does your firefox/thunderbird use excessive cpu/memory/file access?
 

Every once in awhile my computer will slow to a very annoying level. When this happens I take a look at my task manager and sure enough either Firefox or Thunderbird is using like 99% of computer power and in excess of 100 megs of memory. If I kill the process then my computer runs just fine again.

I looked through the mozilla forum and bugzilla and this is referenced, but I'm wondering how widespread the problem is. Do you guys have any trouble or am I just an unlucky one with this bug?

Every now and then this happens to me too. I put it down to poor memory managment by Windows and not a Mozilla problem as it happens to any app I have open for more than a few days (like iTunes).

How long do you leave your computer running?

I used to have this if I didn't re-boot at least once a day - prior to that I would leave my computer on constantly.

With me, 24/7. I just open the taskmanager once every day or 2 and kill a bunch of stuff.

Yes, this happens to me daily. I look at the task manager, and Firefox is using over 100K! Rather annoying.

100k, no way!

Seriously, I find that simply quitting and restarting firefox will do the trick. The memory/cpu hogging issue seems to me (though I'm not certain) to be related to plug-ins like Java, Flash, etc. Closing the browser also unloads the plug-ins and seems to put things back to normal.

FewMiles..

yes, this can happen
 

this CAN actually happen, but most usually when using TABed browsing in FF. Every new tab consumes about 10K more in memory. Sometimes a bit less, sometimes more. problem is, when a window is opened that runs the JAVA engine, that boosts it up about 40K, so 20-30K base, plus 10K a window and then BOOM 40K for a window that is running JAVA.

I have had well over 100K on FF sometimes, I know then I am opening too many windows. I try to keep it to under 10 open windows at a time.

I have noticed that firefox uses more cpu than it should if you display a page with graphics that change, especially if the macromedial flash player is active.

I've gotten used to hitting the 'home page' button when I leave the browser idle. My home page is set to a blank page.

I don't do very much tabbed browsing.

-David

Methinks some people are confused between Kb and Mb. I WISH Firefox would only take up 100k :D

yeah
 

yeah, when I say 40K, i don't mean 40kb, I mean 40,000kb, or 40MB. Just dropping the kb.

So it should read 40Kkb

or, too much

Methinks you should venture outside and get some fresh air once in a while!

I keep quite a few FF windows open, I always run over 100 MB. Right now it's 113,600 kilobytes = 110.9375 megabytes (thank goodness for Google calculator). Of course it's not so bad, 'cuz I'm running with 1 GB of memory! ^ ^

O, TIR!

While on this topic, is it possible to block Macromedia Flash and Shockwave from running, or even loading, from ad sites? That's one function that I'd love.

extesnsions
 

the ....... extension will do that.

I have not noticed the memory/CPU issue quite as often since I upgraded to 1.0.2.

I agree.. I just installed the update about a week ago and it has gotten better. Not perfect, but better.

I get this issue with Firefox and Maxthon often. The more tabs I have open, the more likely the browsers will start hogging CPU/memory--which makes sense.

Firefox problem
 

Help! I am suffering a similar problem to those described in this thread (at least I think its similar...). Firefox is causing my PC to crash periodically. When this happens, none of the windows will respond, and even the task manager takes ages to shut the open Firefox windows. I thought this was a problem with my PC, but have seen several similar threads to this one describing problems like mine. I have the latest vesion of Firefox, and used to love it, but this is now a daily occurrence. I am seriously considering returning to IE :eek: :( . Does anyone know how to fix or mitigate this problem :confused:

I've always had this problem, I solved it by installing an app called "process tamer", it reduces the strain an app (any app) puts on your system.

You might want to try that!

FWIW, here is the download link:

http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/proctamer/

I've mainly noticed the problem with Firefox slowing due to problems with extentions. Try starting Firefox via the "Safe mode" item in the Start menu, and then remove or update the extentions (vai the Tools|Extentions menu). Extentions that were built for older builds of Firefix are particularly problematic.

The only way to stop Firefox from taking up all the CPU is to close it and open it back up. Doing some tweaking with the About:Config doesn't change much except that it takes a bit longer before Firefox gets to over 100,000k. This is definitely some kind of a memory leak where the more tabs you open, the worse it gets. Closing the program and re-opening it starts it back to a lower level.

I am now using a somewhat less bloated and functional browser that doesn't nearly get as big as Firefox. It's called OffByOne ( http://www.OffByOne.com )and for many people, they won't like it because there aren't many features and many plugins are not supported. But, for simple browsing, it's fine.

I actually love how much less CPU and memory it uses.

With 2GB RAM in my laptop, I really don't care how much memory FF uses :D

I have the same in my desktop, but things really get out of control when a single app starts claiming 1.4Gb of memory :D

Do you mean memory instead of CPU?

I don't think it's a memory leak; minimizing the app seems to release most of the memory.

I am so pleased that people are using Firefox. I remember several years ago few wanted to hear about using anything different from IE and Outlook. Things are much improved when more of use are using non-Microsoft, open source software.

Well, you have to admit that several years ago the open source browser alternative sucked...

For me, the fact that Firefox is open source is only an incidental benefit. I use it because I really think it is much better than IE. In work, I have to use IE and I really miss Firefox. :td:

Thanks for this ScottC. I am trying it out and I have not had another problem so far.

Scott, Scott, Scott. It leaks memory badly under linux as well. Mozilla's memory leakage woes go all the way back to when Netscape's company name was Mosaic.

Yes, I meant memory, but when loading a page or reloading it, it temporarily takes up to 99% of my CPU.

Minimizing the app only releases some of the memory (it looks like it gets cut in half). I guess that's not so bad if I just have to minimize it from time to time rather than closing it up and re-opening it.