FF60.6 ESR x64 - multiprocess causes CPU spikes!?

[dfoulkes]

I didn't find it in your list of internal info that you posted... so, how much cpu memory does your system have in it? Mine only has 4gig and I need to be careful at times on how many tabs I have running but in the morning I normally start out with a few in this primary profile and then about 12 in another profile that I use... I see a little hit on performance but nothing that causes me concern. You might want to think about restarting your PC in safe-mode (with network active) and then start Firefox... visit your safe sites, create many tabs and see how it does... maybe it's your AV/Security software causing the issue and this test may point that out. BTW, I use Avast here but noticed long ago that the addon that they install into Firefox caused way too many problems in here (too much slowing down due to it) ..so, I've had it disabled for some time now.

To support other post here about starting with a new/clean profile... I'll say that at first I just updated my old ESR version keeping the same profile... for a short time. But it didn't take me long to realize that there was so much junk left over that was causing issues that I just took the time and worked up my new profile to my liking. You can have your old profile running along side your new one to make it easier to set the new one up with needed changes.

[phaolo]

how much cpu memory does your system have in it? Mine only has 4gig

Cpu memory? You mean RAM, right?
I have 16Gb and the used memory with FF and other things is around 7Gb, pagefile about 5Gb.
It's not a RAM issue.

maybe it's your AV/Security software causing the issue

I don't use an AV since 2+ years, I just check downloaded programs with Virustotal online.
No weird running processes or services. I use ZonealarmFree as a firewall btw.

To support other post here about starting with a new/clean profile...

Maybe, but I need a list of my changes in about:config, so I won't have to switch back & forth to copy everything (except for the obsolete parts).

[therube]

with FF and other things is around 7Gb

And of that, FF alone uses what?

[phaolo]

with FF and other things is around 7Gb

And of that, FF alone uses what?

Currently ~1.3Gb.
(one process, since multiprocess is off now)

--

Question: nowadays can I switch to the normal FF release from an ESR profile without breaking everything? (and back, if needed in the future)

[phaolo]

Oh well, I backed up my entire profile folder and updated to the normal FF66.
If I enable multi again, it still causes huge CPU spikes :\
It can't be a profile problem, because brand new ones have the same issue.

[mightyglydd]

It can't be a profile problem, because brand new ones have the same issue.

Why "ones"'?
Have you created ONE new profile and added NOTHING, no code no extensions ?

[kerft]

You mention audio stuttering when you open tabs. Is this audio from a browser, or what is it from? A music player like Winamp is hard to get to glitch.

[phaolo]

It can't be a profile problem, because brand new ones have the same issue.

Why "ones"'? Have you created ONE new profile and added NOTHING, no code no extensions ?

I'm not english, so pardon me if I make some mistakes.
I tested this problem with a new profile without changing anything. I also tried moving it to another HDD.

You mention audio stuttering when you open tabs. Is this audio from a browser, or what is it from? A music player like Winamp is hard to get to glitch.

I tried VLC, MPC, browser.
When I couldn't find the culprit I tested both Realtek and Nvidia audio and even updated-reverted-reinstalled the drivers.
Btw the big lag\stuttering is only a consequence of the CPU spike caused by FF.
I'm quite baffled by this issue.

[dfoulkes]

Do you see the spikes pretty much all the time? ... if so, you might want to restart your PC in safe-mode with Network active and then start up Firefox and do the things that you do to create those spikes... post back with what you found.

Also, I may have missed it... but have you performed the same things using another browser that you have installed? ... if so, what were the results.

[phaolo]

Mm.. maybe the situation improved? I tried some things, but I'm not sure which one helped:

- reset Windows' power plan and set it again.
- disabled ZoneAlarmFree's ads displayer cefsimple.exe that caused 1 random CPU core to use >90% when idle (!) and who knows what else.
- enabled Firefox multiprocess again and then forced WEBRENDER, despite WEBRENDER_QUALIFIED saying "blocked by env: No qualified hardware" (aren't Nvidia GPUs supported? I have a GTX 1070).

I'm still testing, though.

About the suggestions above:

- in the past I tried Chrome and I wasn't getting the same spikes.
I uninstalled it, however, because it frankly acted like a "malware"... it took me a while to find and deactivate all its spying methods and its constant connecting to internet even when closed (can't say I'm happy about the latest decisions by Mozilla too).

- I tried safe mode too in the past, but only with LatencyMon.
Usually starting programs in that ambient just causes a bunch of errors because normal services are disabled.. maybe I'll give it a try, if the issue returns.

[Brummelchen]

"blocked by env: No qualified hardware"

https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/commen ... r_lack_of/
only av with v64 or later.
that will mean why ESR only get bugfixes but NO feature-upgrades. thats why ESR is not recommended for the folk.

ZoneAlarmFree

one additional culprit... and it modifies Firefox user agent for worse.

[phaolo]

"blocked by env: No qualified hardware"

https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/commen ... r_lack_of/
only av with v64 or later.
that will mean why ESR only get bugfixes but NO feature-upgrades. thats why ESR is not recommended for the folk.

Yeah, but as I wrote, I already switched to normal Firefox 66.
So it must be some other problem.

ZoneAlarmFree

one additional culprit... and it modifies Firefox user agent for worse.

I've never heard about this.. why should ZA change the user agent? And with what effect?