no longer trust mozila), I opened it up to see if it had changed any of my settings (as it can do sometimes) & if all of my privacy add-ons were still functioning.

I couldn't. The Preferences menu's are not functioning? Neither is the Add-ons menu?
Actually, I've just discovered that I can't view any web pages either?

It looks like this problem is not shared by others, as I searched the forum & found nothing similar (apart from the fact that I check the forum everyday for new/unread posts).

I just noticed that at the top of the Ff menu button (far right side of the address bar) there's a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark in it. Its there at the top of the menu when I click on it, with a statement that says "HTTPS Everywhere requires new permiss..."

When clicking on the ">>" icon at the end of the address bar, it opens up a drop down menu with all of my extension app-icons & names listed. When I click on any of the listed extension, none of them do any more than bring up an empty white rectangle.

The only good news here is that I fell out of love with Firefox quite some time back & no longer rely on it.

[handy]

What is the most efficient way to go back to the previous version & to block the upgrade of Firefox in the future?

I rarely ever need to use Firefox, but, there are situations where it will work when other browsers that I use won't (for whatever reason).

[timkb4cq]

If you haven't disabled it, the .deb files for installed applications are cached in /var/cache/apt/archives/
I have 45 versions of Firefox there in my MX-15 install (yes, it's probably past time to clean some of that 10GB out).

You can just click on the latest working one & gdebi-gtk should some up to let you install. If you use any language packs you'll need uninstall the new one first, then install the matching version(s) of those from the cache as well.
You can use:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-mark hold firefox

to keep it from updating.

And whatever problem you have is not evident here on any of the three computers here that are running FF 65.0.1. I suspect you have a plugin that is not compatible. You can start firefox this way:

Code: Select all

firefox --safe-mode

to see if it will run on your box without loading your extensions.

[turtlebay777]

May I make a comment - don't want to confuse things by butting in - which might assist Handy in the long term?
I deleted Firefox from my installed MX 18.1 completely and replaced it with Waterfox which I love. It's based on Firefox but is a fork.

[handy]

@timkb4cq, thank you so much for that very informative reply (I will be making a copy of it for my records, as well as bookmarking it). You have provided me with some essentials re. the .deb package management system, that I will most certainly make use of now & in the future.

@turtlebay777, thanks for your input too. I once tried to install Waterfox in MX, but I couldn't find it in the repos (I tried testing too). My repos were a little bit out of whack up until about a week ago, so I'll just have look now & see if Waterfox exists in my repo universe.

OK, Waterfox does now exist in my stable repo & on my machine. I've just spent a little while getting it setup (at least well enough to use). It seems to me at this early stage to be good enough to fill Firefox'es shoes as a backup browser (at least).

Not all add-ons that I imported over from Firefox Quantum, would work:- NoScript; Scriptsafe; Cookie Autodelete, (I had NoScript installed but disabled, as I kind of like Scriptsafe better), were all incompatible.

I replaced those add-ons that didn't work with, uMatrix & Self-Destructing Cookies. So those two, combined with these others that do work:- Disconnect; HTTPS Everywhere; Privacy Badger & uBlock Origin, have got me covered enough (in combination with PIA VPN) to at least give me the psychological illusion that I'm making it somewhat harder (more expensive at least) for someone out there to track me.

So, once again, I proffer my sincere gratitude to you both, for being so helpful.

[handy]

I just had a little read over on this website:

https://spyware.neocities.org/articles/waterfox.html

His writing is irritating...

[skidoo]

I just had a little read over on this website:

https://spyware.neocities.org/articles/waterfox.html

His writing is irritating...

d00d we (and you) already danced this same dance, this week, in the Spying Browsers topic

[handy]

@skidoo, I hadn't bothered reading "that" page on Waterfox until earlier today. So I posted that link, here, after I read it. I wasn't posting it to restart "that" topic. Though, for me at least, the personal privacy aspect of any web browser is always very much a part of the "personal privacy" dimension of the politics of this day & age.

[Buck Fankers]

I just had a little read over on this website:
https://spyware.neocities.org/articles/waterfox.html
His writing is irritating...

Hey Handy, since you seems like a person with enough energy (which I lack), and lots of knowledge, (which I lack even more), I will pass this idea bellow toward you. ;-) Btw, I use FF only for reading some news and forums and I don't use it for logging into any accounts or anything personal. I block scripts and other stuff. If page opens, I read it, if page is too broken, I skip it. For settings I'm using a guide from that guy you posted link to. His guide for FF. Here it is:

https://spyware.neocities.org/guides/firefox.html

You save his settings into file "user.js" and then those settings are cemented and not being changed by some later Mozilla versions changes (if my understanding is correct). I love this way. Plus, beats tiresome changes 1 by 1 you would have to enter the 'standard' way.

Now to my point. Since Waterfox is watered down FF, what do you think, would using the same steps as for FF, using the same settings file, "user.js" works the same way with Waterfox as it is working with Firefox?

p.s.
I'm using different browsers for different things. And I'm wondering if I could for 'dangerous' reading/surfing use WF instead FF but of course with all those enhanced/security settings from FF that I like & already using

[wulf]

If you have a spare week and want to trawl through the code, all 1.4GB of it, or search through the browser configuration files specifically, you will see that most of what's contained in that link is already implemented as standard in Waterfox. There is a bit of a storm in a tea-cup swirling on that site, but nevertheless, it's good that people put stuff out there, even if it only gives the opportunity to disagree. I read something the other day from "how to geek", entitled "why you shouldn't use Firefox forks". The whole premise of the article was based around the fact that security updates are implemented quicker in Firefox than is the case in their derivatives. Well, that is a fair point, but it is also fair to point-out that with standard Firefox, you are also going to be the first to get whatever Mozilla has decided to add into the configuration, some of which, most others will be actively seeking to remove at the first opportunity. So it's all "swings and roundabouts" I guess :)