My Firefox is very very very slow. help!

[FoxAdriano]

Hi, I don't know what happened but for a few days my Firefox is very very slow when I'm on the Internet but not only on Internet. It takes a lot of time to load pages and especially going to Facebook. I have 200 mega internet fiber and I use the latest version of Firefox. Even yesterday I restored Firefox from scratch. I don't know why but yesterday when I opened Firefox, a page shows up automatically and asked me to restore Firefox. I answered "yes" and it put the old folder on the desktop. I installed the extensions again: AdBlock Plus and ImTransaltor. But despite all that, Firefox is very very slow again. If I had to close it and open it again then it works very fine but only for a while. With Google Chrome I don't have any problem. It works very fine.
What could I do? I'm worried because I use a lot Firefox. Thank you for some suggestions.

[kerft]

For next time you can click a close X on the suggestion to refresh- you do not have to agree to refresh Firefox. It should not have asked you to refresh unless you have not used Firefox for 2 months, which I assume is not the case. That is pretty suspicious.
As a test, don't use those extensions. Try Ublock Origin instead of Adblock Plus and for a while use another translator or just experiment with imtranslator disabled. If that does not help and you are willing to go to the effort, uninstall your antivirus software if it is something other than Microsoft Defender, and enable Microsoft Defender. To fully remove antivirus software using a special uninstall tool from their own website is usually recommended.

[FoxAdriano]

I will do what you are suggesting me, step by step.. But before I'd like to ask: I used those extension "AdBlock Plus and ImTransaltor" for some years without problems.
I use BitDefender for some years without problems. Why could I have problems with them now?
I noticed those plugins were enabled:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/p6jfz6a36at31 ... s.JPG?dl=0
Now I disabled them. In your opinion have I to enable them again or not?
Thanks

[kerft]

Openh264 can be used by some sites to play video. Widevine is used for many DRM sites like Netflix. Both plugins behave well.
Firefox recently changed how extensions store data. Ublock Origin has updated to handle this. Adblock Plus will update soon if it needs to, but maybe it hasn't yet.
Sometimes there are conflicts with antivirus, removing it is meant as a test. If it doesn't help, you should be able to reinstall it. If removing it does help, Firefox or Bitdefender will likely improve the problem soon.

[DanRaisch]

I used those extension "AdBlock Plus and ImTransaltor" for some years without problems.
I use BitDefender for some years without problems. Why could I have problems with them now?

While you used those extensions for years you did not do so with the current version of Firefox. Each time Firefox updates there is the possibility that an installed extension has not been updated to match the changes in that new versino of Firefox. A security program, like BitDefender, may also require updating to retain compatibility. Check for updates to the extensions and to BitDefender.

It is not necessary to immediately remove extensions you are comfortable with. Just try running Firefox in Mozilla Safe Mode, which will temporarily disable all extensions. That will allow you to see if there is an improvement in performance when they are not running. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_mode

To test whether the security software is involved, try starting Windows in Windows Safe Mode with Networking. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... -safe-mode

[FoxAdriano]

I unistalled AdBock Plus and installed Ublock Origin. But my Firefox is a disaster again. I surf very well for 10 minutes and then become slow slow slow. It need many seconds to charge a web page. I have the desire to uninstall it, including the keys in the registry. But when I will install it again I am afraid of getting the same disastrous Firefox.

[DanRaisch]

I have the desire to uninstall it, including the keys in the registry.

The only keys that Firefox adds to the Windows registry have to do with the default browser and protocol associations.

Uninstalling and reinstalling the application itself has absolutely no impact on your Profile, which is where saved preferences like your home page and user selected settings reside, and where most problems arise. If, however, you wish to replace the program files:

Close all applications and reboot the computer.
Clear the browser cache (of whatever browser you are using to download FF) and the Windows Temp directory.
Download a new copy of the full installer from www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all
Delete the directory C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox (or it might be C:\Program Files (x86))
Run the installer.

[FoxAdriano]

Thanks for your availability.
If I will follow tour suggestions will I solve my problem or is it a test only?
Thanks again one.

[DanRaisch]

Not exactly a test but not a guaranteed solution. See the start of my previous post.

[FoxAdriano]

You wrote "Each time Firefox updates there is the possibility that an installed extension has not been updated to match the changes". But I get problems even if I unistalled AdBlock Plus and installed unBlock Origin. I don't know what to do. In few word: do I have unistall Firefox and install it again without any Extension? But I have only one Extension. It seems incredible. Firefox has become a cramp.

[kerft]

You should try Firefox safe mode and see if your problem happens in safe mode. It does quite a bit more than just disabling your extensions. It should only take a few minutes. If it doesn't fix it then go from there. Since this seemed to happen just a few days ago, did you just get a Windows update? There is some conflicts with a few antivirus programs especially Avira and a recent windows update. https://www.askwoody.com/2019/reports-o ... slowdowns/

[DanRaisch]

Wrong post. I was referring to this one:

The only keys that Firefox adds to the Windows registry have to do with the default browser and protocol associations.

Uninstalling and reinstalling the application itself has absolutely no impact on your Profile, which is where saved preferences like your home page and user selected settings reside, and where most problems arise.

[4td8s]

You should try Firefox safe mode and see if your problem happens in safe mode. It does quite a bit more than just disabling your extensions. It should only take a few minutes. If it doesn't fix it then go from there. Since this seemed to happen just a few days ago, did you just get a Windows update? There is some conflicts with a few antivirus programs especially Avira and a recent windows update. https://www.askwoody.com/2019/reports-o ... slowdowns/

some 3rd party AV programs like Avast, Arcabit and Sophos have already released new software updates that work properly with the recent April 2019 windows updates (but not Avira):

https://news.softpedia.com/news/windows ... 5682.shtml

https://www.askwoody.com/2019/ms-defcon ... ont-patch/

[dfoulkes]

As kerft posted...you should see what happens in safe-mode. If/when I have any issues with Firefox I normally follow 3 steps...

1. Firefox safe-mode...
Try running Firefox in safe-mode... NOTE: This is a testing procedure only ... NOT for normal browsing.
-- On the menu bar, click the Help menu and select Restart with Add-ons Disabled....
Firefox will start up with the Firefox Safe Mode dialog. Click continue in Safe Mode and don't check any items.

Note: You can also start Firefox in Safe Mode by holding down the shift key while Single/Double clicking on the icon.
* (option key while starting Firefox on Mac).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>What safe-mode does ..... Safe Mode temporarily affects the following:
* All extensions are disabled. --- * The userChrome.css and userContent.css files are ignored.
* The default theme is used, without a persona. --- * The default toolbar layout is used.
* The Just-in-time (JIT) JavaScript compiler is disabled. --- * Hardware acceleration is disabled.

-- Safe Mode has no effect on the following --
* The status of plugins is not affected.
* Custom preferences are not affected.

This is the link to the main KB article for Safe-Mode ... but, use the above info 1st...
Safe Mode - MozillaZine Knowledge Base

2. Create a test profile and don't make any changes to it...see what happens with it.
Creating a new Firefox profile on Windows - MozillaZine Knowledge Base
And,.... DON'T TOUCH THAT "Choose Folder..." BUTTON! ... unless you fully know all about it.

3. If the first two don't show up with anything ...
Reboot your PC info safe-mode (with Network active), then start Firefox in normal mode and then use it... remember that in PC safe-mode there are not Security progs running... so, visit known good sites....

Then feed back here with your findings.