Firefox prompting Mac crashes

Posted on 9 Jun 2008 at 08:39

Applications including Firefox and Camino are causing significant problems for Mac users following the recent OS X 10.5.3 update.

Reports indicate that the web browsers are prompting crashes and lock-ups and "zombie" processes that cannot be closed using Force Quit or the Terminal's kill commands - the only option is to manually shut down the machine using the power button.

The source of the problems appears to be the VerifiedDownloadPlugin, an internet plugin that Apple introduced with 10.4.7, though no-one seems quite sure why.

Mozilla is tracking the issue, but does not appear to be the only developer affected - several users on Apple's discussion boards are reporting that they are unable shut down without recourse to the power button.

Possible fixes being suggested vary from removing login items, through fixing permissions, to disconnecting external devices. The easiest fix may just be to remove the VerifiedDownloadPlugin, located in the Internet Plug-Ins folder inside the Library folder at the top-level of your hard drive (/Library/Internet\ Plug-Ins/VerifiedDownloadPlugin.plugin).

Author: Simon Aughton

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