As promised, I'm back with an update. It is now working! but I'm not sure what really fixed it, or if it maybe just fixed itself. I know what I did and what order, thus what didn't fix it. I did the router/modem unplug/wait thing and rebooted...no help. CCleaner-no help disc clean-up via accessories-no help reboot-no help updated and did full scans using Super-antispyware, and Spybot Search and Destroy, and Malwarebites Anti-Malware Nothing of any significance was found via the scans and after checking for updates and running that many scans I couldn't say for sure if I rebooted between each one or not. I just know it took a long time. I ran the Malwarebytes last and only cookies were found and I discovered the Hotmail started working during the scan. I'm now a happy camper but have a new question for a new thread. Thanks again Zep. At least my computer is all updated and clean. Lastly last night I even went and did updates on Windows as I don't like having them set to automatic. Sue

No it just looks like you are, default profile and secondary profile so I was confused a bit and thought you were running 2 profiles. When you have issues like that always go directly to the Mozilla folder in the program files folder on the C drive and try to open the Firefox.exe file from within the folder just double click it, that's where Firefox lives. First make sure there are no instances of Firefox already running in the Task Manger. If there are right click on the Firefox.exe in there and choose End process To get to Firefox Mozilla Folder: Open My computer, click local disk (c) look for program files folder double click it in that folder look for Mozilla folder double click it in there you will see Firefox.exe double click it. See what happens there. I also would consider a clean install as outlined in the link that means personal settings, bookmarks, add/ ons would be deleted. Sometimes you have to break a few eggs to make cake. You can back up bookmarks if there important to you. You can always get the add / ons back. See if Firefox opens directly from the Mozilla folder in program files folder first I'm curious about that. Make sure Internet Explore is working so you can reinstall Firefox and I recommend version 7. If you decide to reinstall a clean slate and that's what I would do at this point. Here is a link that might be useful: Clean install

I had the same thing happen with the latest version of the Sea Monkey Browser. I would get a spinning circle and the screen would get a white washed look but could still see the items on screen, couldn't scroll up or down or side to side.. This would happen 4-5 times in a 15 minute period. It didn't matter if I was reading online newspaper, or email. The freezing would happen and would last for several minutes. In order to fix the problem , I had to delete the default user profile and then create a new default profile.

I don't think a user with normal PC experience (and with neither exposure to nor understanding of the depths and bowels of the project) can knowledgeably assess whether or not to do a software update. Even someone with advanced technical knowledge can often not make sense of details gained from only an over-the-fence peek. My advice - accept all updates. When there are cosmetic or unintended hiccups, they're usually detected and fixed in days. For Windows, have restore points so that problems can be rolled back. For browsers, have two or more onboard and current. If one starts acting silly, use another for awhile. As far as differences between browsers? Eh, not really to my eye. They all do the same things the same ways. Some are smaller, some are larger. As with most software, most people don't need or use the bells and whistles so special features don't much matter.