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Technical News & Discussion => Windows News & Discussion => Topic started by: Glenn on Dec 05, 2010, 16:28:49

Title: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Glenn on Dec 05, 2010, 16:28:49
Anyone having problems with FF3, patched up to date? After a couple of hours use, I find my install starts to lag when typing, shutting down FF and restarting it clears the problem for a while. Using IE8 and there is no issues. I would suspect a memory leak, not sure how to fix it though.
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Rik on Dec 05, 2010, 16:31:58
My memory usage had gone from 40MB to 12MB after an hour, Glenn.
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Glenn on Dec 05, 2010, 16:37:09
I get a 1 - 2 second delay when typing, which causes me to make even more typing errors than normal. :eek4:
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: armadillo on Dec 05, 2010, 16:40:10
I have noticed it a few times too. Happened on every version of FF that I can remember. I think the only way round it is what you are doing, that is restarting FF. I don't really see it as a problem, more just one of those things.
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Rik on Dec 05, 2010, 16:43:22
Quote from: Glenn on Dec 05, 2010, 16:37:09
I get a 1 - 2 second delay when typing, which causes me to make even more typing errors than normal. :eek4:

I've seen that - but the way I type it doesn't count. ;)
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: pctech on Dec 05, 2010, 16:46:13
Interesting, had this problem also.

Might be worth flagging via BugZilla
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Simon on Dec 05, 2010, 16:48:35
http://www.seamonkey-project.org/  :whistle:
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Rik on Dec 05, 2010, 16:49:20
:nana: ;D
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: pctech on Dec 05, 2010, 16:52:04
Seamonkey is of course the old Mozilla/Netscape suite.
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Rik on Dec 05, 2010, 16:54:00
Hallowed memories. :)
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Simon on Dec 05, 2010, 16:54:22
Indeed.  But it and FF share the integral parts of the browser engine.  SM just runs better as it hasn't got all the bloat.
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Rik on Dec 05, 2010, 16:56:01
But you should see its klaxon. :tongue:
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Ray on Dec 05, 2010, 16:58:37
My FF is using 335Mb of memory at the moment. :eek4: just going to restart it.

Edit:
Down to 103Mb after restart.
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Simon on Dec 05, 2010, 16:59:39
Keep taking the tablets, Rik...   ;)
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Technical Ben on Dec 05, 2010, 21:56:05
Quote from: Glenn on Dec 05, 2010, 16:28:49
Anyone having problems with FF3, patched up to date? After a couple of hours use, I find my install starts to lag when typing, shutting down FF and restarting it clears the problem for a while. Using IE8 and there is no issues. I would suspect a memory leak, not sure how to fix it though.
Fixed in the update called "Chrome"  :whistle:

http://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/
(They actually tackle memory leaks, amongst others such as sandboxing and plugin crashes)

PS. Might have something to do with how FF caches webpages. It may not be a "bug" but an overzealous feature. Can you lower the memory usage for cache? I suppose it will have the opposite side effect, if less pages are stored in cache then they load slower. What we want is more cache on the HDD and less in the RAM.
There is this F&Q. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Memory_Leak
But it seems to "skirt around" the problem. As said, they see it as a feature, not a bug it seems.  :dunno:
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Rik on Dec 06, 2010, 01:30:42
All my life, manufacturers have labelled bugs as features. Especially Microsoft - take Vista for example.  :evil:
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: pctech on Dec 06, 2010, 08:56:08
Vista should have been codenamed cockroach   ;D

I went for some training to support Vista but did not bother sitting the exam as I kind of knew it was doomed.

Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Technical Ben on Dec 06, 2010, 10:16:41
Quote from: pctech on Dec 06, 2010, 08:56:08
Vista should have been codenamed cockroach   ;D

I went for some training to support Vista but did not bother sitting the exam as I kind of knew it was doomed.



I've done that over health and saftey tests. But only cos I knew the in house software would crash. And I have no coding/software experience. I did have to retake it after all the bugs were fixed. :(
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: mrapoc on Dec 06, 2010, 21:00:37
+1 for chrome

switched from FF to chrome after it got slower and slower


now I have a browser which starts when I click it not 5 seconds later!
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: JB on Dec 07, 2010, 08:25:10
Quote from: mrapoc on Dec 06, 2010, 21:00:37
+1 for chrome

switched from FF to chrome after it got slower and slower


now I have a browser which starts when I click it not 5 seconds later!

Take a look at ChromePlus.

http://www.chromeplus.org

Same thing but compiled without the tracking and other Google hidden extras.  :thumb:
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Ray on Dec 07, 2010, 09:19:59
Quote from: 6jb on Dec 07, 2010, 08:25:10
Take a look at ChromePlus.

http://www.chromeplus.org

Same thing but compiled without the tracking and other Google hidden extras.  :thumb:
Just downloaded and installed this to try it out but I can't get it to import my FF bookmarks for some reason.  :(
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Glenn on Dec 07, 2010, 09:25:19
Have you closed FF, Ray?
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Ray on Dec 07, 2010, 09:27:14
Yes tried that, Glenn, still no luck.
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: bindeweede on Dec 07, 2010, 09:28:08
I downloaded Chromeplus and am using it now.  It imported my FF addresses OK, but after I got a message to close FF before I proceeded.

Subjectively, it does seem a little bit faster than FF.
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Gary on Dec 07, 2010, 10:11:44
Quote from: mrapoc on Dec 06, 2010, 21:00:37
+1 for chrome

switched from FF to chrome after it got slower and slower


now I have a browser which starts when I click it not 5 seconds later!
Chrome, powered by wikileaks  ;)
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: JB on Dec 07, 2010, 11:25:49
Quote from: Ray on Dec 07, 2010, 09:19:59
Just downloaded and installed this to try it out but I can't get it to import my FF bookmarks for some reason.  :(
That's odd Ray. I've installed it on three machines now and it has offered to and imported bookmarks from FF V3.6.12

If you click the little spanner at the top right there is a pull down option for the 'bookmark manager'. If you open that, then under 'organize' on the left hand side there is a option to import bookmarks. See what happens if you browse to your FF profile directory and select the file 'places.sqlite'.
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Ray on Dec 07, 2010, 14:19:09
I've just tried that, JB, still no luck, I've also tried installing on another MC and I still can't get it import any FF bookmarks, weird, ???
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: trophymick on Dec 07, 2010, 14:28:02
When you back up your bookmarks in Firefox, try and save them as html files (save them on the desktop, easy to navigate to), a opposed to json files. Then when you import from Chrome, point to the html firefox file. :thumb:
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Ray on Dec 07, 2010, 14:36:24
Thanks, Mick, that's the way I've just done it by exporting my FF bookmarks as an html file and them importing into Chromeplus. :thumb:
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: trophymick on Dec 07, 2010, 14:43:50
Good news Ray. :thumb:  Computers are the work of the devil. :evil:
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: Ray on Dec 07, 2010, 14:47:36
They are indeed, Mick,  :)
Title: Re: Firefox memory leaks
Post by: JB on Dec 07, 2010, 15:34:02
Quote from: Ray on Dec 07, 2010, 14:36:24
I've just done it by exporting my FF bookmarks as an html file and them importing into Chromeplus. :thumb:

Excellent Ray.

Chromeplus doesn't have all the bells and whistles as FF but it loads very quickly and is great on netbooks or older computers. It even has an adblock of sorts.

And especially, unlike Google Chrome, is doesn't call home to pass back your browsing habits  :thumb:

Good luck.