Windows XP FF Browser extremely slow to open in XP

[Taffycat]

This is a little perplexing ... on the XP-Pro rig, FF browser is taking a good 30 - 35 secs to open but I cannot figure out why?

I don't think it can be a connection problem, because FF on Vista, opens "normally" in just a sec or two. Both machines are connected via a Netgear DG834 v3 (4 port) router. Both FF browsers have the Google Toolbar add-on and Weather Gadget.

If I open IE7 instead of FF, (on XP) then it takes about 3 secs - so it looks like it might be a specific FF "glitch" ... do you think?

Before anyone suggests that we stick to IE7, I know that would be a fairly obvious solution, but I'd rather like to be able to fix whatever is ailing FF if possible. Does anyone have any ideas please?

Thank you for reading

EDIT: Woops! Forgot to mention, I'm using FF 3 on both machines

 

[Me__2001]

i dont use FF3 apart from on the mac so dunno if it makes much difference

i've found that the more add ons you have installed the slower it is to load, i have no idea how long it takes my rig at home to load it but you do get bored waiting the first time you open it.

 

[Taffycat]

Thanks for the reply ME__2001, thing is, this "slowdown" is very recent - which is why I'm a bit puzzled. I've tried disabling the add-ons, but it made no difference. As I mentioned, on Vista, it works at "normal" speed, which is almost instant, give or take a sec or two.

 

[V_R]

After a fresh start up start firefox in 'safe mode' see if that speeds it up.

(Go start>all programs>Mozilla Firefox)

 

[Taffycat]

Yay! Thank you for the suggestion V_R ... it didn't make a difference when I started in safe-mode, but it did get my little grey cells working. I remembered putting-off a Java update recently, so did that and voila! FF is working speedily again I'm not actually sure 'why' that should have made much difference... but it seems to have done the trick.

Thank you guys