Firefox Unresponsive Script Warnings

Firefox is a web browser designed by Mozilla and is an alternative to Microsoft Internet Explorer. When using Firefox, you may receive an error message that states Warning: Unresponsive script or a script on this page may be busy or it may have stopped responding. A script is the set of instructions that provide a program with the directions to carry out a task. An unresponsive script is one that cannot move to action to carry out the command being asked of it.

Usually, Firefox generates these types of error messages because it thinks a script may be running out of control, or the web page you are trying to access is not working. Whatever the reason for the unresponsive script warning, there are a number of things that can be done to rectify the situation.

First, you can let the script run and see if it corrects itself. You can choose to click the Continue button, which will allow the script to keep running. Over time, it may finish running and the web page will begin working again. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and clicking the Continue button may just bring up the same error message again. If the Continue button does not work out the error, take the following steps to increase the length of time you allow the script to run:

• In the address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
• A warning message that states “This might void your warranty!” may pop up. If this comes up, click the “I’ll be careful, I promise!” button.
• You will be sent to the about:config page. Search the available options for the dom.max_script_run_time. You can type the preference name in the Filter: box to speed up the process.
• Double click on this preference.
• Change the 10 to a 20 and click the OK button. This will increase the amount of time the script is able to run in the hopes that it will have enough time to fix the error by itself.

If you have noticed that you only receive unresponsive script warnings when accessing certain websites, blocking these scripts from running on those sites will solve the problem.

• Do an Internet search for the Firefox YesScript extension and download it.
• Install YesScript as an add-on by following the prompts that will walk you through the download process.
• Restart Firefox.
• Open the Firefox window and click Tools.
• Select Add-ons from this menu.
• Click Options.
• In the YesScript Blacklist box, type the URL of the site where you are having script error problems.
• Click Add.

By completing the above steps, YesScript will block the site from running script errors when you are on it.