how-to upgrade firefox to latest version

[cra1g321]

How to install latest stable version of Firefoxin LM8

Linux Mint 9 users will not need to do this !!! you will already be using the latest version

In this How-to I am going to tell you how to easily install the latest STABLE version of the Firefox Web Browser. By doing it this way you WONT lose any of the existing plugins that are already installed by linux mint (flash, quicktime, divx) etc. I accept no responsibility if you mess up your firefox by not following this how-to correctly. I am not completely sure if this works for different language versions of firefox. I have only upgraded from the version that is already installed by linux mint 8 from the live cd.

**** Now to get started -

Step 1 (Adding the repository) - Open “Synaptic Package Manager” click “Settings” at the top of the window, then click “repositories” a popup will come up, click the “Other Software” tab. Click the “Add” button, another popup will come up, copy and paste

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 ppa:mozillateam/firefox-stable

into text box then click the “Add source” button. Close the “Software sources” popup by clicking the “Close” button. Another popup will show telling you that the repository have changed, click the “Close” button. Now click the “Reload” button on the “synaptic package manager” window to reload the repositories.

Step 2 (Upgrading Firefox) - After the repositories have been updated, type firefox into the quick search text box, in the main list you will see “firefox” listed at the top with a green box beside it meaning that firefox is installed. To upgrade just right-click on the text of “firefox” and click on “Mark for upgrade”. A popup will show listing additional software needed, click on the “Mark button”. Finally click on the “Apply” button of the Synaptic package manager and click “Apply” again on the popup that shows up after. The synaptic package manager will then download and install the package files, the popup will show “changes have been applied” when it is finished.

Step 3 (Checking if upgrade was successful) – Close the synaptic package manager and open firefox. You may see a popup about incompatilbility of add-ons (Usually relating to languages) click on the “check now” button then click on the “Finish” button if it doesnt find any newer versions. Firefox will then open, click on “Help” at the top of its window then click “About mozilla firefox” you should see in the popup the version of firefox installed. While making this how-to the latest version is Firefox 3.6.3.

If you see this version or a newer version then you have successfully upgraded your firefox to the latest stable version avaible. Congrats.

Please reply if you encounter any problems or to say it worked for you. Thanks.

For anyone having the error of the synaptic package manager failing to download new packages, go into "Software Sources" click the "Other Software" tab and click on the PPA that you added in step 1. It will start with "http://ppa.launchpad.net/mozillateam/" click on it then click the "Edit" button. Change all the text in the fields to match mine -

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    Type - Binary
    URL : http://ppa.launchpad.net/mozillateam/firefox-stable/ubuntu
    Distribution - Karmic
    Components - main

Click the "ok" button to close the windows, then click "Close" button on the Software Sources window to close it, a popup will show click the "Reload button" then the repositories will be checked then the window will automatically close. Open up the "synaptic package manager" then continue to follow the tutorial starting at step 2.

What is happening is that for some reason linux mint is searching for a ubuntu distro within the repository called helena, which we know there is no ubuntu distro called helena lol. im not sure why linux mint does this.

[exploder]

Thanks cra1g321! There are many on the forum asking this very question and your time and effort is very much appreciated.

[bigdee]

Thanks cra1g321, your How-To worked perfectly

[cra1g321]

thanks 4 replys guys ,glad to hear it worked . Im a ex-windows user (only use it for the odd pc game now) spent more time fixing Windows than i did using it been luvin linux and especially linux mint (been using linux as main OS for couple of months now). So thought i would write sum how-tos as a way to give back to the community. I prefer this way rather than ubuntuzilla, because i remember using ubuntuzilla on my ubuntu 9.10 and i lost all my plugins which was annoying.

BTW if you need help with something else, just PM me and il see if i can help. Might write some more How-tos soon (not sure what about). if you have any ideas or want a how-to on something PM me and il see what i can do.

[Brad]

thank you thank you thank you
i have been looking how to do this for ages
and thsi is so simple
ty

[cra1g321]

glad to hear it worked for you

[Brad]

firefox 3.6 is nice but not properly conifgured for linux that is why it is not in the package manager it dont run java properly and many other bugs so thanks for your help but dont install

[cra1g321]

i disagree with you, ive never had any problems with the latest stable version of firefox. The reason its not in the package manger is because it quite simply hasn't been compiled and added to the repository. For example firefox 3.6.3 was running fine and ready to use on ubuntu 10.04 before it was available on 9.10, because it was compiled on the lucid lynx repository then the karmic koala repository. Same with linux mint 9 and 8. If you install the LM 9 RC you will be using the same version of firefox as you will by using this tutorial. It is up to people themselves wether they wish to update to the latest and greatest(so plz dont write "dont install" or at least write " in my opinion i wouldnt install". I always like to have my apps running on the latest stable version available, rather than the version LM or any other OS decides.

[pingvinche]

After doing as described in 1st post, got a message:

Failed to fetch http://ppa.launchpad.net/mozillateam/fi ... ackages.gz 404 Not Found
Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

using: Linux Mint 8, main edition ; network connection working fine

[cra1g321]

go into "Software Sources" click the "Other Software" tab and click on the PPA that you added in step 1. It will start with "http://ppa.launchpad.net/mozillateam/" click on it then click the "Edit" button. Change all the text in the fields to match mine -

Code: Select all

Type - Binary
URL : http://ppa.launchpad.net/mozillateam/firefox-stable/ubuntu
Distribution - Karmic
Components - main

Click the "ok" button to close the windows, then click "Close" button on the Software Sources window to close it, a popup will show click the "Reload button" then the repositories will be checked then the window will automatically close. Open up the "synaptic package manager" then continue to follow the tutorial starting at step 2.

What i think is happening is that linux mint is searching for Helena ( linux mint 8 ) within the repository but it isnt there because i noticed that in your post it says failed to fetch

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(http://ppa.launchpad.net/mozillateam/firefox-stable/ubuntu/dists/helena/main/binary-i386/Packages.gz".

and you can see it is searching for a ubuntu distro called helena lol ". nt sure why it does this. So we just needed to change the repository you added in step 1 to the karmic repository. Linux mint 9 RC appears to have the latest version installed (firefox 3.6.3) im not sure if its using its own repository or this one. Reply if this works for you or if it doesnt.

[feed3]

firefox 3.6 is nice but not properly conifgured for linux that is why it is not in the package manager it dont run java properly and many other bugs so thanks for your help but dont install

then you might want to give swiftfox a try..

[dnmint]

It does not work for Gloria - 32 or 64 bit. I had posted my screen shot in another link...

[soryu]

Updated & Updated. thank's


is this namoroka?

[vrkalak]

Yes ... the latest 'stable' release of Firefox ... is Namoroka (Firefox 3.6.4)

[pingvinche]

At me and Mozilla web site still stands that v3.6.3 is latest stable version.
Also i checked trough updates.

[cra1g321]

your right pingvinche, the latest version is 3.6.3

[vrkalak]

Sorry ... I stand corrected. Could have sworn that I read it somewhere.

http://blog.mozilla.com/blog/2010/04/20 ... d-testing/

I guess Firefox 3.6.4 is still in Beta and not the 'stable' release.

I've been using Firefox 3.7 Alpha ... for so long, I forget.

Firefox 4.0 is coming soon, to an OS near you >> http://mashable.com/2009/07/27/firefox-40/

[antikythera]

Just used the following commands to upgrade FF3.6.20 to FF6 on Mint 9 LTS. Only thing that didn't work was Stylish but since I have never used this addon I uninstalled it via 'complete removal' through Package Manager.

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sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mozillateam/firefox-stable && sudo apt-get update

then

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sudo apt-get install firefox ubufox

After doing the above in terminal. run Update Manager to make sure the remaining addons such as adblock plus get updated too. enjoy faster and more secure browsing

[clusolynn]

I just tried this and it has locked me out of my Package Manager? How do I fix it? I've tried several methods on the forum to update FireFox 3.6 to version 6, nothing has worked so far. I have Helena 8! I have also posted here for help in changing OS to mint 10, I NEED the newer version of Firefox to access several sites online, now I have to use Windows 7!!!!! Please help! Thanks, John.

[clusolynn]

Hello, I'm not sure how to mark this as solved but, it has been! The repository change is what ended up working. Thanks, alot! The explanation was easy enough even a.....I, could understand it.