I have a Dell XPS 8500, with Windows 7 Professional, SP1,
with Spywareblaster, Malwarebytes, Avast , Windows Defender
and Windows firewall.

(2) TB HD
Seagate Desktop HDD ST2000DM001 2TB 64MB
Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5"
Internal Hard Drive

I also have

I have a Dell Optiplex 780 Tower, with Windows 7 Professional,
SP1, with Spywareblaster, Malwarebytes, Avast , Windows Defender
and Windows firewall.

Seagate Desktop HDD ST2000DM001 2TB 64MB
Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5"
System type : 64-bit operating system

and (external hard drives)

(8500)

Seagate Desktop HDD ST6000DM001 6TB 128MB
Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5"
System type : 64-bit operating system

(780)
Seagate Desktop HDD ST2000DM001 2TB 64MB
Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5"
Internal Hard Drive

This concerns the 8500, for some reason it just stopped responding
in Firefox. I ended the process and thought it had recovered but it
continued to have problems. I restarted it and the problem continues.
I shut down the computer in hopes that would clear it. Word, Paintbrush,
and Dell imaging came up fine but Firefox took a long time for the drivers
to load and at first it seemed ok but it again it stopped responding. I had
to press the start button to power it off because Task Manager would not
function.

Again it seems fine so far but I'm concerned Firefox will stop responding
again. What's causing this?

I had no issues prior to this and haven't downloaded anything.

Thanks,
Robert

I think I may have found the answer. I leave Fire fox unused
for long periods because I take breaks and it doesn't like that.
So that may be my answer but I would appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks,
Robert

The 8500 did it again and this time I just went to heat
my coffee in the microwave and when I came back the
screen was not responding. I tried closing the pages but
it didn't work and the round blue busy light was on. I
tried Task Manager but it didn't come up.

I clicked the start button to try and restart it and it came up
with a message about it unable to do a Ctrl-Alt-Del. I
opted to shut it down. It came back up with no issues so far.

What's causing FF/computer to not to respond and lock up?

Thoughts/Suggestions?
Thanks,
Robert

It happened again ,, aII I had open was FF and Word
and it stopped responding. Again the bIue circIe was
preset and I couIdn't access Task Manager. I seIected
to power off again. ShouId I try a System Restore or
Mrimg Restore?

Thanks,
Robert

It happened again and this time there was a buzzing sound.
I forgot to mention it did that it did that before as weII.
After pushing ESC the screen went back and gave me the ctr-aIt-deI
message again. I have to keep pressing Esc to access the Start button
to try and restart it or shut it off but its not responding.

What's causing this? It was fine yesterday. Am I Ioosing the 8500?

Robert

The 8500 starts normally with no issues, and I
can load Word, Paintbrush and Dell imaging
with no problems and ti works just fine.

The problems start when I open FF, it seems OK
at first then while halfway through a news story
or video it will stop responding.

Why should it all of a sudden have a problem with
FF? I checked for updates and I'm up to date. All the
scans show nothing at all and I haven't done anything
to cause this. It just came out of no where like most of
my computer problems.

Thoughts/suggestions?
Robert

The 8500 starts normally with no issues, and I
can load Word, Paintbrush and Dell imaging
with no problems and it works just fine.

The problems start when I open FF, it seems OK
at first then while halfway through a news story
or video it will stop responding.

Why should it all of a sudden have a problem with
FF? I checked for updates and I'm up to date. All the
scans show nothing at all and I haven't done anything
to cause this. It just came out of no where like most of
my computer problems.

Thoughts/suggestions?
Robert

"Robert in CA" <magineer02@yahoo.com> wrote

| Thoughts/suggestions?

If you expect to have tech support people on call then
you should be paying someone to do it, not exploiting
Paul's generosity.

Paul I need to ask you a couple of questions.

Thanks,
Robert

On 9/21/2023 5:14 PM, Robert in CA wrote:
> Paul I need to ask you a couple of questions.
>
> Thanks,
> Robert
>

It sounds like Firefox is using up RAM on the
computer, to the point it starved other parts
of the software of RAM they need.

That could be why it is behaving like that.

The combination of an older version of Firefox, plus
the issues with leaving tabs open on those older versions,
lead to excessive RAM consumption.

Check your version of Firefox. This is Windows 7
so there is a limit to the Firefox version number now.

Installing the ESR version, should put you on the ESR stream
and remove the old version. The profile folder should migrate forward.
Make a backup of your bookmarks, at least, before bumping the version.

https://blog.mozilla.org/futurereleases/2023/07/06/firefox-support-for-windows-7-8-and-8-1/

The listing here is a little hard to read, as the 115 releases are
broken into two groups by the alphabetical ordering. ESRs receive updates,
and for this one, the stream stops Sept 2024.

http://releases.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/

http://releases.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/115.3.1esr/win64/en-US/Firefox%20Setup%20115.3.1esr.exe # 64 bit
http://releases.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/115.3.1esr/win32/en-US/Firefox%20Setup%20115.3.1esr.exe # 32 bit

You can tell from which Program Files folder Firefox is in,
whether it is 32 bit or 64 bit.

C:\Program Files <=== 64 bit
C:\Program Files (x86) <=== 32 bit

*******

(Posting from paganini, Mixmin seems closed to posting, E-S is down at the moment.)

Paul

Hi Paul,

I thought I had lost you! whew!

The problem is as you described so now I only open
what's needed then close it and the problem has gone
away.

I checked FF and this is what is says:

https://postimg.cc/8JQwb2Yh

I backed up my bookmarks and put it on a Patriot key

Should I click on this one after backing up my bookmarks?

http://releases.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/115.3.1esr/win64/en-US/Firefox%20Setup%20115.3.1esr.exe # 64 bit

This is the kind of thing I need you for.

I think while we still have contact, I'd like to move my
bookmarks and all my folders/files from the 8500 to
the 780 just in case I should loose the 8500 at some
point. Is that possible?

Right now we've left the 780 with just what it needs as a backup
computer to keep it as clean as possible so it has no folders or files
and a minimum of bookmarks but I'm afraid if we don't do it now
and we loose contact I won't be able to.

Should I configure the 780 the same way as were doing to
FF on the 8500? but how could I keep the 780 updated?
I couldn't use the 8500 mrimgs with the 780, correct?

I think if we could configure the 780 the same as the 8500 I would need
another Seagate 6TB external HD and enclosure. What do you think?

https://www.newegg.com/seagate-desktop-hdd-st6000dm001-6tb/p/N82E16822178783

https://www.newegg.com/vantec-nst-387s3-bk-enclosure/p/N82E16817392118

Robert

I clicked on

http://releases.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/115.3.1esr/win64/en-US/Firefox%20Setup%20115.3.1esr.exe # 64 bit

and it shows it completed:

https://postimg.cc/cKZmGYQV

I'll do the same thing to the 780.

In passing, remember the cd player where the door
wouldn't open? I bought some contact cleaner and
sprayed it around the open button and now it's
operational again.

Robert

I ran mrimg backups in both the 780 and the 8500.

So how do I go about transferring my bookmarks
and data from the 8500 to the 780?

Once finished I'll order the 6TB external hd and
case. I'd appreciate it if you could help me set it
up.

Thanks,
Robert
l

The 8500 hung up again with loud buzzing.
I pressed the start button a couple of times and
it took forever to respond. It finally came back
up but it didn't seem right so I restarted it but it
just hung there and I was forced to power it off/on.
I selected normal startup and came back up with no
issues.

I had only 3 windows open in FF when it hung up. I
also I detected this maleware .

https://postimg.cc/mzFJ78V1

Isn't version 3.1 the update to FF ? That's the only
thing I've downloaded.

I would really like your assistance to put my bookmarks
and data on the 780 while we still can.

Thanks,
Robert

On 10/6/2023 8:36 AM, Robert in CA wrote:
> The 8500 hung up again with loud buzzing.
> I pressed the start button a couple of times and
> it took forever to respond. It finally came back
> up but it didn't seem right so I restarted it but it
> just hung there and I was forced to power it off/on.
> I selected normal startup and came back up with no
> issues.
>
> I had only 3 windows open in FF when it hung up. I
> also I detected this maleware .
>
> https://postimg.cc/mzFJ78V1
>
> Isn't version 3.1 the update to FF ? That's the only
> thing I've downloaded.
>
> I would really like your assistance to put my bookmarks
> and data on the 780 while we still can.
>
> Thanks,
> Robert
>
>

Time for a restore from one of your backups ?

Use a Macrium CD to do the restore ?

I cannot find a reference to that item. The search engines
seem to shy away from the name, giving all sorts of irrelevant
results.

C:\Users\RB\Downloads\App_version 3.1.msi

You can upload the file to virustotal.com using a web browser,
but if that does not work, that probably means the machine is
compromised. Don't open that file, on any other
machine.

*******

For making bookmarks.html , I don't know if I can be
a good source of current information.

I don't know what version you're running. windows 7 SP1 support for
Firefox has ended, which means, if you were auto-updating, there might
be a nuisance notification telling you that Firefox is no longer
supported (Firefox puts up a notice to that effect).

This advice will probably work. Enter in the URL box:

about:profiles

and that will show the path to the profile folder.

Now, we used to have discussions about this folder,

bookmarkbackups

yet, in the end, we never seemed to get much traction from
there. In the latest Firefox, I find out that -

1) Automatic bookmark backup has stopped.
2) There is a setting in about:config, which claims to control
bookmarkbackups, and it *might* be dumping an actual
"bookmarks.html" file in the profile folder.

Therefore, you might check in the Profile folder from the
"about:profiles" step and see if a file with a very recent
date is in there.

The only file in the bookmarkbackups folder, is 1.4KB, and
that cannot possibly hold my backup files.

But don't despair, as the raw materials for making bookmarks
are here.

"Bookmarks, Downloads and Browsing History

places.sqlite

This file contains all your Firefox bookmarks and lists of files you have downloaded
and of websites you have previously visited. For more information, see Bookmarks in Firefox.

favicons.sqlite

This file stores website favicon images. It's best to also include this file when
recovering the places.sqlite file.
"

If you have those files (and you will), then the bookmarks are in there.

So nothing is lost.

But at this point, I don't want you running around with
your hair on fire, just yet :-)

*******

Of course, the Bookmarks tab in the middle of the browser has:

Bookmarks :
Manage Bookmarks :
Import and Backup :
Export bookmarks to HTML

And when I selected a place to save that, the file size of mine
was 815,349 and was the same size as the "bookmarks.html" in
my Profile folder. So you can make one that way, but in your
machines sick condition, can you do that right now ???

I cannot tell you from this distance, whether the bookmark making
process is working properly or not.

Paul

On 10/2/2023 3:25 AM, Robert in CA wrote:
> I ran mrimg backups in both the 780 and the 8500.
>
> So how do I go about transferring my bookmarks
> and data from the 8500 to the 780?
>
> Once finished I'll order the 6TB external hd and
> case. I'd appreciate it if you could help me set it
> up.
>
> Thanks,
> Robert
> l
>

"Data", would be your Downloads folder, where ever you
placed your Bookmarks file, and perhaps if you wanted,
the profile for Firefox. Your email tool might have a
profile folder as well.

Your backup image of the 8500, has all your user files in it.
It does not need to be restored, to be useful. The following
picture, shows how to scoop random files out of a Macrium backup.

If you place a copy of the 8500 MRIMG on the 780,
you can mount the OS partition with a separate drive
letter.

[Picture]

https://i.postimg.cc/7Zs0Yjk0/scoop-files-from-Macrium-MRIMG-file.gif

Paul

Hi Paul,

Good to hear from you again,,

I did about:profiles, I see the Profile Default with Root Directory
and Local Directory and is repeated for Profile default-release.
I went into the Root Directory and there was a bookmarkbackup
folder that was updated for today. Then I went into the Local
Directory and there was a Cache2 and jumpList cache that was
updated for today. The Profile default -release showed no
recent activity. In fact, bookmarkbackups was 2019.

You lost me after that... I cannot seem to access places.sqlite or
favicons.sqlite with about:profile. How do I access them?

I have my Downloads under C:/User name but I have allot of
information in My Documents as well I would want to carry over.

So I would be right clicking to copy/ paste the bookmarksbackup
and my Documents? Is it possible to just do a restore of the 780
with the 8500 Mrimg?

Thanks,
Robert

The 8500 seems normaI at present with no issues.
I'm running another mrimg since the Iast one had
the maIeware on it. Do you think it's the RAMM that
was overIoaded? I'II teII you that buzzing sound
was unnerving.

I used Avast to remove the maIeware fiIe :
C:\Users\RB\Downloads\App_version 3.1.msi

FF is up to date, I'm running version 115.3.1esr (64 bit)
I wasn't auto-updating so I haven't seen any notifications.
I ran through the bookmark tab to find aII the functions
as you describe.

I'm not sure I understand the process I'm suppose to do?
Am I Exporting to htm and do I put it on a USB key then
import it to the 780?
It appears I'm copy/pasting the bookmarkbackups and
My Documents using the mrimg to the 780, correct?

Thanks,
Robert

On 10/8/2023 3:24 AM, Robert in CA wrote:
> The 8500 seems normaI at present with no issues.
> I'm running another mrimg since the Iast one had
> the maIeware on it. Do you think it's the RAMM that
> was overIoaded? I'II teII you that buzzing sound
> was unnerving.
>
> I used Avast to remove the maIeware fiIe :
> C:\Users\RB\Downloads\App_version 3.1.msi
>
> FF is up to date, I'm running version 115.3.1esr (64 bit)
> I wasn't auto-updating so I haven't seen any notifications.
> I ran through the bookmark tab to find aII the functions
> as you describe.
>
> I'm not sure I understand the process I'm suppose to do?
> Am I Exporting to htm and do I put it on a USB key then
> import it to the 780?
> It appears I'm copy/pasting the bookmarkbackups and
> My Documents using the mrimg to the 780, correct?
>
> Thanks,
> Robert

It is unlikely to be the RAM.

https://web.archive.org/web/20220107171652/http://www.memtest.org/

https://web.archive.org/web/20220308174549if_/http://memtest.org/download/5.31b/memtest86+-5.31b.iso.zip

The second link is the download for memtest 5.31b . It is zipped, so
you would right click and Extract.

The memtest86+-5.31b.iso is an ISO9660 and can be burned onto a CD
with Imgburn. It's a waste of media for a tiny thing like this, but
the floppy diskette version stopped with the previous version. The floppy
version is interesting, in that there is no file system on the floppy,
and the loader is a binary bitstream loader. Even though both my machines
no longer have floppy drives, the memtest floppy boots using a USB floppy
drive, so I haven't lost that function.

Some of my tools, I used a CD-RW disc so the disc can be reused.
Currently I have a USB stick dedicated to memtest 6.0 beta, and
that's what I test the Zen3 with. The 4930K can use one of the
older versions, like the 5.31b.

*******

Windows also has a memory tester. It has the usual Windows bad habit,
that if you leave the room, you might never know the results. All I want,
is for the tool to STOP and show the result on the screen. Is that too
hard for them ?

In any case, you can find a memory tester, if you need one. The memtest
one, you press <esc> key and it reboots. Seeing the pass counter equal to one
(one complete test pass), that's sufficient for stuck-ats.

Paul

The second link doesn't extract:

https://postimg.cc/kVjJD0GM

Before we analyze the 8500 memory I
would like to move the bookmarks and
data to the 780 while we still can.

I'm still not sure about the procedure of
moving bookmarks.
Here's my profile; I blocked out portions
for safety but this is what I see on my profiles.

https://postimg.cc/D8sYZ108

I did a HD-Tune scan:

https://postimg.cc/PPpCjttM

https://postimg.cc/T5y3f9XP

I was concerned about these yellow bars.

https://postimg.cc/MXhW11Sy

Thanks,
Robert

I tried extracting again:

https://postimg.cc/HJxwXqwv

I must be doing something wrong.

Robert

On 10/9/2023 12:04 AM, Robert in CA wrote:
> I tried extracting again:
>
> https://postimg.cc/HJxwXqwv
>
> I must be doing something wrong.
>
> Robert
>

You can try navigating to the Downloads folder.

The convenience function "Show in Folder" in the menu
you show in that picture, should get you there with
no effort.

Once the folder is open and it scrolled to where the file is,
you should be able to extract a ZIP with the Windows7 automatic
treatment of ZIP files. And perhaps that will work better for
you, as when you're using File Explorer, it can immediately see
it is a ZIP and ready to be extracted.

This shows I see a valid file there, ready to be processed.

[Picture]

https://i.postimg.cc/FKcns3MM/memtest531-being-extracted.gif

*******

You can carry out the Bookmarks Export function, then collect
it from the Downloads folder or where-ever, and copy it to a USB
stick if you want. The suggestion of tapping into an .MRIMG
you make after that point in time, is the file would also be
inside the .MRIMG on a hard drive. The important thing, is to
at least carry out the Export function now, for your later
convenience (using one or the other transfer method).

My only point of explaining about the .MRIMG being mount-able,
is you haven't lost anything. There might be several copies of
your goods in the room with you.

Just use whatever method seems easiest to you. A USB stick would
be pretty easy. You probably have a working AV running on the
other machine, ready to scan the USB stick when it arrives. A bookmarks
is not particularly "executable content", not like an EXE file
would be.

Paul

I tried navigating to the folder to extract the zip file but I don't
know how to proceed? What am I suppose to do with this ISO file?

I thought it would download a memory test program to test the memory?

https://postimg.cc/yDSkrFv5

https://postimg.cc/grJcTV0D

Thanks,
Robert

btw did those yellow bars in the HD-Tune Heath tab mean anything?

Robert

I successfully exported my bookmarks to the 780.

I went into bookmarks>manage bookmarks>import and backup>export bookmarks to HTML
then on the 780 I went to bookmarks>manage bookmarks> import and backup> import bookmarks from HTML

It all seems to be there.

Wasn't there some other file you wanted me to move over? Oh the data file,
what was that called? and where? Then I can mount the external hd and move
my entire My Documents with copy/paste correct? or is there another method you
recommend?

Thanks,
Robert