# Installing new Firefox



## GA peasant (Dec 10, 2010)

I've been a member for a while, but mainly I'm a lurker, enjoying many of the posts in the Survival and Cooking categories mostly.
My Gmail has notified me that my browser is too outdated to read my mail. Of course they'd be happy to install Chrome but I'm leery. Instead I was redirected to a website that has the most recent Firefox (25?), which was downloaded to Archives. I've tried to open,extract,activate,replace my old browser but I'm way too much a technoweenie to have any effect. I use Ubuntu 12.04. Can anybody help me with this problem?


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

You use Ubuntu but your not a techie? I Don't know enough about Ubuntu to assist you other than you should be able to double click on the file that downloaded and start it running, of course you need to know where it downloaded to which, in Windows at least, it tells you where it will save to before it starts downloading.

Just for the record Chrome IMHO is the best browser there is - its streamlined, meaning it doesn't have all the garbage the others have so its quicker than IE or FF. Looks cleaner too in my opinion.


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## GA peasant (Dec 10, 2010)

As a last resort I guess I'll have to install Chrome,but like I said I'm leery-I like my privacy.Thanks in advance for all replies. I'm not on all the time, only access the Internet at free WiFi sites like McD's, hence the delay(s). But again thanks for all attempts. When I've tried to download Firefox it goes to the archives as a read-only file and there it sits. Please ,any suggestions?


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## farmrbrown (Jun 25, 2012)

Unfortunately all of the mainline browsers are going to invade your privacy, that's what they do for a living now.
It's not about search engines for your convenience, it's about sales and marketing, and for that they want all your private info.
I had a similar problem when they switched my email to a different system, and I refuse to update to the latest version of whatever Bill Gates or Apple is selling nowadays.
My email is now slow and often drops my connection when I use it.
Oh well, I'm not going to make it easy on them either.


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## backwoodsman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

Anything you download from a website is going to be a Windows program; you can't install those on Linux. Whoever set you up on Linux should've explained that to you. On Linux, if the automatic updater isn't turned on, you have to do it manually from the package manager or the command line.

In Ubuntu, the package manager is called Synaptic; it should be on your menu under System. You'll need to enter the root password when it starts. Across the top is a button bar; click Reload, then when that's done click Mark All Upgrades, then Apply. If you haven't updated in a while, it'll take some time. If you have to interrupt it during the download, you can cancel it and restart it later without losing anything; but don't interrupt it once it's done downloading and has started installing the updates.

You could try updating just Firefox instead of everything, but that can cause problems occasionally, so it's best to run all available updates at the same time whenever possible.


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## Steve in PA (Nov 25, 2011)

Backwoodsman is probably correct that your system isn't setup for automatic updates. He gave you one way and I'll give you another to do updates*

1. Hold the Control-Alt-T keys down at the same time. This will bring up the terminal window which is very much like the old DOS window.

2. In that window type, "sudo apt-get update", you'll be prompted for your password. It should go out and make sure all the sources for your updates are reachable.

3. When the last step is complete, in the same window type "sudo update-manager" which will open another program. Follow the instructions in that program to update everything. You should also be able to turn on automatic updates in that program.

If your updates aren't turned on you may have a lot of updates to download depending on how old your install is. One of the things I very much like about Ubuntu and other linux distros is that they update and fix bugs quickly.

*I'm on my tablet now not my Ubuntu box. If the instructions are wrong I'll update them when I get home.


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## GA peasant (Dec 10, 2010)

Thank you Backwoodsman7 and Steve in PA; both of you have given me advice and hope.I'm in the process of downloading/upgrading to version 12.04. I tried the Synaptic package manager w.o success-it kept asking for a CD of Raring Ringtail then giving me an error message. I'm having somewhat better luck with the control alt-T method-fetched 378 of 2493 files-not installed mind you,just fetched.Price I pay for not staying current. I can only do this when I'm at a Wifi spot like McDonalds,Krystal,etc. Sincere thanks again.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

You should download from http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/ 
Download it. Open it, and then run it. Everything else should be taken care of - you will automatically get the most recent version.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

MichaelZ said:


> You should download from http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/
> Download it. Open it, and then run it. Everything else should be taken care of - you will automatically get the most recent version.


That's for Windows.. not Linux.. 

To the OP.. I run Chrome.. Used to use Firefox.. Chrome seems faster and a little more site friendly.. You can lock it down fairly well so it's not spying on you a whole lot... Even firefox spys.. there are add-ons that help, but it's a pain keeping up with everything..


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