Sync in Firefox on Mac OSX stops Firefox for 20 seconds
Hallo I use Firefox 48.0.1 on a MacBook with OS 10.11.6
Since some versions of Firefox, I don't know exactly since when, each time, I open the bookmark library or even if I set or change an existing bookmark, Firefox stops, the spinning wheel is visible and after about 20 seconds Firefox continues to be usable. This issue continues each time I do something with my bookmarks. I found that it is related to Firefox Sync. If I disable Sync, no problems at all. How can I fix this? Firefox is nearly unusable like this, because I depend strongly on the bookmarks. I have around 4000 Bookmarks. I already exported them, deleted all and imported again, no change. On my PC (Windows 8.1 - 64 Bit) I have not at all this problem.
Thanks
frank
PS.: I had to use a Proxy Server from US to get to this support page. I am in germany and there is no real german support page. Only a link to a user forum, where nobody can help if there are real bugs in Firefox like this, e.g. Is there another, maybe easier way, to get to this very support page than to cheat with proxy? Thanks
All Replies (9)
My "solution" since this bug is, that I stopped using Firefox Sync.
Links may be changing shortly (maybe just for individual questions) as we are migrating to a third party software.
This forum is within https://support.mozilla.org (Currently en-US ) We do have a few other sections in a small number of alternative languages but not German. There is a German language support site: https://www.camp-firefox.de/ What happens if you try the menu options from Firefox
Menu Button {3 bar icon) -> Help {(?) icon) Firefox Help
I am not sure why you get a problem on a Mac but not a Windows Computer. Are you trying to Sync the same set of passwords with the two machines ? And do they use the same internet connection ?
I am not sure how many passwords, or more importantly changes to passwords Firefox Sync is expected to handle. Personally I only ever use Sync for test purposes, and will never deliberately let it try to sync a set of important Bookmarks I do not consider it reliable enough. (It probably would benefit from a total redesign, but I don't think that's on the cards at present)
Are the bookmark sets you are syncing widely different? Are you trying to for instance Sync an old computer with 4000 bookmarks with a new one with almost now bookmarks? (I can think of a potential rather clumsy workaround that may help in some circumstances.) Are problems resolved if you let Sync run but deselect the bookmark syncing ? See also
- How do I choose what information to sync on Firefox?
- Firefox Sync troubleshooting and tips
- How do I submit a bug for Firefox sync? { I am not suggesting you try to file a bug at this stage)
- Fred escalated *
Are problems resolved if you let Sync run but deselect the bookmark syncing ?
Yes, that is the way I handle it at the moment. I just switch on the CheckBox for Bookmarks from time to time, when I don't need Firefox, but normally I uncheck only this in Sync. Then no delays.
EDIT: I also tried the Firefox 51 Beta 3 and the nightly 53 but this didnt change anything.
Okulungisiwe ngu franc
Sorry if Sync is a problem when used with bookmarking.
Personally I am not following the topic so can not keep you updated on any progress with improving Sync. It is possible to manually backup and transfer Bookmarks but it gets a bit complicated and will not enable you to do exactly the same thing as Sync.
And there is no log file for the sync activity, where I could find the delay's reason? There is the about:sync-log but this doesnt show (me) errors.
Okulungisiwe ngu franc
You could paste th log file in as a reply if you want someone may recognise something in it. Look at it before posting and edit out any confidential information, this is a public website and partially indexed by search engines.
I would, but this form doesnt allow it.
francwalter said
I would, but this form doesnt allow it.
This forum should allow you to paste the text of a log file in as if it were any other reply. It does have a charachter number limit but I hope the file will not be too long.
You can post text files to Pastebin and post the resultant URL here. http://pastebin.mozilla.org/
Pastebin usually handles log formatting a lot better that this forum does, and has much greater capacity than this forum software has.
Going back a number of versions of Firefox there used to be a pref in about:config to enable a sync log to be generated with each sync action, but that's been gone since like Firefox 42 or there-abouts. Now it only errors logs are generated.