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Firefox 3.6.3 Large Memory Use the Longer the Browser is Open (slows computer)

  • 4 replies
  • 42 have this problem
  • 22 views
  • Last reply by rtobias71

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Firefox loads with memory usage approx 90-100k Over the course of a few hours memory usage grows to 500k Memory usage grows whether I begin browsing or not (as an experiment, I opened browser without opening a URL and left the browser open overnight). Significantly slows my system. When the memory size has grown large, I am able to close Firefox. The browser closes. However, Firefox takes ~1-3 minutes before it actually shuts down. If I try to open a new browser during that time, I get a message saying that Firefox is still running.

I opened a new thread as requested after reading: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/forum/1/626951 (firefox 3.6 has possible memory leak after prolonged usage and becomes unresponsive)

This happened

Every time Firefox opened

== I upgraded to Firefox 3.6

Firefox loads with memory usage approx 90-100k Over the course of a few hours memory usage grows to 500k Memory usage grows whether I begin browsing or not (as an experiment, I opened browser without opening a URL and left the browser open overnight). Significantly slows my system. When the memory size has grown large, I am able to close Firefox. The browser closes. However, Firefox takes ~1-3 minutes before it actually shuts down. If I try to open a new browser during that time, I get a message saying that Firefox is still running. I opened a new thread as requested after reading: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/forum/1/626951 (firefox 3.6 has possible memory leak after prolonged usage and becomes unresponsive) == This happened == Every time Firefox opened == I upgraded to Firefox 3.6

All Replies (4)

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From your plugin and extension information, there are a few possible reasons for this:

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Same issue as poster above. When I check task manager after having the newest version up and running for a few hours the memory usage becomes completely insane. Upwards of a 1,000,000 k. This is way too much, I'm going to have to start using Opera until this gets sorted out.

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Update: I updated by plug-ins and disabled the "Mozilla ActiveX control" shortly after zzxc replied.

I also ran Firefox in Safe mode. Same thing happened, just takes longer.

I am currently closing and restarting Firefox 3.6 every time it grows to the 500k-600k mark.

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I have similar problem with Firefox 3.6.15, so far I try adding or memory to my XP machine and that does not solve the problem.


I now getting up to 474 MB memory usage!

What is going on with firefox???

Modified by rtobias71