Firefox CPU usage and Flash plug-in insanity

[Rys]

I'm about THIS close to uninstalling the Flash plug-in for Firefox. I was in the middle of paying for something on eBay last night when I loaded up some flash movie that someone on IRC linked me to. Cue 100% CPU usage, hung browser and me not sure if the payment had gone through or not. Taskman to kill was my only option.

Any cures for the Flash-being-completely-and-utterly-pants issues? I've upgraded the plug-in numerous times to no avail. Hidden settings I can tweak?

Related to that issue is just general CPU usage issues in Firefox. I have a few tabs open all the time and often Firefox will just sit and chew the CPU up while doing nothing. 30% CPU usage or whatever just sitting there while I read text. That then spikes when I scroll the page using my mouse, or switch tabs by clicking, and things lag while Firefox sodomises the CPU deciding what it's doing next.

Anything I can do to fix that? Unloading all my extensions doesn't help, nor does using new blank profile with most things off or unloaded.

GARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!

Help

[DR]

Originally Posted by Rys

I'm about THIS close to uninstalling the Flash plug-in for Firefox. I was in the middle of paying for something on eBay last night when I loaded up some flash movie that someone on IRC linked me to. Cue 100% CPU usage, hung browser and me not sure if the payment had gone through or not. Taskman to kill was my only option.

Any cures for the Flash-being-completely-and-utterly-pants issues? I've upgraded the plug-in numerous times to no avail. Hidden settings I can tweak?

Related to that issue is just general CPU usage issues in Firefox. I have a few tabs open all the time and often Firefox will just sit and chew the CPU up while doing nothing. 30% CPU usage or whatever just sitting there while I read text. That then spikes when I scroll the page using my mouse, or switch tabs by clicking, and things lag while Firefox sodomises the CPU deciding what it's doing next.

Anything I can do to fix that? Unloading all my extensions doesn't help, nor does using new blank profile with most things off or unloaded.

GARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!

Help

Maybe your PC is not powerful enough?

[Lee @ SCAN]

Originally Posted by David

Maybe your PC is not powerful enough?

lol yeah his ancient FX57 and SLI 7800GTX system needs a HUGE radical overhaul now just to use FF and the flash-plugin

[nichomach]

David, you've got a REAL cruel streak, haven't you...
Rys, have you tried completely removing FF and all its extensions and reinstalling? I'd guess that you've been using it since the betas and that you might have upgraded each version rather than done a fresh install? A clean start sorted out some CPU utilisation issues with FF for me.

[directhex]

i've never had any real cpu use issue on firefox on windows, even with flash (though flash under linux is a bit sucky and 100percentcpuish)

perhaps blitzing your profile might help

[mike_w]

Originally Posted by directhex

i've never had any real cpu use issue on firefox on windows, even with flash (though flash under linux is a bit sucky and 100percentcpuish)

perhaps blitzing your profile might help

Hmm, that's the only time I get problems with Flash - try using this: https://addons.mozilla.org/extension...nfo.php?id=433

It's an extension that blocks flash programs unless you click on them.

[Rys]

Originally Posted by nichomach

David, you've got a REAL cruel streak, haven't you...
Rys, have you tried completely removing FF and all its extensions and reinstalling? I'd guess that you've been using it since the betas and that you might have upgraded each version rather than done a fresh install? A clean start sorted out some CPU utilisation issues with FF for me.

My only issue with that is that I'll have to start with a fresh profile and no extensions and configuration settings. Can't really afford to just nuke my entire set of customisations and start from scratch. Not at the moment anyway, since I need a browser to do my job.

I'll give a fresh install a go as soon as I can spare the time, cheers for the helpful suggestion!

[Curly]

I get the same probs with FF and Flash/Java, reading about the interweb.... some peeps say turning off smooth scrolling will help (didn't work for me) and others that it is a java/nvidia drivers prob.

edit: theres a new vers 1.0.5 of FF maybe this will cure it

Curly

[shadowares]

By a stroke of luck, I found the solution. That worked for me.
I was tuning my XP pc to a new theme (AlienGUIse 2.0.2.2)
XP and Vista version can be downloaded on "softpedia". Google it!
I installed it and I choose the "Xenomorph theme" with the Stardock (toolbar that look the same as a MAC/OS). Then in firefox, I download the Theme "BlueFox 3.6.30...". Recently, I felt my pc was faster than before with that new theme, also internet performance.
SURPRISE!!!!
No more lagging in videos
I hope that will help you.

Shad

[mycarsavw]

So by installing a new Firefox theme, your internet performance has improved and your PC now runs faster?

[Rob_B]

Ahahaha!

I installed 2 themes & it turned my dual core into a quad core