Mozilla Firefox may take a long time to load due to an old cache or cookies stored on your computer, as they may take a substantial amount of time to retrieve information. Startup time also depends on your home page and tab preferences. Duplicate Session Restore files can also cause Firefox to lag or hang upon startup, as might corrupt plugins and conflicts with Internet security software.
Clear Recent History
You may be able to solve Firefox startup problems simply by clearing your browsing history, including the cache, cookies and browsing and download history. Old or corrupt preference files can cause conflicts with other files or the Firefox browser and cause the program to lag. Clear all recent history by clicking the "Firefox" option at the top of the Firefox window and holding your cursor over the "History" drop-down arrow. Select "Clear Recent History..." Click the "Time range to clear" drop-down box and and choose "Everything." Click the "Details" drop-down arrow and select each box so check marks appear. Click "Clear Now."
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Startup Preferences
If Firefox is set to open a website as its home page, try resetting it to the default blank page or home page by clicking the "Firefox" menu option at the top of the Firefox window and selecting "Options." Click the "General" tab and select the "Restore to Default" button. Click "OK" to close the window.
You may also have the Session Restore function turned on, or a list of websites to load upon startup automatically. Both will increase the time it takes Firefox to start. Turn these options off by clicking the "Tabs" tab in the Options window. Click the "Don't load tabs until selected" option so a check mark appears and click "OK."
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Duplicate Session Restore Files
Mozilla Firefox Support states that duplicate Session Restore files can cause Firefox to become slow to respond. Session Restore files are those created to restore tabs or windows which were left open during a crash. Delete duplicate files by clicking the "Help" menu option at the top of the Firefox window and selecting "Troubleshooting Information." Click the "Show in Finder" button in the Application Basics portion of the window to open a window with your profile folder. Quit Firefox and leave the profile folder window open. Delete all "sessionstore.js" files, including copies like "sessionstore-1.js" and "sessionstore-2.js."
Plugins
Plugins like Flash, Java and Adobe Reader are updated frequently. If you don't update them in the Firefox browser regularly, they can corrupt the entire browser. Fortunately, each update addresses former problems, and you may be able to solve the problem by updating to the latest version. Check Firefox's Plugin Check page and follow the update instructions. Restart Firefox when finished. You may also need to disable all plugins and enable them one at a time to find out which, if any, are causing the problem. Click the "Firefox" option at the top of the Firefox window, select "Add-ons" and click the "Plugins" tab. Disable each plugin. Restart Firefox.
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Internet Security Software
Check any anti-virus, firewall or other Internet security programs installed on your computer, as they may be blocking Firefox from opening correctly. If a program appears to be blocking Firefox or restricting access to the Internet, check the program's documentation for instructions on how to turn it off or remove it. Use caution, however, as allowing programs to bypass security settings leaves you vulnerable to malware or spyware infections.
