Firefox: A memory eater?

Started by mervyn797 October 13th, 2010 10:12 PM
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  • 17 replies

mervyn797

What? I'm right here. >D

Male
Seen November 28th, 2011
Posted December 3rd, 2010
1,696 posts
14.2 Years
A lot of us prefer using Firefox to other internet browsers. It is true that Firefox is quite better than other browsers when it comes to speed and CSS compatibility.

But recently I've noticed quite some issues with it. It crashes too often and uses too much of memory. It is impossible to run other programs like Photoshop with Firefox running. What I want to know is whether this is specific to me or are other Firefox users also facing similar problems? Right now, I'm using version 3.6.10


That is when 6 tabs were open.

We can also use this thread can also be used for general Firefox discussion.

Archer

NSW, Australia
Seen January 26th, 2020
Posted January 5th, 2020
3,956 posts
16.6 Years
It's a hungry little fox, but nothing like the readings you are getting. I suggest you try safe mode to see if it's an addon causing it. If not, just download the latest installer and do a fresh install of Firefox.

I've pushed it to 700M, but 3GB is just stupid.

Spinor

<i><font color="b1373f">The Lonely Physicist</font></i>

Age 27
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Seen February 13th, 2019
Posted October 4th, 2015
5,175 posts
17.3 Years
How the hell Is 3,06,300 possible?! o_0

If it really were 3GB, the of course it's going to crash often unless you have mre than 4GB, which require a 64x OS. But do you really have that much?

Try seriously wiping Firefox and reinstalling it. As in delete the firefox program folder first then uninstall it kind of wiping. Otherwise just use Google Chrome.

Archer

NSW, Australia
Seen January 26th, 2020
Posted January 5th, 2020
3,956 posts
16.6 Years
I tried safe mode and it is much faster. How do I get to know which add-on is causing this problem?
Disable each add-on until it becomes faster. Then you know which one. Be sure to tell us and the developer of the add-on.
How the hell Is 3,06,300 possible?! o_0

If it really were 3GB, the of course it's going to crash often unless you have mre than 4GB, which require a 64x OS. But do you really have that much?
You made me realise something - how is a 32-bit process using more than 2GB?

mervyn797

What? I'm right here. >D

Male
Seen November 28th, 2011
Posted December 3rd, 2010
1,696 posts
14.2 Years
Disable each add-on until it becomes faster. Then you know which one. Be sure to tell us and the developer of the add-on.
I'm going to start with this. But I noticed something else.

Notice something odd? I took these screen shots at the same time.

Archer

NSW, Australia
Seen January 26th, 2020
Posted January 5th, 2020
3,956 posts
16.6 Years
I'm going to start with this. But I noticed something else.

Notice something odd? I took these screen shots at the same time.
Yeah, I see something weird. We've been using triple digit separations in our number system for the past few hundred years, so I don't know what to read 2,13,288 as. That sounds really suss. Like virus suss. If it's a misrepresentation of 200,000, then it's fine.

mervyn797

What? I'm right here. >D

Male
Seen November 28th, 2011
Posted December 3rd, 2010
1,696 posts
14.2 Years
Yeah, I see something weird. We've been using triple digit separations in our number system for the past few hundred years, so I don't know what to read 2,13,288 as. That sounds really suss. Like virus suss. If it's a misrepresentation of 200,000, then it's fine.
LOL
That is the Indian numerical system. Man, you guys sure scared the wits out of me, especially AdvancedK47. XD; I have a 3 GB RAM and I was wondering how Firefox could consume more than 3 GB of memory. XD
And by the way, I figured out which plugin was causing the problem. It is, Download helper.
Seen September 18th, 2020
Posted February 18th, 2018
7,741 posts
16.6 Years
You made me realise something - how is a 32-bit process using more than 2GB?
That's a simple affair... There's some sort of setting or other (in Windows I think it's in the registry) about a program being able to use more than 2GB.
Male
Stuck in Generation 3 :(
Seen July 23rd, 2017
Posted June 9th, 2017
1,761 posts
14.8 Years
How the hell Is 3,06,300 possible?! o_0

If it really were 3GB, the of course it's going to crash often unless you have mre than 4GB, which require a 64x OS. But do you really have that much?

Try seriously wiping Firefox and reinstalling it. As in delete the firefox program folder first then uninstall it kind of wiping. Otherwise just use Google Chrome.
I agree. I've gone up to X0,000 in FireFox, but never above that...to where it reaches six digits... O_O :cer_disbelief: (btw, I think AdvancedK47's avatar of Iris would be the perfect facial expression for the moment of disbelief I experienced when I saw that odd number...)

LOL
That is the Indian numerical system. Man, you guys sure scared the wits out of me, especially AdvancedK47. XD; I have a 3 GB RAM and I was wondering how Firefox could consume more than 3 GB of memory. XD
And by the way, I figured out which plugin was causing the problem. It is, Download helper.
Glad you figured out what the problem was! :) FireFox can be a memory muncher if you have a slew of add-ons running. I had to start FireFox in Safe Mode because if I clicked the 'add-on' button under the Tools menu in Normal Mode, the browser froze. A lot. :cer_cry:
It doesn't help that that comp has only 128 MB of RAM available, which aggravates me so much (and frequently tests my patience)...
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Currently in intermittent forum activity for 2017. ;_; Credit to Game Freak for avatar and signature. @Fenyx4 on Bulbapedia for more about me. Tune into TOONAMI!

Stellar

Minior used Cosmic Power!

Age 31
Female
outer space.
Seen December 7th, 2022
Posted November 27th, 2022
870 posts
14.1 Years
I used to get that problem all the time until I downloaded an add-on that helps stem memory leakage. Now my usage never goes above 30k, and it rarely ever gets that high to begin with.

I think it's called AFOM, if anyone's interested.
...unless you all have it and it's not news to anyone else.
/computernovice.

Archer

NSW, Australia
Seen January 26th, 2020
Posted January 5th, 2020
3,956 posts
16.6 Years
I agree. I've gone up to X0,000 in FireFox, but never above that...to where it reaches six digits... It doesn't help that that comp has only 128 MB of RAM available
Uh... You might want to consider a different browser on that much ram. I suggest K-Meleon. Lightweight and Gecko (Firefox) based.
I used to get that problem all the time until I downloaded an add-on that helps stem memory leakage. Now my usage never goes above 30k, and it rarely ever gets that high to begin with.
There's not much point starving the poor fox if you have the RAM to spare. How much RAM do you have and how much is free without Firefox running?

I've had it hit 700MB before. That was around 25 tabs, but it still runs fine. Ram is only an issue when you properly run out, as in 4GB of 4GB used - at which point the page file will either go berserk and cut things to a crawl or the program will crash.
Age 27
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Seen August 19th, 2020
Posted August 12th, 2017
2,535 posts
15.5 Years
Firefox stays at an average 200MB for me. Photoshop is more of a memory eater right now, though. I don't think it can go further that 1000MB.

Also, the Indian numeric system is confusing. None of us saw it before, hence our reactions.
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Male
Stuck in Generation 3 :(
Seen July 23rd, 2017
Posted June 9th, 2017
1,761 posts
14.8 Years
Uh... You might want to consider a different browser on that much ram. I suggest K-Meleon. Lightweight and Gecko (Firefox) based.

There's not much point starving the poor fox if you have the RAM to spare. How much RAM do you have and how much is free without Firefox running?

I've had it hit 700MB before. That was around 25 tabs, but it still runs fine. Ram is only an issue when you properly run out, as in 4GB of 4GB used - at which point the page file will either go berserk and cut things to a crawl or the program will crash.
Hmm...that K-Meleon browser sounds interesting; thanks for the tip! I've tried IE, FireFox, and Opera on the thing, but to little success. Those ones worked slightly okay, but the loading times were still horrendous (and now they appear to have worsened to a crawl... :(). Public library computers and the like are much appreciated in that regard. :D
"The balance of power has shifted." Regret | Solemnity | ElitenessIntensity

Currently in intermittent forum activity for 2017. ;_; Credit to Game Freak for avatar and signature. @Fenyx4 on Bulbapedia for more about me. Tune into TOONAMI!
Age 27
Male
Seen August 19th, 2020
Posted August 12th, 2017
2,535 posts
15.5 Years
Hmm...that K-Meleon browser sounds interesting; thanks for the tip! I've tried IE, FireFox, and Opera on the thing, but to little success. Those ones worked slightly okay, but the loading times were still horrendous (and now they appear to have worsened to a crawl... :(). Public library computers and the like are much appreciated in that regard. :D
Try using Firefox 2.0. It's good and old, but it's still powerful. Most add-ons are no longer supported, and I don't know how to stop the updates, but it should work.
I've been on this forum for about 10 years now. You guys wanna see a rare badge? I got some rare badges.

Archer

NSW, Australia
Seen January 26th, 2020
Posted January 5th, 2020
3,956 posts
16.6 Years
Try using Firefox 2.0. It's good and old, but it's still powerful. Most add-ons are no longer supported, and I don't know how to stop the updates, but it should work.
I would avoid using a very outdated browser at all costs. They don't always adhere to web standards and can still have security bugs.