So you try to start Firefox 3.5 on your Vista or Win7 64-bit system, and it hangs. It drags and may not even start. The whole system seems all but locked up. What gives?
I suspect it’s the scripting in how Firefox starts up. The 64-bit systems have two different Programs directories where they are installed. Here is what you are likely to see if you open your harddrive (presumably C:)
Program Files
Program Files (x86)
If you simply accept the defaults when installing things like Firefox, Windows will direct it to the latter folder. Not good. In your mind, you should reserve that for 64-bit only. If it comes from MS and is considered 64-bit compatible, chances are the software will find it’s own place and you need not worry about it. Almost everything else, you should not accept the defaults, but install it in the former.
If, during the Firefox installation process, you select custom install, you will be given a chance to select where to install it. When it shows you
C:\Program Files (x86)\
just back the cursor over that stuff on the end until it says
C:\Program Files\
then proceed. I have found on a at least the two Win7 systems, and one Vista system, this solves the problem. Firefox works fine.
