Firefox
 

Any reason why FF takes so long to load? Is it due to the addons and Ghostery? Heard it said that its a large file but 90 seconds is ridiculous. Thoughts anyone. :rolleyes:

Takes less than five seconds for me on Windows or Linux, though all those machines have SSDs. The only addon they have is NoScript, so it could well be that you have an addon that's taking a long time to start up.

I suggest having a look here and here. With selective disabling and restarts you will soon work out what is the problem. I have had similar happen before and it usually boiled down to a single plug-in or add-on.

Of all the browsers I use (I have six), Firefox always takes the longest to load and the longest to shut down. Use another browser.

Normally between 5-10 seconds for me - thats on a quad core though with 3GB RAM.

Thanks DC3, got it down to 20 seconds now. :ok:

Takes about 5-10s to load, using XP with a single core.

Takes twice that to shut down. Chrome (SRWare Iron, actually) shuts a little faster. Loading is about the same.

With Process Explorer open I started FF and had it sitting on about:blank

After it's first grab at a huge chunk of memory it settled down and just periodically kept grabbing small chunks of memory with no activity.

Something could be wrong with the new FF, I'm using version 21.0, and miss the old speedy version 3.16.

I'm using 3.6 something which I've recently upgraded to and find there seems to be a conspiracy.

Gmail and YouTube (among others) both say it's too old and they're going to stop supporting it soon.

Seems to me the newer versions might be more compliant to spying activities, otherwie, why would they care?

My thoughts exactly. Why else would anyone want to have so many extensions and addons. Never used to happen in the days of 3.6

I have FF 25.0.1 on a W7 laptop

I have adblock,ghostery,noscript and it takes 6 seconds to load and be ready for use.

Oh, dear. FF too old to have Ghostery. Update? Some of my add-ons won't work. Kaspersky being the main issue. Safe Money etc. I think all loaded and paid for by Barclays Bank in the UK.

Every way I turn there seems to be a brick wall. How come you lot don't have these problems?:uhoh:

W(hy)TF do "they" have to keep changing things !!!

Welcome to Open Source software development. :E

Endless supply of free coders but minimal supply of decent project managers.

I don't think FF 3.6 supported HTML5.

HTML5 introduces many things like a graphics engine, video rendering, and other features which FF have to adopt in order to stay alive in the browser wars.

FF 3.6 ran very well on my old-ish netbook, I've just updated to FF 25 from the slow memory intensive FF 21 and it appears to be a slight improvement.

I just wish FF would use slim line tabs or some other option that would not encroach on my screen's limited real estate.

I use Firefox almost exclusively.

I only resort to IE when FF malfunctions (like now).

Earlier today, FF (27.0.1) 'froze' (my whole computer froze and I had to press the on/off switch and reboot).

When I opened FF I found that it wouldn't open my Hotmail emails (Hotmail will load but won't open the messages - this works just fine in IE). I also found that 'Restore previous session' was 'empty'.

I clicked on 'Help' and when I opened the 'About Firefox' tab it downloaded FF 28.0 (requiring FF to be restarted) but it still wouldn't open email messages.

Now it is running PPRuNe in reduced graphics 'text only' format without the usual coloured borders - this also applies to another bulletin-board site that I use.
It sees to be a 'memory' problem.

I have read that I can reset FF to its default state - but I will lose my extensions and add-ons (and will, presumably, lose my AdBlock Plus settings and ReminderFox entries - which are very important ones for me that I don't even want to contemplate losing).

Am I doomed and will have to bite the bullet and reset FF to default and lose the data - or will I have to continue using IE in order to access my Hotmail messages and get PPRuNe in full colour format?

I gave up with Firefox six months ago after several years of being a satisfied user. Too many add-on problems and slow-loading pages after the endless version updates.
I've been with Opera since and found it far superior.

My FFox doesn't take long to open, at least a little quicker then I.E., but as of yesterday it has changed - for no apparent reason.

I no longer have the arrow on the right hand end to show my 'bookmarks', and the 'Firefox' logo at the top left has changed to the small curled fox and a list of headings . viz File/Edit/View/History/Bookmarks/Tools/Help, so nothing's missing, just re-arranged. WTF ?

Never touched it M'Lud.

Currently 27.0.1 here. It's certainly slowed down after recent 'upgrades'. The first load after cold boot seems especially slow. Subsequent switches to the program from other applications are almost instantaneous.

I'm becoming somewhat disenchanted.

FOR

Have you tried running the latest firefox in safe mode (not windows safe mode, firefox safe mode ... google it !)...

It may be your plugins/add-ons/whatever they call them causing you grief.

I'm running Firefox 28.0 and don't have any of the above problems. It starts quickly enough that I don't notice it, and it plays nicely. What am I doing wrong?

I updated yesterday to 28.0 and have no problems even on my old slow laptop.

Does anyone know if here is anything like the Google Toolbar which apparently no longer exists for FF. It was very useful for the autocomplete options.

Having endured:-
for two days, I have rebooted once more and the situation is now back to normal with full graphics as expected.

Hallelujah!

Nothing Keef, it is simple fear of what the Almighty might do if it mucked up your computer. ;)

Im not entierly sure which version Im on now. Confusion prevails. Firefox says Im not on the latest version. Do I want to update? Yes please! You are already on the latest version.:ugh::ugh::ugh: Give me strenghth.

Gemma.......while in the ff browser. Click on 'help' top left of screen. Then click 'about firefox' you'll get a small window which shows your version of firefox. Also you will see a box 'check for updates' click it. Hope it helps.

My Firefox screen has just gone 'full screen' - that is, whatever application I access fills the whole of my laptop screen and is devoid of any toolbars (and no bottom Windows icons) - no obvious way to reduce the screen cover and I have to go to Task Manager (via Ctrl Alt Del) and End Process to escape.


I have re-installed Firefox by downloading 29.0.1 but it returns to full screen without any means of escape other than the aforementioned Task Manager route.
I am currently using IE11 - but that is infected with the (dreaded) QONE8 search engine (even though the Home Page URL is set to Google!).


How do I 'crack' into Firefox to reset a sensible screen size (there's no 'Tools' or icons to click on . . .

Might be a bit tooo obvious, but did you try the f11 button?

Thank-you - sensibility restored!

:D

:ok:

I started to get unpredictable problems with Firefox - sometimes delays, sometimes media issues and sometimes it just stuck, for example. It was a pity because I had used it for a while and was pleased with it.

A few months ago I changed painlessly to Pale Moon and am happy again. I have lots of add-ons and things yet it takes (I've just closed and restarted it to be sure) just a couple of seconds to open the blank page and another six to fill that page with the BBC news.

Several of you worthies on here (you know who you are, thank you!) helped me when I had issues with Thunderbird. Some told me to chuck it and some suggested how to fix it. I did the latter but the shadow of the problems still hangs over me. Do any of you have experience with FossaMail? It sort of seems to be to Thunderbird what Pale Moon is to Firefox so is a bit of "the devil I know". Is it a success?

Just spent 10 minutes writing this, and it zapped off into Cyberspace when I wasn't looking - I hate computers, the old Remington typewriter never did that ! ( if this proves to post twice, apologies )

Start again ........ Following my enquiry on a previous thread about Firefox, I was advised to do this by "booglebox" (eternally grateful, thanks).........

Quote ... Anyone who hates the latest version of Firefox: take the LTS version and get security updates too.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/

I followed that advice and regained my faith in Firefox again, i.e. back to normal, fast and stable and didn't keep switching off, except that being sucked into some Registry checking thing that I didn't initiate, last week, I accidentally downloaded the latest version of Firefox again and back we went to all the problems, so I repeated the above and calm and serenity was restored.

As a result I'll never upgrade to a newer version of Firefox, happy with what I know - just like the Word 97 programme that I still use, Office 365 fcuk off.

Except that last week I spent almost a whole 8 hour day with HSBC in the UK at International telephone rates- albeit on some cheaper VOIP thing - trying to get started with their telephone banking sysetm - they took 10 minutes everytime to send a verification code by text to my cellphone on the other side of the World -and yes, I do know the name of my first dog, and my first car, and where my father was born, and No, I'm not trying to move 20 Trillion dollars to some 2nd Lt. in Al Queda, thank you, so eventually I was accepted for Internet Banking using one of those button pressing gadgets that they had sent me a few months ago when I sent them a Secret Word that I promptly forgot.

First time I tried to check my account having jumped through all the hoops, I got a beautiful, totally blank, white screen. Back to the telephone to be told " Oh, didn't we tell you ? You can't use Firefox or Chrome, only Internet Explorer."

Oh, for fcuks sake, give me strength.

I wonder what I am missing here?
I have been using Firefox since it was first released and have had no serious problems with it. Today, I am running version 29.0.1 and it is problem free. One caveat though; Adobe Flash Player can cause problems when I have multiple tabs open but this can be fixed whenever the mood takes me. In the meantime, Flash Player crashes can be dealt with by simply refreshing the affected tab.
Similarly with Thunderbird, I have used this for my emails since the year dot and have had no problems with it.
Capetonian: if you still haven't found your Google helper thing, have a look at the small window on the right of the toolbar. There will be a small arrow in there and if you click on that, you should see a list of search engine options available. Google is one of those.
ExSp33db1rd: Which particular section of HSBC were you talking to? I have used Internet Banking with HSBC for some years now, using the little button pressy thingy and have no problems. More to the point, I have always used Firefox for this and never Internet Explorer.
Finally, the best feature of Firefox, in my opinion, is the No Script add-on. Brilliant!

ExS, you're most welcome old chap. However:

I'm afraid this is untrue. Firefox LTS will automatically switch you to the next major LTS version at a certain time. Here is a handy flowchart:

https://mozorg.cdn.mozilla.net/media...iew.png?201406

If you want an alternative to Firefox, quite a good one is Waterfox, as it's 64-bit and therefore faster and more stable, and there are no forced upgrades; but it takes up a LOT of RAM! (1gb with 3 tabs open!)

Booglebox

Don't mind that if the LTS version works as well as the present one.

KelvinD

HSBC Offshore, someone in the I.o.M. I accept that sending stuff back and forth to them - like the Secret Word and the "token" - by snailmail to / from the bottom of the World does take some time, but it was last September when I started the trail!

The Voice on the Telephone just said that they had reports that customers were reporting staring at a blank page, as I was, i.e. it had logged me in OK, then "obtained data" from HSBC, and the progress wheel thing had stopped rotating, but the page was totally blank, no logo, no data, zilch. and in every case reported the customer had been using Firefox or Chrome, and he suggested that I used I.E. which worked straight away, no problem.

What are you missing ? I had no problem with FFX until about a month ago, when I was prompted to download " the latest version" - can't remember the number I'm afraid. After that, having opened maybe 2 or 3 tabs, and attempting to open another, I got the message that Firefox was already open, and that I had to close it and re-open, or maybe even re-start my computer.

I couldn't work out how to close down Firefox, and always had to totally re-start my computer to continue my browsing, doing this every 30 minutes or so was somewhat irritiating - to put it mildly! Following the advice to instal the LTS version all came good again, and I had no repeat until I foolishly accepted a demand to upgrade again whilst scrutinising a "registry" repair site - not sure how that came up, but I initially fell for it. Eventually I went back to the LTS version and - so far - no repeat of the problems I faced.

I'm happy with Firefox at the moment, but if I continue to get hassled I'll go back to Chrome !

Ahem... keeping your browser up to date is a good thing.

You'll get the new UI... which is substantially different (and if you've been using FF29, you have seen it already).
More details here.

From a security perspective, yes, but that's another advantage of a 64-bit browser: way better security :cool:

From a usability perspective, not always. I have my Firefox pretty nicely configured to maximise screen real estate and stay productive / usable on my smallish laptop, and although I try not to abhor change too much, it seems this new UI doesn't really add anything and is just change for the sake of change, and another attempt by Mozilla to try to stay relevant in an age where what browser you use doesn't really matter for most people.

I will download it and play with it. Maybe it's customizable enough to keep me happy. :ooh:

And before that, it was Firebird. Still got the download somewhere.

I can smell the smell of the fresh bull slurry that you've left underneath your seat.

Seriously ? Do you SERIOUSLY even remotely believe that ? FFS ! I despair ! :ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh: :ugh::ugh:

Yep, I do. To elaborate, or perhaps clarify, IMHO probably the biggest security advantage is using 64-bit plugins e.g. Java and Flash.
Actually, rather puerile retorts aside, I would be quite interested to hear why you think I am wrong. After all, you're a knowledgable chap, and I may indeed be wrong! :}

Utterly deluded. :rolleyes:

64-bit just means two things :
(1) the ability to address more memory (which is pointless with plugins, since they shouldn't be using 32-bit's worth of RAM let alone more !)
(2) Perform 64-bit operations (i.e. do stuff quicker)

Its an architectural difference. That is all.

As for the security .... think of it like the difference between a terraced house and a mansion, or a mini and a porsche .... i.e. there is none, both are equally vulnerable to robbery and vandalism. The same goes for 32 vs 64 .... both are equally as vulnerable to ****ty coding.... don't believe me ? take a look at how many updates Microsoft have brought out for Windows 7/8 64-bit ... case closed.