Why do I have 2, 3, 4 copies of Firefox shown in Windows Task Manager Processes Tab?

After a few days, Firefox will get real slow, has lots of disk activity when opening a new Tab or going to another website. When I look in Task Manager, I'll see as many as 4 instances of Firefox in the Processes Tab. Even if I restart Firefox, some or all of these processes remain and I have to manually stop them to get Firefox back to speed. What is wrong or is it something I'm doing?

Hello there,
You can test to see whether one of your plugins is causing Firefox to use too much memory by selectively disabling some of them:
1. Click the menu button and choose Add-ons.
2. In the Add-ons Manager tab, select the Plugins panel.
3. Click on a plugin in the list to select it, then select Never Activate to disable it.
Repeat for some of the plugins in your list.
After disabling some of your plugins, close and restart Firefox, and observe its memory usage. If you don't see an improvement, you can enable those plugins again and try with a different set.
If none of the above solutions work then please see: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-uses-too-much-memory-ram
Hope this helps!

Similar Messages

When I exit Firefox and later load Firefox it says its open, although I can't use, have to go to Windows Task Manager and force it to close before I can load it again.

Problem is on a Dell Studio XPS desktop with the i7 processor. Current version used is 3.6.13, although the problem occurred with previous version, and only occurs intermittently. Does not seem to be time related. Sometimes, though not always, there will be two copies of Firefox open in the Task Manager "processes". When I close Firefox, and reload, runs fine until the next time.

https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Firefox%20hangs (hang-at-exit)

Why do I have to reboot my computor before firefox loads after it is used then closed then reopened but get nothing until I reboot ?

firefox 5.1 or any version has doe this im using XP which was never an issue until these newer versions so
why do I have to reboot my computor before firefox loads after it is used then closed then reopened but get nothing until I reboot ?

I've been having similar issues although mine seem to happen when I import my own movies into Apple TV. After adding new items to my iTunes library and then switching my entertainment configuration to Apple TV, I get nothing but total blackness and my TV says it has no HDMI signal. Once I unplug and repower the Apple TV, everything works fine.

When firefox crashes from a memory leak why can't you display the offending tab? Enhancement: a task manager like tab manager showing usage per tab / extension.

I typically keep many windows with several tabs open. It is possible that this causes more crashes since the number of pages multiplies any effect most users with less pages/tabs would experience. I have been having problems with Firefox crashing Using the windows task manager I have looked into this issue monitoring lots of variables. Bottom line the crash is caused by increasing memory usage possibly caused by the flash add on which is doing many IO reads on at least one offending page/tab. Could some sites be using flash to read from my disk without permission and there is a memory leak in either flash of the code the sites uses? I have searched the web for a task manager like add-on for Firefox tabs that would allow me to determine the offending page/tab/add-on/extension. It seems like a great idea which has not been implemented. Since I am a developer I would be happy to implement, but would like some guidance since my knowledge of your product is only at the user level.

There is currently about:memory page which is being actively developed. A "task manager"of sorts is also in the works AFAIK. If you want to help out, your best bet is to find the applicable bug in Bugzilla. If you have the coding skills I can help get you in touch with a mentor - just let me know.

I have installed firefox 3.2.64. When i click on the desktop icon nothing happens. The windows task manager says mozilla firefox is running but I can't see it anywhere. What might the problem be?

Question
I have installed firefox 3.2.64. When i click on the desktop icon nothing happens. The windows task manager says mozilla firefox is running but I can't see it anywhere. What might the problem be?

A possible cause is security software (firewall) that blocks or restricts Firefox or the plugin-container process without informing you, possibly after detecting changes (update) to the Firefox program.
Remove all rules for Firefox from the permissions list in the firewall and let your firewall ask again for permission to get full unrestricted access to internet for Firefox and the plugin-container process and the updater process.
See:
*https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Server+not+found
*https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Firewalls
See also:
*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Browser_will_not_start_up

Firefox Can not be completely shut down, Have to use Windows Task Manager to shut it down, I am using Vista, How to fix it????

Firefox Can not be completely shut down, Have to use Windows Task Manager to shut it down, I am using Vista, How to fix it????

See this: 
https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Firefox+hangs#Hang_at_exit

Why did you have to change the layout of Firefox?

I would like to know why you have gone and changed the layout of Firefox?
I am still on Fx 3.6.18 because quite frankly 5.0.1 looks horrible.
Why did you have to change everything and move things around. Why couldn't you have given us the same layout as 3.6.18 but with these new upgrades.
I will never download Fx5. 3.6 was perfect.
Also how can I contact Fx without upgrading?

Sorry the old Feedback page - Hendrix - used with older versions of Firefox was disabled near the end of 2010.
In Firefox 4+ versions there's a Help > Submit Feedback... menu item which leads here: http://input.mozilla.com/en-US/feedback 
But you can't submit feedback there with an older version of Firefox, currently you need Firefox 5.0 or higher.
The decision to change the GUI was made by Mozilla collectively, not by a small group of developers or by one person. If you put your efforts toward customizing Firefox to suit your tastes, it would be a lot more productive than trying to find out who to blame and where to complain about the changes made to Firefox. Geez dude, it ain't the end of the world. It's only a web browser, which can be easily modified to make it look like you thing it should look.

Firefox won't start. The program is running in the task manager processes, but the application won't open. I have restarted the computer, uninstalled and reinstalled, now I am lost!!!

I have a Dell Inspiron 530 desktop running Windows Vista Home edition. Firefox was working properly just as it has for years. All of a sudden when you click on the icon, nothing appears. I open task manager, no applications show. I go to processes, there is firefox32. I kill the process and start over...endless loop. I shut the computer down and restarted. Same issue. I uninstalled firefox and reinstalled, same issue. I idon't know what else to try.

If it does work in Safe-mode then disable all extensions and then try to find which is causing it by enabling one at a time until the problem reappears.
* Use "Disable all add-ons" on the [[Safe mode]] start window to disable all extensions.
* Close and restart Firefox after each change via "File > Exit" (Mac: "Firefox > Quit"; Linux: "File > Quit")
* https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes

Why won't Firefox close, even using Task Manager, unless I right click on the process and select 'end process' ?

Firefox works fine, but won't respond when I try to shut it down. Using Task Manager to 'End Task' doesn't work. In Task Manager I have to right click on firefox in the Processes menu and click 'End Task'. Apart from logging off/shutting down, this is the only method that works. Also refused to respond when I tried to reset and doesn't respond to commands to change profile settings.

SOLUTION (possible).
Hi all. I had this problem as well. I currently run FF26. A week or so ago, out of nowhere FF wouldn't exit - the window would close but firefox.exe process would keep running in the background using about 50% of CPU. Not sure if it's connected, but just prior to that I clicked on a link on Facebook that looked like spam website, nothing happened, site loaded (sort of, all I saw was a msg - Please Wait...) but nothing happened, I have Eset antivirus and it monitors network traffic and files for viruses, so maybe it prevented my PC getting infected...
So, I had this problem for a few days, was searching the net for solutions, but nothing seem to help. Then, just out of luck I did something that WORKED!
Here's what I did. I noticed that svchost.exe was using a lot of CPU alongside with FF. I ran ProcessExplorer to see what might be connected to this process, the list was long and I didn't have any idea where to start, so what I did was - Right click on svchost process, choose Debug and dismiss the warning. In a few seconds svchost process quit and after that FF started closing properly.
I had to re-enable all my plugins and themes I disabled prior, I also lost my history and preferences which I trashed in the process of searching for solution. But heck, it worked, hopefully for good. Now if someone could point out the real cause of this and fix it for everyone - that would be great. Cheers!

I have two instances of plugin container shown running in Task Manager. Is one malware of some sort?

No crashes to report. Windows 7 64 bit; Firefox 3.6.10; Previously have battled the two instances of Firefox running and finally beat it back after multiple virus scans by multiple AV products. Now I have two instances of the plugin container shown.
Googled with out success and finding anything.

No crashes to report. Windows 7 64 bit; Firefox 3.6.10; Previously have battled the two instances of Firefox running and finally beat it back after multiple virus scans by multiple AV products. Now I have two instances of the plugin container shown.
Googled with out success and finding anything.

Why do I have 3 black squiggles in top corners of browser window

I have noticed I now have 3 squiggly black lines in the top corners of all the grey frames to windows I open in Firefox. They do not appear in Safari or Opera. Why is this?

See also this thread for a screenshot:
*[[/questions/927389]]
*[[/questions/934209]]
I would assume that it is caused by an extension if a new profile helped.
Start Firefox in [[Safe Mode|Safe Mode]] to check if one of the extensions or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance/Themes).
*Don't make any changes on the Safe mode start window.
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Safe+Mode
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes

Why do I have to keep logging in and registering CC apps (Windows)

Every single time I close and app (Photoshop CC, Illustrator CC, etc...) and I go to open it again later when I need it, I have to login in again and again and register the product every time. The only problem that doesn't give me any trouble is Lightroom becuase it isn't connected to the cloud the same way the other apps are...
It all gets pretty frustrating when you go back and forth between Lightroom and Photoshop as I often as I do. (Sometimes it's just a natural reaction to close Photoshop CC when I think I am done with it.)

Hi dustin_pennay,
Please try this fix to resolve the issue.
Please rename SLStore folder to SLStore.old from this location
Windows:
C:\ProgramData\Adobe
Mac:
/Library/Application Support/Adobe
Let us know whether this step worked for you or not.
regards,
Abhijit

Why does Firefox use up so much memory? My Windows Task Manager shows it using 109 Meg just now asking this question. Thanks

Pretty simple: I want to know how I can keep Firefox from using so much memory when in use. 100-200 meg is common. Thank you

Hi musicfan, Sorry you are having problems with Firefox. Maybe you should have asked earlier and we could have fixed it.
Reading your comments I do not see that rolling back to an insecure Firefox 22 will actually help you much. You are probably best using IE, unless you have also damaged that.
*[[Export bookmarks to Internet Explorer]]
You should not use old versions they are insecure. Security fixes are publicised and exploitable.
* [[Install an older version of Firefox]]
* https://www.mozilla.org/security/known-vulnerabilities/firefox.html
Most others will not be having such problems. We are now able to say that with confidence because after developers missed a regression in Firefox 4 telemetry was introduced so that data was obtained. It may be an idea to turn on your telemetry, if you have not already done so, and decide to stick with Firefox.
*[[Send performance data to Mozilla to help improve Firefox]]
Trying safe mode takes seconds. Unfortunatly if you are not willing to do even rudimentary troubleshooting there is not anything we can do to help you.
*[[Troubleshoot Firefox issues using Safe Mode]]

Why does double-click not work for files of Firefox type under Windows 7 (Firefox 15.0.1)?

If in the Windows Explorer of Windows 7 I double-click the name of a file that is mentioned as being a Firefox file by its file type symbol, it should be launched. But this doesn't happen. If I select "Open with" > Firefox" in the file's context menu, nothing happens. But if I select another browser, the file will be launched.

Hi,
You can try to right-click a file > '''Open with''' > '''Choose default program''' > '''Browse''' (disregard any existing entry) and select Firefox, and also enable (tick) '''Always use the selected program to open this kind of file'''.

When I close Firefox, the window closes but the Firefox.exe process and Plug-in Container remain running in the background and have to be shut down using Windows Task Manager.

This happens frequently. Something in Firefox continues to run even when the program is closed. The process has to be stopped before I can open Firefox again.

Thanks. Closing with File/Exit instead of the X closes Firefox properly. AT LAST! A solution!

Why do I have 2, 3, 4 copies of Firefox shown in Windows Task Manager Processes Tab?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for