Here is an strace in case it's of some use.
mike$ strace firefox execve("/usr/bin/firefox", ["firefox"], [/* 41 vars */]) = 0 brk(0) = 0x9936000 access("/etc/ld.so.nohwcap", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) mmap2(NULL, 8192, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0xb77a5000 access("/etc/ld.so.preload", R_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) open("/etc/ld.so.cache", O_RDONLY) = 3 fstat64(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=85504, ...}) = 0 mmap2(NULL, 85504, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0xb7790000 close(3) = 0 access("/etc/ld.so.nohwcap", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) open("/lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6", O_RDONLY) = 3 read(3, "\177ELF\1\1\1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\3\0\3\0\1\0\0\0000m\1\0004\0\0\0"..., 512) = 512 fstat64(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0755, st_size=1380932, ...}) = 0 mmap2(NULL, 1391016, PROT_READ|PROT_EXEC, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0) = 0x110000 mprotect(0x25d000, 4096, PROT_NONE) = 0 mmap2(0x25e000, 12288, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_FIXED|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0x14d) = 0x25e000 mmap2(0x261000, 10664, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_FIXED|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x261000 close(3) = 0 mmap2(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0xb778f000 set_thread_area({entry_number:-1 -> 6, base_addr:0xb778f8d0, limit:1048575, seg_32bit:1, contents:0, read_exec_only:0, limit_in_pages:1, seg_not_present:0, useable:1}) = 0 mprotect(0x25e000, 8192, PROT_READ) = 0 mprotect(0x805c000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0 mprotect(0x3af000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0 munmap(0xb7790000, 85504) = 0 getpid() = 2070 rt_sigaction(SIGCHLD, {SIG_DFL, [CHLD], SA_RESTART}, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 geteuid32() = 1000 brk(0) = 0x9936000 brk(0x9957000) = 0x9957000 getppid() = 2069 stat64("/media/sda5/mike_lucid32_on6/mike", {st_mode=S_IFDIR|0744, st_size=4096, ...}) = 0 stat64(".", {st_mode=S_IFDIR|0744, st_size=4096, ...}) = 0 open("/usr/bin/firefox", O_RDONLY) = 3 fcntl64(3, F_DUPFD, 10) = 10 close(3) = 0 fcntl64(10, F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC) = 0 rt_sigaction(SIGINT, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 rt_sigaction(SIGINT, {0x804f5fb, ~[RTMIN RT_1], 0}, NULL, 8) = 0 rt_sigaction(SIGQUIT, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 rt_sigaction(SIGQUIT, {SIG_DFL, ~[RTMIN RT_1], 0}, NULL, 8) = 0 rt_sigaction(SIGTERM, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 rt_sigaction(SIGTERM, {SIG_DFL, ~[RTMIN RT_1], 0}, NULL, 8) = 0 read(10, "#!/bin/sh\n\n# Firefox launcher co"..., 8192) = 4569 pipe([3, 4]) = 0 clone(child_stack=0, flags=CLONE_CHILD_CLEARTID|CLONE_CHILD_SETTID|SIGCHLD, child_tidptr=0xb778f938) = 2071 close(4) = 0 read(3, "/usr/bin/firefox\n", 128) = 17 read(3, "", 128) = 0 close(3) = 0 wait4(-1, [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 0}], 0, NULL) = 2071 --- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) --- pipe([3, 4]) = 0 clone(child_stack=0, flags=CLONE_CHILD_CLEARTID|CLONE_CHILD_SETTID|SIGCHLD, child_tidptr=0xb778f938) = 2072 close(4) = 0 read(3, "firefox\n", 128) = 8 read(3, "", 128) = 0 close(3) = 0 --- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) --- wait4(-1, [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 0}], 0, NULL) = 2072 stat64("/usr/lib/firefox-3.6/firefox", {st_mode=S_IFREG|0755, st_size=3931, ...}) = 0 stat64("/home/mike/.mozilla/firefox", {st_mode=S_IFDIR|0700, st_size=4096, ...}) = 0 stat64("/home/mike/.mozilla/firefox-3.1", 0xbfc06fd0) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) stat64("/home/mike/.mozilla/firefox-3.5", 0xbfc06fd0) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) stat64("/home/mike/.mozilla/firefox-3.6", 0xbfc06fd0) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) execve("/usr/lib/firefox-3.6/firefox", ["/usr/lib/firefox-3.6/firefox"], [/* 42 vars */]) = 0 brk(0) = 0x928f000 access("/etc/ld.so.nohwcap", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) mmap2(NULL, 8192, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0xb771f000 access("/etc/ld.so.preload", R_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) open("/etc/ld.so.cache", O_RDONLY) = 3 fstat64(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=85504, ...}) = 0 mmap2(NULL, 85504, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0xb770a000 close(3) = 0 access("/etc/ld.so.nohwcap", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) open("/lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6", O_RDONLY) = 3 read(3, "\177ELF\1\1\1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\3\0\3\0\1\0\0\0000m\1\0004\0\0\0"..., 512) = 512 fstat64(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0755, st_size=1380932, ...}) = 0 mmap2(NULL, 1391016, PROT_READ|PROT_EXEC, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0) = 0x110000 mprotect(0x25d000, 4096, PROT_NONE) = 0 mmap2(0x25e000, 12288, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_FIXED|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0x14d) = 0x25e000 mmap2(0x261000, 10664, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_FIXED|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x261000 close(3) = 0 mmap2(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0xb7709000 set_thread_area({entry_number:-1 -> 6, base_addr:0xb77098d0, limit:1048575, seg_32bit:1, contents:0, read_exec_only:0, limit_in_pages:1, seg_not_present:0, useable:1}) = 0 mprotect(0x25e000, 8192, PROT_READ) = 0 mprotect(0x805c000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0 mprotect(0x7df000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0 munmap(0xb770a000, 85504) = 0 getpid() = 2070 rt_sigaction(SIGCHLD, {SIG_DFL, [CHLD], SA_RESTART}, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 geteuid32() = 1000 brk(0) = 0x928f000 brk(0x92b0000) = 0x92b0000 getppid() = 2069 stat64("/media/sda5/mike_lucid32_on6/mike", {st_mode=S_IFDIR|0744, st_size=4096, ...}) = 0 stat64(".", {st_mode=S_IFDIR|0744, st_size=4096, ...}) = 0 open("/usr/lib/firefox-3.6/firefox", O_RDONLY) = 3 fcntl64(3, F_DUPFD, 10) = 10 close(3) = 0 fcntl64(10, F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC) = 0 rt_sigaction(SIGINT, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 rt_sigaction(SIGINT, {0x804f5fb, ~[RTMIN RT_1], 0}, NULL, 8) = 0 rt_sigaction(SIGQUIT, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 rt_sigaction(SIGQUIT, {SIG_DFL, ~[RTMIN RT_1], 0}, NULL, 8) = 0 rt_sigaction(SIGTERM, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 rt_sigaction(SIGTERM, {SIG_DFL, ~[RTMIN RT_1], 0}, NULL, 8) = 0 read(10, "#!/bin/sh\n#\n# ***** BEGIN LICENS"..., 8192) = 3931 pipe([3, 4]) = 0 clone(child_stack=0, flags=CLONE_CHILD_CLEARTID|CLONE_CHILD_SETTID|SIGCHLD, child_tidptr=0xb7709938) = 2073 close(4) = 0 read(3, "/usr/lib/firefox-3.6\n", 128) = 21 read(3, "", 128) = 0 close(3) = 0 wait4(-1, [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 0}], 0, NULL) = 2073 --- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) --- pipe([3, 4]) = 0 clone(child_stack=0, flags=CLONE_CHILD_CLEARTID|CLONE_CHILD_SETTID|SIGCHLD, child_tidptr=0xb7709938) = 2074 close(4) = 0 read(3, "firefox\n", 128) = 8 read(3, "", 128) = 0 close(3) = 0 wait4(-1, [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 0}], 0, NULL) = 2074 --- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) --- stat64("/usr/lib/firefox-3.6/run-mozilla.sh", {st_mode=S_IFREG|0755, st_size=10469, ...}) = 0 geteuid32() = 1000 getgid32() = 1000 getegid32() = 1000 getgroups32(0, NULL) = 10 getgroups32(10, [4, 20, 24, 46, 104, 115, 121, 124, 1000, 1001]) = 10 clone(child_stack=0, flags=CLONE_CHILD_CLEARTID|CLONE_CHILD_SETTID|SIGCHLD, child_tidptr=0xb7709938) = 2075 wait4(-1, /usr/share/themes/Human/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:85: Murrine configuration option "gradients" is no longer supported and will be ignored. [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 1}], 0, NULL) = 2075 --- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) --- exit_group(1) = ? mike$
Here is an strace in case it's of some use.
mike$ strace firefox "/usr/bin/ firefox" , ["firefox"], [/* 41 vars */]) = 0 "/etc/ld. so.nohwcap" , F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE| MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0xb77a5000 "/etc/ld. so.preload" , R_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) etc/ld. so.cache" , O_RDONLY) = 3 S_IFREG| 0644, st_size=85504, ...}) = 0 "/etc/ld. so.nohwcap" , F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) lib/tls/ i686/cmov/ libc.so. 6", O_RDONLY) = 3 1\1\1\0\ 0\0\0\0\ 0\0\0\0\ 3\0\3\0\ 1\0\0\0000m\ 1\0004\ 0\0\0". .., 512) = 512 S_IFREG| 0755, st_size=1380932, ...}) = 0 PROT_EXEC, MAP_PRIVATE| MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0) = 0x110000 PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE| MAP_FIXED| MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0x14d) = 0x25e000 PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE| MAP_FIXED| MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x261000 PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE| MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0xb778f000 area({entry_ number: -1 -> 6, base_addr: 0xb778f8d0, limit:1048575, seg_32bit:1, contents:0, read_exec_only:0, limit_in_pages:1, seg_not_present:0, useable:1}) = 0 SIGCHLD, {SIG_DFL, [CHLD], SA_RESTART}, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 "/media/ sda5/mike_ lucid32_ on6/mike" , {st_mode= S_IFDIR| 0744, st_size=4096, ...}) = 0 S_IFDIR| 0744, st_size=4096, ...}) = 0 usr/bin/ firefox" , O_RDONLY) = 3 SIGINT, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 SIGINT, {0x804f5fb, ~[RTMIN RT_1], 0}, NULL, 8) = 0 SIGQUIT, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 SIGQUIT, {SIG_DFL, ~[RTMIN RT_1], 0}, NULL, 8) = 0 SIGTERM, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 SIGTERM, {SIG_DFL, ~[RTMIN RT_1], 0}, NULL, 8) = 0 stack=0, flags=CLONE_ CHILD_CLEARTID| CLONE_CHILD_ SETTID| SIGCHLD, child_tidptr= 0xb778f938) = 2071 firefox\ n", 128) = 17 stack=0, flags=CLONE_ CHILD_CLEARTID| CLONE_CHILD_ SETTID| SIGCHLD, child_tidptr= 0xb778f938) = 2072 "/usr/lib/ firefox- 3.6/firefox" , {st_mode= S_IFREG| 0755, st_size=3931, ...}) = 0 "/home/ mike/.mozilla/ firefox" , {st_mode= S_IFDIR| 0700, st_size=4096, ...}) = 0 "/home/ mike/.mozilla/ firefox- 3.1", 0xbfc06fd0) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) "/home/ mike/.mozilla/ firefox- 3.5", 0xbfc06fd0) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) "/home/ mike/.mozilla/ firefox- 3.6", 0xbfc06fd0) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) "/usr/lib/ firefox- 3.6/firefox" , ["/usr/ lib/firefox- 3.6/firefox" ], [/* 42 vars */]) = 0 "/etc/ld. so.nohwcap" , F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE| MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0xb771f000 "/etc/ld. so.preload" , R_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) etc/ld. so.cache" , O_RDONLY) = 3 S_IFREG| 0644, st_size=85504, ...}) = 0 "/etc/ld. so.nohwcap" , F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory) lib/tls/ i686/cmov/ libc.so. 6", O_RDONLY) = 3 1\1\1\0\ 0\0\0\0\ 0\0\0\0\ 3\0\3\0\ 1\0\0\0000m\ 1\0004\ 0\0\0". .., 512) = 512 S_IFREG| 0755, st_size=1380932, ...}) = 0 PROT_EXEC, MAP_PRIVATE| MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0) = 0x110000 PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE| MAP_FIXED| MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0x14d) = 0x25e000 PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE| MAP_FIXED| MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x261000 PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE| MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0xb7709000 area({entry_ number: -1 -> 6, base_addr: 0xb77098d0, limit:1048575, seg_32bit:1, contents:0, read_exec_only:0, limit_in_pages:1, seg_not_present:0, useable:1}) = 0 SIGCHLD, {SIG_DFL, [CHLD], SA_RESTART}, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 "/media/ sda5/mike_ lucid32_ on6/mike" , {st_mode= S_IFDIR| 0744, st_size=4096, ...}) = 0 S_IFDIR| 0744, st_size=4096, ...}) = 0 usr/lib/ firefox- 3.6/firefox" , O_RDONLY) = 3 SIGINT, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 SIGINT, {0x804f5fb, ~[RTMIN RT_1], 0}, NULL, 8) = 0 SIGQUIT, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 SIGQUIT, {SIG_DFL, ~[RTMIN RT_1], 0}, NULL, 8) = 0 SIGTERM, NULL, {SIG_DFL, [], 0}, 8) = 0 SIGTERM, {SIG_DFL, ~[RTMIN RT_1], 0}, NULL, 8) = 0 stack=0, flags=CLONE_ CHILD_CLEARTID| CLONE_CHILD_ SETTID| SIGCHLD, child_tidptr= 0xb7709938) = 2073 firefox- 3.6\n", 128) = 21 stack=0, flags=CLONE_ CHILD_CLEARTID| CLONE_CHILD_ SETTID| SIGCHLD, child_tidptr= 0xb7709938) = 2074 "/usr/lib/ firefox- 3.6/run- mozilla. sh", {st_mode= S_IFREG| 0755, st_size=10469, ...}) = 0 stack=0, flags=CLONE_ CHILD_CLEARTID| CLONE_CHILD_ SETTID| SIGCHLD, child_tidptr= 0xb7709938) = 2075 themes/ Human/gtk- 2.0/gtkrc: 85: Murrine configuration option "gradients" is no longer supported and will be ignored.
execve(
brk(0) = 0x9936000
access(
mmap2(NULL, 8192, PROT_READ|
access(
open("/
fstat64(3, {st_mode=
mmap2(NULL, 85504, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0xb7790000
close(3) = 0
access(
open("/
read(3, "\177ELF\
fstat64(3, {st_mode=
mmap2(NULL, 1391016, PROT_READ|
mprotect(0x25d000, 4096, PROT_NONE) = 0
mmap2(0x25e000, 12288, PROT_READ|
mmap2(0x261000, 10664, PROT_READ|
close(3) = 0
mmap2(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|
set_thread_
mprotect(0x25e000, 8192, PROT_READ) = 0
mprotect(0x805c000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0
mprotect(0x3af000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0
munmap(0xb7790000, 85504) = 0
getpid() = 2070
rt_sigaction(
geteuid32() = 1000
brk(0) = 0x9936000
brk(0x9957000) = 0x9957000
getppid() = 2069
stat64(
stat64(".", {st_mode=
open("/
fcntl64(3, F_DUPFD, 10) = 10
close(3) = 0
fcntl64(10, F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC) = 0
rt_sigaction(
rt_sigaction(
rt_sigaction(
rt_sigaction(
rt_sigaction(
rt_sigaction(
read(10, "#!/bin/sh\n\n# Firefox launcher co"..., 8192) = 4569
pipe([3, 4]) = 0
clone(child_
close(4) = 0
read(3, "/usr/bin/
read(3, "", 128) = 0
close(3) = 0
wait4(-1, [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 0}], 0, NULL) = 2071
--- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) ---
pipe([3, 4]) = 0
clone(child_
close(4) = 0
read(3, "firefox\n", 128) = 8
read(3, "", 128) = 0
close(3) = 0
--- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) ---
wait4(-1, [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 0}], 0, NULL) = 2072
stat64(
stat64(
stat64(
stat64(
stat64(
execve(
brk(0) = 0x928f000
access(
mmap2(NULL, 8192, PROT_READ|
access(
open("/
fstat64(3, {st_mode=
mmap2(NULL, 85504, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0xb770a000
close(3) = 0
access(
open("/
read(3, "\177ELF\
fstat64(3, {st_mode=
mmap2(NULL, 1391016, PROT_READ|
mprotect(0x25d000, 4096, PROT_NONE) = 0
mmap2(0x25e000, 12288, PROT_READ|
mmap2(0x261000, 10664, PROT_READ|
close(3) = 0
mmap2(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|
set_thread_
mprotect(0x25e000, 8192, PROT_READ) = 0
mprotect(0x805c000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0
mprotect(0x7df000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0
munmap(0xb770a000, 85504) = 0
getpid() = 2070
rt_sigaction(
geteuid32() = 1000
brk(0) = 0x928f000
brk(0x92b0000) = 0x92b0000
getppid() = 2069
stat64(
stat64(".", {st_mode=
open("/
fcntl64(3, F_DUPFD, 10) = 10
close(3) = 0
fcntl64(10, F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC) = 0
rt_sigaction(
rt_sigaction(
rt_sigaction(
rt_sigaction(
rt_sigaction(
rt_sigaction(
read(10, "#!/bin/sh\n#\n# ***** BEGIN LICENS"..., 8192) = 3931
pipe([3, 4]) = 0
clone(child_
close(4) = 0
read(3, "/usr/lib/
read(3, "", 128) = 0
close(3) = 0
wait4(-1, [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 0}], 0, NULL) = 2073
--- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) ---
pipe([3, 4]) = 0
clone(child_
close(4) = 0
read(3, "firefox\n", 128) = 8
read(3, "", 128) = 0
close(3) = 0
wait4(-1, [{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 0}], 0, NULL) = 2074
--- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) ---
stat64(
geteuid32() = 1000
getgid32() = 1000
getegid32() = 1000
getgroups32(0, NULL) = 10
getgroups32(10, [4, 20, 24, 46, 104, 115, 121, 124, 1000, 1001]) = 10
clone(child_
wait4(-1, /usr/share/
[{WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 1}], 0, NULL) = 2075
--- SIGCHLD (Child exited) @ 0 (0) ---
exit_group(1) = ?
mike$