Firefox Performance Declining

[z929669]

WaterFox is awesome. Coexists with FireFox without issue, and there is no apparent difference between the two (other than maybe performance).

[Kate_the_Bionic_Uterus]

I have to restart Firefox every few days because it gobbles up too memory and either becomes too slow or crashes. I have Adblock Plus, Element Hiding Helper for Adblock Plus, FiddlerHook, Ghostery, and Lightbeam extensions installed. FiddlerHook is most inactive most of the time, but I just disabled Lightbeam since it's isn't really all that useful. It almost looks as if Firefox (or an extension) has a memory leak since the memory usage goes way up over time.

 

I agree that it used to be a lot more stable than it has been lately. I normally keep about 10 tabs open since I refer to them continuously and don't close the browser. With the past few releases, it usually pops up a message saying something bad happened after a few days and has to restart.

hmm... this doesn't make sense? Something is wrong then with your PC settings. First off your FF browser settings should be set so that everything is deleted after you close your browser. Second I would ask that you hit the start button and in the search bar punch in MSCONFIG; go to BOOT tab and hit Safe Mode; then hit the Startup tab. This will list all the programs that are running in the background and this can slow your browser down (and your entire PC) so I recommend you unclick everything except for must haves and then restart computer. Type in MSCONFIG again and unclick the start in safe mod option if everything seems ok and resrtart your PC and try surfing with 12 tabs open. Personally I have almost zero programs running in the background.

 

EDIT: There is a bug that sometimes develops where the amount of active add-ons slows FF down. Try this -->. https://mzl.la/15sSfJR

 

Modern computers, game consoles, and electronics in general are designed to kept in sleep mode instead of turning them off. There technically isn't any reason to ever completely shut off your computer, PS4, iPhone, or anything really. They are built to be put into sleep mode where they barely use any power, can download updates, defragment hard disks (if a computer), and can start back up instantly instead of booting up again.

 

With that said though, I always turn off my electronics anyways out of habit as well. Technically we are all only wasting our time by turning off our electronics instead of putting them to sleep...but old habits die hard.

Although this is true because of security reasons I suggest turning off your PC.

 

I switched to Pale Moon (FF clone/fork) about a year ago and am absolutely happy with it. If you are unhappy with Firefox but don't want to use something drastically different, this might be a browser for you.

Pale Moon is a fantastic browser for underpowered laptops and older PC but if you have a new high powered gaming PC or audio/visual editing rig you would really benefit from using Waterfox. There are many users that prefer the old style browsers and they are the hardcore Palemoon groupies. I use Palemoon as my backup browser so I have nothing bad to say about it.

 

I really want to switch from Chrome to something else, but there is just waaay to many to switch to, so I'm totally clueless.

 

• Chromium
• Comodo Dragon
• Cyberfox
• Firefox Beta
• IceCat
• IceDragon
• Pale Moon
• Waterfox

 

Edit:

• Firefox Developer Edition
• Firefox ESR
• Firefox Nightly
• SeaMonkey

 

If you have a 64bit system then I recommend Waterfox. I have been using it since WinXP  and for most of that time it has been the best running browser around. Since it is a fork and run by one person there are times when the Mozilla updates don't work right away or conflict with Waterfox and may cause problems but other than the occasional hic up you should be very pleaseed with the results.

 

The Firefox nightly builds aren't even guaranteed to work, so take this into consideration. These are primarily intended for testing so cross this one off.

As a long time Firefox Nightly beta tester I can confirm this. The average user will not like this browser for regular internet tripping.

 

Those still seem like the only three noticeable differences. And after looking up Pale Moon some more, I've came across three benchmarks that show Pale Moon was slower than Firefox each time interestingly.

 

Edit:

After spending a lot of time looking up those other Firefox open-source forks, I came to the conclusion that while they are 64-bit, that results in almost no performance gain (because honestly, when is your browser using more than 4GB of ram???) and basically vanilla Firefox outperformed all of them in benchmarks. I'll list a few I saved but I came across a few more I'm too lazy to look up again that said the same thing, Firefox is almost always faster, starts faster, and uses less ram.

 

https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/Cyberfox-Review-470007.shtml

https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/Waterfox-Review-445085.shtml

https://www.networkworld.com/article/2185649/applications/fast-firefox-faceoff--nightly-vs--pale-moon-vs--waterfox.html

https://portableapps.com/node/39509

 

If anyone wants my opinion on the best browser, it's this. If you want speed and good performance, Google Chrome is the way to go if you don't care about Google knowing everything you do.

If you do care about privacy, Firefox Beta is the best because it's stable unlike Firefox Nightly, and you get performance updates and bug fixes a month before all regular Firefox users.

 

These benchmarks are outdated and mean nothing. They did mean something in 2011 but the 64bit browser like Waterfox is not  faster than the regular 32bit Firefox any more. However that doesn't mean that it is not better in other areas. The browser takes advantage of the differences between the 32bit system and the 64bit system. The number of bits in a processor refers to the size of the data types that it handles and the size of its registry. A 64-bit processor is capable of storing 2⁶⁴ computational values, including memory addresses, which means it’s able to access over four billion times as much physical memory than a 32-bit processor. So you want a browser that can take advantage of that. Speed is not everything when it comes to 64bit browsing.

 

I don't recommend Cyberfox. I tested it for 3 months and it is littered with tracking software built into the browser. Although they recently announced they removed it I can only advise users to BE CAREFUL!

 

Stay away from Google Chrome browser.

 

Firefox fork builds are all going to have peeks and valleys where they perform amazing, then perform well and at other times perform poorly. It is similar to using mods in PC games, you have to know what you are using and get involved with the browser community and sometimes solve problems.

 

Download Waterfox here.

Join the community and problem solve here.

Edited September 30, 2015 by Kate_the_Bionic_Uterus

[phazer11]

I'm curious as to when you tested Cyberfox and where you got your information. I did fairly exhaustive research on the matter back when I was picking my 64 bit variant and never came across this, I was previously using Waterfox previously as I'm also a member on OCN but gave up on it when the author hadn't updated it in like a year.

I use uBlock Origin, Request Policy, NoScript, Disconnect, HTTPS Everywhere and a User Agent Spoofer.

[Kate_the_Bionic_Uterus]

When did you stop using Waterfox? I ask because there was a time when Waterfox was not updated for a year (maybe a little more even) because Alex was rebuilding the browser from scratch. It was running very slow at the time and I switched to my backup browser Palemoon at that time. Although when it was updated I have to say it was flying! Then again last year it was not working that great for a few months... the thing is, it is one guy who is doing all the work whereas FF has an entire team. The problem as I understand it lies in Mozzila's monthly update schedule and also changes in the web architecture for the larger delays.

 

Ya Cyberfox... I don't know where I got that information... it just came to me!   ok kidding I first heard about it on some browsing message boards and over the next little while people started to complain about that and then they (the browser team themselves) mentioned it in their update that they removed it. I alsways make sure to read what my programs are actually updating. So they mentioned it in their release notes. Here's the problem, Cyberfox doesn't show all their release notes any more and I would have to go back and figure out which version of the browser this happen with. That would take some effort on my part that I am not sure I am willing to put in just for the sake of this conversation. What I will do for you is ask a few friends of mine and see if they remember and can provide links. Any ways, they removed the questionable data last winter or so    Lets let it simmer and I promise to PM you an update 

 

Cyberfox users should also be aware of this registry corruption.

 

I liked the way Cyberfox looks but the guys over at Palemoon are not impressed, and Waterfox has been running real smooth for me since Spring.

 

I'm testing Disconnect now. Request Policy, (which I love btw) is being re-worked from the ground up. It is kind of obsolete these days. It is not so much the add-on but the internet has changed so the RP add-on wasn't really blocking what it said it was blocking. Unless RP has been re-released (yes, re-released under a new project name ~ see Request Policy add-on download page for more information) then in the interim I recommend using Policeman 0.18.1.1 :cop:

 

That reminds me to check up on the RequestPolicy re-work project

 

EDIT: A quick edit here on the new requst Policy. The project is in BETA now and you can get more information here -->

RequestPolicy Continued 0.5.30pre1 Edited September 30, 2015 by Kate_the_Bionic_Uterus

[phazer11]

Yes I did quit using Waterfox when he (Alex) didn't update it for a year tried it again when I guess it was in that slow period you mentioned. I also noticed it had more of a memory bloat. I usually have a few hundred tabs open at any given time things I'm following, class research, video etc. so the bloat was a noticeable 500mb higher than Cyberfox. I usually read the update notes myself (there may have been one I missed will have to go back and see if I can find it) I'd be interested if you could dig up those threads.

[z929669]

OT, but ... few HUNDRED tabs? That seems a bit overkill ... better to just use your history maybe. That alone could cause most browsers to lag or even crash.

 

I can't imagine running more tabs than a single row allows. I would rather close and reopen a page.

[Kate_the_Bionic_Uterus]

... I usually have a few hundred tabs open at any given time...

WHOA!!!! :O_o:  hehehe... you "TAB" junkies are so funny. I know a few guys who also get upset when the start their browser and it can't open their 30 TABS quickly enough!

 

If I remember correctly they were using the code to generate income for their project and nothing more. It wasn't really malicious but they weren't really upfront about it.

 

Here is something interesting for all Firefox users including all FF forks:

How do I get rid of the new "Hello"-feature?

 

Here is an interesting article: What you do when Firefox uses too much memory

Edited October 1, 2015 by Kate_the_Bionic_Uterus

[phazer11]

Never said anything about Waterfox being slow on start up but it was slow while browsing, in fact I couldn't care less how long it takes to open. I'm guessing from your previous post saying it wasn't working so great at one point last year that that is the time I retried it, it was slow and used more memory even with lower number of tabs open. Don't know what this "Hello" feature is though.

[Kate_the_Bionic_Uterus]

... Don't know what this "Hello" feature is though.

FF just added it recently. It is some sort of Video Chat feature which to me is a security concern. I have Face Time on my iPhone for that.

 

Did you get a chance to see this-->  What you do when Firefox uses too much memory ? This seems to be a common problems with FF and it's forks.

[z929669]

I changed the 'hello' feature, as mentioned in the link you posted (although I am not sure even what it is or where to find it .... thus, I do not need it).

​

​Question: changing under Waterfox (about:config) is same as changing under FF right? What about sync ... will this change sync to my other FF/WF browsers throughout the world, or must I configure each?

[Kate_the_Bionic_Uterus]

I changed the 'hello' feature, as mentioned in the link you posted (although I am not sure even what it is or where to find it .... thus, I do not need it).

​

​Question: changing under Waterfox (about:config) is same as changing under FF right? What about sync ... will this change sync to my other FF/WF browsers throughout the world, or must I configure each?

Yes the about:config changes is the same as changing under FF.

Sync?.. Good question. I am not sure. I would think so but I personally don't use the sync feature. I have different browser setups for my different computers and I have a portable FF edition that I use as well along with a portable TOR that I use. I always preffer to do these things manually but that is just me. I have manuall backups of all my different profile browser settings in case my browser get highjacked or some other type of emergency.  You can do the same as I by following these instuctions--> Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles . This works for all FF builds, but not all of the forks. I know it works for Waterfox and I think it works for Palemoon as well but I am not sure about Opera or Cyberfox or any of the other forks out there. Cyberfox had this neat program that I tried that transferred my FF profile so I didn't bother to look into that.

Edited October 1, 2015 by Kate_the_Bionic_Uterus