Hi, a while back I installed Firefox version 0.9 ( I think ) and it ran well until I started getting messages from the mozilla web site when ever starting Firefox. The message was saying their was some flaw in it and recommended to download and install a newer version of Firefox.

So I downloaded it, then used the command: rm -rf firefox-installer
I then used the find / -type f -name 'firefox*' -print to find and other files that might need to be deleted.

I then loaded the newer version in the present /usr/lib/firefox directory, used the tar zxvf firefox*.tar.gz command, and presto. It installs programs and created a directory. But the next step is to run: firefox-installer - and it does nothing.

In hindsights, I had similar problems with mozilla a wile back.

I'm thinking there are some previous files or settings that were not removed and interfere with the new software. I can't find any info in the books I've got.

Help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Hi,

in my case the firefox is sitting in /usr/local/lib/firefox, I have a symlink to the executable in /usr/local/bin and configuration files are in $HOME/.mozilla/firefox.

It worked for me to install a new version in /usr/local/lib/firefox-1.0 and to change the symlink accordingly. You should also move your plugins from the old directory to the new one. I have not touched what is sitting in $HOME.

I recommend you to download and unpack the archive to somewhare else (e.g. in /tmp) and to install the firefox into a new directory (e.g. /usr/local/lib/firefox-1.0PR). To mix different releases in the same directory is a bad idea. Then you may remove the old firefox directory. Should work. You may also try to remove (or rename) your personal settings to check if it changes anything.

BTW, instead of find you may use locate:
$ locate firefox
/home/otoomet/.mozilla/firefox
/home/otoomet/.mozilla/firefox/profiles.ini
...
/usr/local/bin/firefox
/usr/local/lib/firefox-0.9
/usr/local/lib/firefox-0.9/install.log
...

Hello,

I just tried once again with the new firefox. What I did was the
following:

1) download firefox-....-.tar.gz into a temporary directory ($HOME/a in
my case)

2) unpack it:
$ cd a
$ tar -xzvf firefox-...-.tar.gz
$ cd firefox-installer

3) change to root

4) run firefox-installer

5) on second or third screen you will be asked about the installation
directory. Change it to /usr/local/lib/firefox-1.0-1. You should choose
either a non-existing or empty directory. Although
the installer crashed once, installation went fine. Note that you
don't need to move anything yourself, installer doest it itself.

6) I made two symlinks: first a directory /usr/local/lib/firefox ->
/usr/local/lib/firefox-1.0-1:

# cd /usr/local/lib
# ln -s firefox-1.0-1 firefox

Now I have my firefox always in /usr/local/lib/firefox, and when
installing a new version, I can just update the link. I also made
a symlink for the executable:

# ln -s /usr/local/lib/firefox/firefox /usr/local/bin/firefox

I removed my old firefox

# rm -rf /usr/local/lib/firefox-0.9

It works!

I guess it is more or less the same with mozilla. I recommend _not_
to unpack into the same directory where you are going to install.
Specify the final directory first when installer asks for it. I also
suggest you to experiment with non-root install until it works.

You see, symbolic links are made with

$ ln -s to from

look

$ man ln

(and try to avoid hard links).

Feel free to ask if you have more problems.

Best,

Ott