Firefox Discussion

[Leonardo]

I assume a lot of people here knows what happen last night when basically every addon suddenly stop working for no apparent reason and this is what happen.

Reposted from TAL

They broke their own add-on manager by letting the security cert expire, which disabled all addons because the code signing module can't be accessed.

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1548973

I read a little and found a link, which could be useful while we wait for a major fix to be available.

https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2019...ns-in-firefox/

Firefox have released a patch to fix the addons bug.

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo.../releasenotes/

[♔Greek Strategos♔]

Good to know. I use Dev version and I haven't faced any issues though, they probably quickfixed it almost immediately for Dev and Nightly versions.

[Leonardo]

That bugfix is only for Firefox 66, but so far no bug fix for those who are still using Firefox 56 and I am one of those people who still appreciate the old GUI in Firefox.

And that really sucks that we with Firefox 56 still need to wait for a bugfix, which I doubt there will be one available and in the mean time all addons are disabled. What I mean, addons that aren't updated to Firefox 57 or newer.

[Dismounted Feudal Knight]

My temp solution,

• type about:config into the URL bar in Firefox.
• in the Search box type xpinstall.signatures.required.
• double-click the preference, or right-click and selected "Toggle", to set it to false .

[AnthoniusII]

Today Firefox 66.0.4 installed a small update. Maybe it was that fix.

[Leonardo]

Nope, doesn't work.

[♔Greek Strategos♔]

My temp solution,[/LIST]

Yeah, every Tech site suggests that as it seems, but they usually fail to mention that this fix only works on Dev and Knightly. Plus I'm sure normal users won't visit that area ever again. So, better to put a reminder or something for a reverse, after the official fix.

Today Firefox 66.0.4 installed a small update. Maybe it was that fix.

Nope, doesn't work.

Though I'm using Nightly. I downloaded the latest Firefox just to check the aforementioned issue and everything is working perfectly fine for me.
You probably have ''Allow Firefox to run and install Studies disabled'' that's how they rolled the latest quickfix AFAIK

[Dismounted Feudal Knight]

♔Greek Strategos♔[/URL]]That's not the best solution though, cause I'm sure normal users won't visit that area ever again. So it's mandatory to put a reminder or something for a reverse, after the official fix.

It's not the best or even a great solution, and it's certainly not to be prescribed to the average user. It is merely an option if folks wish to take a shortcut and have the will to remember later on to check back on the issue for something more substantive.

The reverse is literally the same steps again at the time of a fix - the trick is remembering it. And, naturally, it entails that the user be responsible in downloading new things for the time being.

I just like it because it's quick, effective, and easy for me to undo when firefox figures out how to not break things.

[♔Greek Strategos♔]

It's not the best or even a great solution, and it's certainly not to be prescribed to the average user. It is merely an option if folks wish to take a shortcut and have the will to remember later on to check back on the issue for something more substantive.

The reverse is literally the same steps again at the time of a fix - the trick is remembering it. And, naturally, it entails that the user be responsible in downloading new things for the time being.

I just like it because it's quick, effective, and easy for me to undo when firefox figures out how to not break things.

Sure I agree, that's why I wrote about the reminder
Anyways, all the latest versions of Standard, Dev, Beta, Nightly (66.04) are working fine for me
Just make sure you have Studies enabled. You can ofc disable them again after, the hotfix.

[Leonardo]

You probably have ''Allow Firefox to run and install Studies disabled'' that's how they rolled the latest quickfix AFAIK

I don't think I have studies included in Firefox 56.

[z3n]

For Windows, Linux and MacOS

Using a script to enable extensions

User gpm on Hacker News wrote a script that can re-enable addons.

1. Open the browser console by hitting Ctrl/Command-Shift-J
2. Copy and paste the following code and hit enter to run it.

// Re-enable all extensions
  async function set_addons_as_signed() {
    Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/addons/XPIDatabase.jsm");
    Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/AddonManager.jsm");
    let addons = await XPIDatabase.getAddonList(a => true);

    for (let addon of addons) {
        // The add-on might have vanished, we'll catch that on the next startup
        if (!addon._sourceBundle.exists())
            continue;

        if( addon.signedState != AddonManager.SIGNEDSTATE_UNKNOWN )
            continue;

        addon.signedState = AddonManager.SIGNEDSTATE_NOT_REQUIRED;
        AddonManagerPrivate.callAddonListeners("onPropertyChanged",
                                                addon.wrapper,
                                                ["signedState"]);

        await XPIDatabase.updateAddonDisabledState(addon);

    }
    XPIDatabase.saveChanges();
}

set_addons_as_signed();

Until Mozilla fixes the problem you will need to redo this once every 24 hours.
Re-enabling installed extensions

Restarting Firefox will remove any temporarily loaded extensions.

1. Navigate to about:debugging
2. Click the 'Load Temporary Add-on' button
3. Navigate to the .xpi file in your profile directory select it and click Open.

To find your profile directory, go to ☰ > Help > Troubleshooting Information, then look for "Profile folder" in the table. Copy or make note of the full path, which should be something like:

• Windows:
  C:\Users\{your username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile id}.default\
• Linux:
  ~/.mozilla/firefox/{profile id}.default/
• MacOS:
  ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/{profile id}.default/

From here, the extensions can be found under extensions/.
Re-downloading extensions

Restarting Firefox will remove any temporarily loaded extensions.

1. Right click on the 'Add to Firefox' button
2. Choose 'Save Link As' from the menu
3. Save the .xpi file somewhere handy
4. Navigate to about:debugging
5. Click the 'Load Temporary Add-on' button
6. Navigate to the .xpi file you downloaded and open it

For Android

1. Navigate to about:config
2. Search for xpinstall.signatures.required
3. Change the setting to false
4. Go to https://addons.mozilla.org and find the extension you want
5. Tap the 'Add to Firefox' button to install

I used the above solution and it worked fine.

[Leonardo]

Thanks z3n, much appreciated.

I'm gonna to test that tomorrow and not now since it's in the middle of the night in Sweden.

Anyway, further down there is another script slightly different than one you reposted.

  // For FF < v57 >...?
  async function set_addons_as_signed() {
      Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/addons/XPIProvider.jsm");
      Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/AddonManager.jsm");
      let XPIDatabase = this.XPIInternal.XPIDatabase;
      
      let addons = await XPIDatabase.getAddonList(a => true);
  
      for (let addon of addons) {
          // The add-on might have vanished, we'll catch that on the next startup
          if (!addon._sourceBundle.exists())
              continue;
  
          if( addon.signedState != AddonManager.SIGNEDSTATE_UNKNOWN )
              continue;
  
          addon.signedState = AddonManager.SIGNEDSTATE_NOT_REQUIRED;
          AddonManagerPrivate.callAddonListeners("onPropertyChanged",
                                                  addon.wrapper,
                                                  ["signedState"]);
  
          await XPIProvider.updateAddonDisabledState(addon);
  
      }
      XPIDatabase.saveChanges();
  }
  
  set_addons_as_signed();

I really hope this works and if it does then I think the FF support team should consider to use a sandbox and test an update before releasing a bug fix that more than often screw up a lot of things in Firefox.

Of course a sandbox can be used to a lot of things e.g expired certificate.

[Leonardo]

I couldn't run the script due for not being able to paste the script in the web console. What I am doing wrong?

[z3n]

I used the developer tools console. Press f12 to open those, it will work more easily.

[Leonardo]

I used the developer tools console. Press f12 to open those, it will work more easily.

I see. Useful tip.


Yesterday, I messed around a little and after I updated Firefox, based on my latest working Firefox backup (a life saver is the handy MozBackup tool when I wanted to bring back the old Firefox I got used to) and after I updated Firefox that backup simply got *corrupt*, so I couldn't continue using that.

After I did that I thought I'll never be able to use the customized Firefox I spent so much time to customize to my liking, but after I tried just of frustration the latest working (after I screw up the latest backup) backup I had to update Firefox 54.x to 56 and now it seems to be stable.

I mean every time I launched Firefox I got back the new GUI and the addons was not working due to the bug. I had no other choice than to use the latest backup and change a few things temporary, because as soon I close Firefox then launch it the changes from the backup were gone.

So, the latest working backup (updating Firefox 54.x to 56) seems somehow to disable, perhaps isolated is a better word, the addons bug and now I would probably hesitate to try that script.

[♔Greek Strategos♔]

@Leo
What's the huge difference between Firefox 56 and the latest update? I mean can you live without a few graphical changes, to avoid all that hassle, right?
I could try to find an earlier Dev or Nightly version for you (without the bug) if you like

[Leonardo]

The largest difference is about the addons since a lot of the old addons doesn't work in Firefox 57 or in the newer versions.

And those addons haven't been updated for Firefox 57, so after being using some addons I can't stand the GUI the latest update has.

[♔Greek Strategos♔]

The largest difference is about the addons since a lot of the old addons doesn't work in Firefox 57 or in the newer versions.

And those addons haven't been updated for Firefox 57, so after being using some addons I can't stand the GUI the latest update has.

Ι see. Yeah, I know the feeling. Have you tried any alternatives though?

[Leonardo]

I tried the Dev edition, but it had the new GUI and I can't stand it. So I remove it at the same time I installed.

[Dismounted Feudal Knight]

The main distinction between then and now is the Quantum release, which broadly encompasses UI changes, performance improvements, 'chromified' experience in UI and backend performance (behaves more like chrome now, basically), a new platform for addons (makes every older plugin out of date until they use the new system, which has happened by now for any currently maintained plugin) and many bug/security fixes. Nothing so critical that you should act like you're running on windows XP, but the bug and exploit issue is always there, and could bite those who live in the older editions.

That's what I got from comparing between 56 and now, anyways.

If the UI is all that's wrong, it may be worth poking around here.