When trying to use only 32 bit firefox on x86-64 by uninstalling the 64 bit package, it is impossible to remove the binaries due to several dependancies on internal firefox libraries. Manually changing the script that starts firefox breaks on updates when the changes are overwritten. [root@tower ipv4]# rpm -e firefox-1.5.0.9-1.fc6.x86_64 error: Failed dependencies: libgtkembedmoz.so()(64bit) is needed by (installed) devhelp-0.12-9.fc6.x86_64 libgtkembedmoz.so()(64bit) is needed by (installed) yelp-2.16.0-11.fc6.x86_64 libxpcom.so()(64bit) is needed by (installed) libswt3-gtk2-3.2.1-23.fc6.x86_64 libxpcom.so()(64bit) is needed by (installed) devhelp-0.12-9.fc6.x86_64 libxpcom.so()(64bit) is needed by (installed) yelp-2.16.0-11.fc6.x86_64 libxpcom_core.so()(64bit) is needed by (installed) yelp-2.16.0-11.fc6.x86_64
Unfortunately, removing firefox.x86_64 will not be long-term solution even if there were not these dependency problems. You may want to try "yum install firefox-32" from Extras. It isn't a supported solution either, but it at least works.
If firefox were split into a -libs package, this approach would work fine. There has to be some way to make a supported technique available, even if it means adding a /etc/sysconfig/firefox
My proposal to add a /etc/sysconfig/firefox was rejected. The preferred long-term solution is for nspluginwrapper to be fixed up for any plugins to be run within a separate process than the browser. This allows 32bit (or any plugins) to be usable within a 64bit browser. This also enables greater flexibility to tighten down what plugins are allowed to do with selinux policies. Until nspluginwrapper is fixed up, please try firefox-32 from Extras. It sucks, but it works for the near-term.
(In reply to comment #3) > My proposal to add a /etc/sysconfig/firefox was rejected. How about changing: MOZ_ARCH=$(uname -m) to: test -n "$MOZ_ARCH" || MOZ_ARCH=$(uname -m) that way I can set MOZ_ARCH to be i386 and it will fire up the 32bit version (this is what I've done for all of my local machines). As for firefox-32 from Extras - how does that work with the "Web Browser" button in kde? Will it automatically fire up the 32bit version?
Fedora Core 6 is no longer supported, could you please reproduce this with the updated version of the currently supported distribution (Fedora 7, 8, or Rawhide)? If this issue turns out to still be reproducible, please let us know in this bug report. If after a month's time we have not heard back from you, we will have to close this bug as CANTFIX. Setting status to NEEDINFO, and awaiting information from the reporter. [This is mass-filed message to all open Fedora Core 6 bugs related to Xorg or Gecko. If you see any other reason, why this bug shouldn't be closed, please, comment on it here.]
*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 425951 ***