What is urlclassifier3.sqlite / page infos unusably slow

[yann2]

Hello,

I regularly use the page info view (being a RSS user I now have to go through this... fairly upset about that, but that's not the topic ) - and in the last few weeks this has become really slow. I use firefox 6 on a quad core with 6GB RAM on Ubuntu 10.4 (mozilla PPA) - doing page infos on any website would take about 15 seconds, with the window getting grayed out and marked as unresponsive. As I said, I use this a lot, it was getting really painful, so I started investigating...

Starting with disabling adblock, Downloadhelper, webdeveloper and canonical modifications : no help, still very slow.
Then I turned my attentions to the sqlite databases, and went for the regular vacuum. Nope.

Now let's see what sqlite databases are big and could slow down firefox. I clear my cookies and history on logout... but wait, here, urlclassifier3.sqlite , 20M. Let's backup that file somewhere, and cross fingers that it's not ultra important and that it'll be recreated on restart. Also trashed (with backup of course) places.sqlite .

Well, I've lost the icons next to my favourites, but time used to open the page infos is down from 15secs to about one second. The files have been recreated and I don't seem to have lost anything too important...
Now the file is back, and bigger as before, but it's still faster. I reenabled all my extensions to make sure it really wasn't their fault: all extensions back on, page info still very fast (1sec). Am a bit puzzled...

[Edit for Mods] Sorry for posting this multiple times, of course I tried again twice before actually reading the message telling me my post would be put online once it's been approved

[RobertJ]

urlclassifier3.sqlite is the database that contains a list of "bad sites". This is updated by Google while Firefox is running if you have Block reported attack sites and/or Block reported web forgeries checked under the Security Tab in Tools > Options (Preferences on Mac). It shouldn't have much impact on speed of page info and neither should places.sqlite which contains your bookmarks, history and favicons.

In my case the urlclassifier3.sqlite file size is currently 42M. and the places.sqlite is 52M. Page info pops up in less than a second.

.

[dfoulkes]

I didn't know some specifics about that file so I waited until a smart person (not me ) came along and posted the answer... I have urclassifier2.sqlite ... not ...fier3.sqlite and I also noticed that it hasn't been updated since May of this year. I have both Block reported attack sites and Block reported web forgeries checked

Shouldn't my file be updating on a continual basis?

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy dfoulkes,

mine is NOT in the roaming profile, but rather in the local profile. i suppose it is such a large file that - like the cache - it is kept out of the roaming section of appdata to save on network transfers for those who use profiles on a server.

kinda odd to see that done on a standalone system but i suppose it's easier to write one set of code and use it for both situations.

btw, mine is dated today 2011-09-19 and is 46 megs.

take care,
lee

[Oma1942]

I've got 2 url.classifier3.sqlite folders.

1. Local Settings, just like Lee says and it's 45MB, modified Sept 19, 2011.
2. Documents and Settings\my name\App Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles and it's only 10 MB and modified Jan 14, 2011.

Can # 2 be deleted or has it some other use? TIA. (XP)

[RobertJ]

It is different on Mac. It is located in the "Caches" directory; not in the profile directory

/Users/<user_acct>/Library/Caches/Firefox/Profiles/<random>.default/urlclassifier3.sqlite

My file was updated Today when I launched FF.

This is where the "Normal" profile is on Mac

/Users/<user_acct>/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/

EDIT: I would think you can remove urlclassifier2.sqlite or any such file not updated in six months; remember, I'm not on Win.

[dfoulkes]

howdy dfoulkes,

mine is NOT in the roaming profile, but rather in the local profile. i suppose it is such a large file that - like the cache - it is kept out of the roaming section of appdata to save on network transfers for those who use profiles on a server.

kinda odd to see that done on a standalone system but i suppose it's easier to write one set of code and use it for both situations.

btw, mine is dated today 2011-09-19 and is 46 megs.

take care,
lee

Thanks Lee... you are correct (as always)... mine is in Local also... and updated... I'll remove the old ones (move them probably) to see what happens.

[Oma1942]

Thanks RobertJ. I've removed the urlclassifier3.sqlite that was not updated (#2). Of course copied it and stored it somewhere else to see what happens. Guessing it must be an old leftover from previous versions?

[Lee_Dailey]

Thanks Lee... you are correct (as always)... mine is in Local also... and updated... I'll remove the old ones (move them probably) to see what happens.

howdy dfoulkes,

oh, my god! "correct as always"? [*grin*] boy do i have YOU hornswoggled!

take care,
lee

[dfoulkes]

oh, my god! "correct as always"? [*grin*] boy do i have YOU hornswoggled!

take care,
lee

It must be the hat

[Lee_Dailey]

oh, my god! "correct as always"? [*grin*] boy do i have YOU hornswoggled!

take care,
lee

It must be the hat

[*grin*]

[Oma1942]

Thanks RobertJ. I've removed the urlclassifier3.sqlite that was not updated (#2). Of course copied it and stored it somewhere else to see what happens. Guessing it must be an old leftover from previous versions?

Update: after deleting the not updated urlclassifier3.sqlite (#2) Firefox seems to be a bit faster/snappier now.