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Firefox 13.0.x MEMEORY LEAK with multiple open tabs

  • 13 replies
  • 98 have this problem
  • 3 views
  • Last reply by akajustm

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With multiple tabs open, Firefox 13.0.0 & 13.0.1 has a massive memory leak issue, where it will use 100% CPU time (of one core, as Firefox does not use multiple cores yet) and continue to eat memory (up to 3.2GiB as Firefox is still antique 32 bit) until it crashes. See screenshot below taken a couple of seconds before it crashed. This is NOT related to Flash as I am still using 11.1 due to new version issues. This issue did not occur with Firefox 12.

http://i48.tinypic.com/4tlu2s.jpg

With multiple tabs open, Firefox 13.0.0 & 13.0.1 has a massive memory leak issue, where it will use 100% CPU time (of one core, as Firefox does not use multiple cores yet) and continue to eat memory (up to 3.2GiB as Firefox is still antique 32 bit) until it crashes. See screenshot below taken a couple of seconds before it crashed. This is NOT related to Flash as I am still using 11.1 due to new version issues. This issue did not occur with Firefox 12. http://i48.tinypic.com/4tlu2s.jpg

All Replies (13)

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is it reproducible? try if it works when you reset firefox to the factory defaults (your bookmarks & passwords will remain)...

Refresh Firefox - reset add-ons and settings

Firefox uses too much memory or CPU resources - How to fix

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It is reproducible, even after resetting to new (about:support -> Reset) and disabling all plugins and extensions. As for the second article, it does not apply, as this is a Memory Leak, as in Firefox constantly requests more and more memory until it reaches the 3GiB limit for 32 bit programs and triggers a crash, it is not a case of loading many tabs and pages and memory does not get released. In case you did not see the screenshot of Firefox exceeding 3GiB of memory, I will post it directly.

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I have this problem too, ever since I updated to Firefox 13. Not very sure if it started with v13.0 or v13.0.1.

What I see is, after few days of using Firefox, memory usage goes up fourfold. If I terminate and restart Firefox and restore all open tabs, memory usage after some time (in stable state) is 25% of what it was earlier.

Also seeing Firefox lock up for a second or two every now and then, due to which if I'm typing something then some characters get missed.

Thirdly, been having Adobe Flash crashes very frequently. It also locks up Firefox for 20-30 seconds before crashing :-(.

Never had these problems before v13.0.

Regards

Vijay

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Well exact same issue with firefox 13.0.1 / Flash player 11_3_300_ 262

I've notice this bug on justin.tv / twitch.tv website, a streaming website. After some time, image (video) freeze each 3 or 4 secs, and of course it happens only when memory leak (about 1,2gb max) occur. Set the flash.ex (second' one) to low priority do not fix it.

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Same here, upgraded to 13.0.1 and I have to restart firefox every few hours because it's just consuming more and more memory. Is there a way to get an older version to downgrade? I've reset, I've reinstalled to no avail.

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I've found the problem to be the handling between Firefox and Flash. Either can become a run away process, eating away memory until it crashes the other. Closing the browser simply closes both processes and purges the processes from memory. The plug-in container may be suspect as well. This has been an ongoing issue for quite some time. You would think by now that there would have been a resolution. Ugh!!

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I've noticed this too in the last few weeks after upgrading to Firefox 13.0.1. At random times the memory and CPU usage just starts running out of control and locks up Firefox. If left unchecked it climbs way past 1GB. I've tried re-installing Firefox 13 and tried updating and disabling some plug-ins, and even tried Aurora. But nothing has solved the problem. Has anyone tried down-leveling to firefox 12 or other levels?

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I can confirm that this was a documented issue (the memory leak) as well in all versions of 12 that I can recall. I don't know if Flash was the suspect back then though ..

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Hi, From my own experience, i tried to downgrade Flash player back to 11.2.202.235 instead of last version for Mozilla firefox. With version 11.3, flash added this "plugin.exe" in order to keep ur firefox running even if Flash crash or another module. After some test, i don't have this memory leak issue anymore with Firefox 13.0.1. Also i think X64 OS don't run well yet with the last version of flash...

So guys, can u try do the same and see if it solve ur memory leak issue.

Modified by nunu87

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How did you downgrade flash? I need to do something, constantly restarting is not fun.

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The downgrade instructions for flash are currently included with links in the article

  • flash 11.3 crashes
    • note that suggests using Adobe's uninstaller, and that could have unintended consequences, you may need to reinstall Flash for IE

If you suspect memory leaks or problems do not use Windows Task Manager instead key into the location bar about:memory. You may also be interested in this article

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Thanks guys!