CPU Usage (FireFox v1.5.0.3)

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I have noted that when Firefox access the Free AVG site http://free.grisoft.com[/url%5D, it continues to consume more than 90% of CPU time. Internet Explorer shows no CPU ongoing usage on the same site. Any ideas why this might be?

Chris

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What page exactly? Just visiting the home page doesn’t seem to do anything unusual… except that scrolling marquee maybe is a bit of drain.

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I see it on every page which is linked to this home page. I agree its probably the scrolling marquee, but it’s draining a huge amount of CPU usage, which slows down my computer very noticably.

The marquee runs in IE, but I do not see anything like the same level of CPU usage.

Why would it drain so much more CPU usage in Firefox?

Chris

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I checked a couple of pages and didn’t find any serious CPU usage. Hopefully yours is not a sign of trojan or spyware activity linked to a well-known anti-malware site.

You could try using Firefox’s “safe mode” or a clean profile to see whether it is one of your extensions interacting with the site:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_Mode%5B/url%5D
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager%5B/url%5D%5B/list%5DHope this helps.

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Jefferson,
I’m finding exactly the same symptoms on this site (and I know that I don’t have any trojan or spyware problems). In FF, CPU use jumps immediately and never falls below 32%. CPU usage for this same page in IE hovers around 2%. As you indicate, it could be an extension.

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Looks like you’re pointing in the right direction with the extensions theory. I run NO extensions and when I go to the site I get 7% – 9% CPU. It jumps up to 15% or so on other links off the page, but right back down when I click the Home link. Closing that tab and coming back here to The Lounge drops Firefox back down to 0%.

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Do you have the Google Toolbar installed? If so try disabling the safer browsing feature to see if it makes a difference. That feature has been reported as causing high CPU usage.

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Thanks for all the thoughts.

I have tried in the Safe Mode, result is the same – Process Image Name firefox.exe takes over 90% of CPU usage on my desk top, over 60% on my lap top.

I do have Google Toolbar installed, but the Safe Browsing feature is disabled.

If I open another tab, and transfer focus to the new tab, the usage becomes normal, even with AVG still open in the unfocussed tab. – currently I’m like that and firefox.exe is taking max-10%. Return focus to the AVG tab, CPU usage immediately returns to >90%.

I reinstalled Windows (XP Home) on this computer only ten days ago. AVG is always running, I have also regularly run Ad-Aware and Spybot, all clean.

Don’t think I’ve seen this on any other web site.

Don’t think its causing any real problems apart from a slowdown when I’m browsing that site, but it’s a little worrying…

Thanks again for ideas…

Chris

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Is the Google toolbar the thingee on the right with the G that is for Search Google?

How can that be eliminated?

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If you mean the small box with the drop down that lets you search numerous search engines, then no, that is the “search bar.” If it can’t be dragged off the toolbar using the Customize feature, it probably can be hidden using an extension or some CSS rules in the userChrome.css file.

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To ‘eliminate’ the search bar, right click on the tool bar, select ‘Customize…’, and drag the thingee to the window that opens.

To resurrect it, do the reverse.

Chris

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Very strange. I run FF 1.5.0.4 with no extensions or add-ons. I opened the Grisoft home page in a new tab. When I click on the new tab to display the Grisoft page, CPU usage jumps to over 50%. Usage bounces between 50% and 85% as long as the page is displayed. If I close the page, or click on another tab, the usage falls to 0% to 5%. I’ve run virus and spyware scans and all results are negative. This seems to be a different problem from the old FF memory leak issue that drives CPU usage to 100%.

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Well, at least I’m not alone. These are the same symptoms which I experience. As I said, doesn’t seem to be causing any problems, but…

Chris

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