Odd browser behavior

Sometimes, for no apparent reason, my browser jumps back to my previous page. I’m not clicking the back button, usually I’m just scrolling down. This is quite annoying, is there something I can do to fix this? It’s a fairly new behavior.

I use Firefox v 3.0.11.

Umm, Firefox 3 isn’t supported any longer, and the most up to date version of Firefox 3 was 3.0.19

As for your problem, I have no idea, sorry.

Ideas:

  • Try using a different mouse
  • Try using a different USB port for the mouse

I have version 3.6.12 . You are not up to date.

Crap. OK, I guess I’ll try updating the browser first.

Suggestion: Once you get it updated, find in the settings where update notifications are. You can choose auto update, or do like I do and have it notify you when new updates are available, but not do them automatically. There’s also a setting for never check or notify, which is probably where you have it right now.

I have it set to notify, but not do automatically for technical reasons pertaining to my work, but at least I get regular notifications about how out of date I’m getting, so I can plan time to do it. If you have no technical issues like mine, you might want to set it to auto. That’s what I set my mother’s and friends’ machines to, and they never have problems.

I don’t use Firefox, but K-Meleon (which uses Mozilla, like Firefox does) has a tool call mouse gestures. You can use the mouse to control the browser and make it move back a page, open a new page, change tabs, well whatever you like.

If Firefox has this see if mouse gestures got enabled somehow.

Is it possible that you’re bumping the backspace button? That’ll take you back a page if you’re not in a text box.

OK, updated Firefox (and yeah, I should have done that first), but it’s still happening. Next up is trying a different mouse. This computer doesn’t like to have a mouse connected to its USB, so I have to use a PS2 (?) mouse. It’ll all have to wait, because my husband is out of town and he’s placed everything where I can’t get to it, AGAIN.

I’m not bumping the backspace button.

This has always happened to me while using Firefox since I switched to Firefox, sometime since 3 came out.

No idea why it happens.

This happens to me at odd intervals too when I use Firefox, which is one of the reasons why I use Chrome!

:slight_smile:

Are you using a wireless mouse? If you are, it’s possible that your battery is starting to go if and is causing the mouse to send erroneous clicks.

Nope, this mousie has a tail. I’m gonna switch to another mouse in a couple of days, and if that doesn’t work, then I’ll try Chrome.

My thanks to all the suggestions.

A few possibilities to check:

Are gestures turned on, or is there an addon installed in Firefox enabling similar functionality?
Are there any side buttons on the mouse (these are often set to browser back/forward functionality by default)

Gestures are turned off. This mouse has two buttons and a scrolling wheel, nothing on the sides.

Stuck keys on your keyboard, maybe? Backspace’ll send you back.

Also, did you try Firefox in Safe mode, to rule out extensions causing the problem? Or, even better, might you try creating a new Firefox profile? Just type “firefox -p” in your Run dialog box after making sure firefox is completely closed, and you’ll get a dialog box that will let you manage your profiles. It’s pretty self-explanatory after that.

Deliberately press the scrolling wheel. If it’s not one that does that, hit both mouse buttons at once. What happens?