[Solved] Firefox takes up too much memory

CooKiECruNChEr43 · 2016-07-18 17:29:17

My computer's fan is blowing like crazy. And it took some time figuring out why.

I ran htop, pressed F5 and saw that x-www-browser is running TWICE each taking up 29,7% of available memory.

The browser (i.e. iceweasel) takes up 60% of available memory!

What is going on?
--
Mod edit: Reflect the affected browser in the subject

Last edited by CooKiECruNChEr43 (2016-07-24 06:09:20)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2016-07-18 17:59:23

CooKiECruNChEr43 wrote:

The browser (i.e. iceweasel) takes up 60% of available memory!
What is going on?

You have the wrong browser, Iceweasel has been dropped and has several known vulnerabilities.

You should be using firefox-esr instead.

Run this command to change:

sudo apt upgrade

Post back if you still have problems afterwards

Horizon_Brave · 2016-07-18 18:02:36

hmm I don't know if that's an iceweasel thing. I noticed that if I run the regular top command, it consolidates all of the firefox (and iceweasol back when I did use it) into one process. When I run htop, it gives you a much more broken down list of processes. I think (i'm not sure ) that this is done because FF splits different tabs as subprocesses, or atleast separates them. So htop shows each open tab as a different process of the same, main Firefox/Iceweasel process. Check the PID to see if my theory is right. I'll have to wait until I get my new VM installed to try it.

damo · 2016-07-18 20:33:28

@HoaS

The menu command to run iceweasel actually runs firefox-esr (it is symlinked), but in htop it appears as "iceweasel".

Horizon_Brave · 2016-07-18 23:32:33

Hope this is relevant... This is the output screen shot I got from running htop when using the x-www-browser alternative call:

It's alt'd to run firefox-esr, but for me shows up at x-www-browser, as it should. Anyway, lots and lots of processes...

Below is when I run firefox-esr from tint2.... equally as many multiple processes...

hhh · 2016-07-19 00:50:33

^ This is normal output for default htop. In htop, go to Setuo(F2)>Display options and check "hide userland threads">Done(F10)

CooKiECruNChEr43 · 2016-07-19 04:27:59

Great answers, thank you.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2016-07-19 06:36:46

@damo: thanks :8

@HB: those are threads showing in htop rather than separate instances.
https://unix.stackexchange.com/question … ss-than-ps

@OP: Use this command to show how many Firefoxes are running:

pgrep -c x-www-browser

You can also use "Safe Mode" to debug FF problems:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/tr … -safe-mode

Horizon_Brave · 2016-07-20 15:41:20

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

@HB: those are threads showing in htop rather than separate instances.
https://unix.stackexchange.com/question … ss-than-ps

I *sort* of figured that... Well unfortunately I have no support for hyper threading so the use of a process creating multiple threads doesn't really help I'm assuming?

@CookieCrunch, how did you handle this? Did you do as madoromi suggests and just manually restrict it's memory?

CooKiECruNChEr43 · 2016-07-24 06:08:29

My -rather old computer - is still blazing. But I am still looking. For now, my question has been answered. Thank you for your answers. I consider it solved.

#1 2016-07-18 17:29:17

[Solved] Firefox takes up too much memory

#2 2016-07-18 17:59:23

Re: [Solved] Firefox takes up too much memory

#3 2016-07-18 18:02:36

Re: [Solved] Firefox takes up too much memory

#4 2016-07-18 20:33:28

Re: [Solved] Firefox takes up too much memory

#5 2016-07-18 23:32:33

Re: [Solved] Firefox takes up too much memory

#6 2016-07-19 00:50:33

Re: [Solved] Firefox takes up too much memory

#7 2016-07-19 04:27:59

Re: [Solved] Firefox takes up too much memory

#8 2016-07-19 06:36:46

Re: [Solved] Firefox takes up too much memory

#9 2016-07-20 15:41:20

Re: [Solved] Firefox takes up too much memory

#10 2016-07-24 06:08:29

Re: [Solved] Firefox takes up too much memory

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