many tabs, many extensions, and their CPU usage

[Shiraz Dindar]

Howdy,

I've been maxing out my CPU (P4M) regularly lately when surfing with Firefox. I can't say it started happening suddenly. It's just built up with my usage, which is now:

- typically around 20 tabs open (I'm a multi-tasking kind of guy)
- 27 extensions installed


With just a couple tabs open and no extensions running, Firefox much quicker.


Basically:

1. Is my CPU being drained more by the many tabs, or by the many extensions?


2. Does anyone know of any web page or good thread documenting Firefox extensions' CPU use?


3. Here is a list of the 27 extensions I have installed. If anyone knows or believes any of these extensions to be CPU hogs, please let me know. (note: memory is not my concern, just CPU):

Adblock Filterset.G Updater
Adblock Plus
Add N Edit Cookies
All-in-One Gestures
All-in-One Sidebar
Customize Google
deskCut
Dictionary Tooltip
DOM Inspector
Download Statusbar
Fingerfox
Firebug
Firefox Extension Backup Extension (FEBE)
Get directions from Google Maps
Google Browser Sync
Google Toolbar for Firefox
IE View
Pearl Crescent Page Saver Basic
Remember Mismatched Domains
Skype extension for Firefox
Tab Mix Plus
Talkback
Undo Closed Tabs Button
Update Bookmark
View Source Chart
Web Developer


Thanks very much,

Shiraz

[steviex]

Answer to 1. Very possibly... You are asking the browser to do a lot of extra things, and that is sure to have memory and processor time requirements. Also the more extensions you have, the more chance there is of two or more extensions conflicting with each other....

FYI Read this http://kb.mozillazine.org/Problematic_extensions

The Skype Extension is known to cause problems

[Shiraz Dindar]

Thanks StevieX

Actually I'm well aware that both the many tabs and the many extensions are draining my CPU. That much is conclusive. Question 1 is actually asking for peoples' opinion on whether my CPU is being drained more substantially by the many extensions or by the many tabs. Other power users may have perspective on this.

I'll turn off the Skype Extension. It's one of the few there that I don't actually use.


Peace

Shiraz

[the-edmeister]

Here is a tool for Firefox that you might find useful in looking for leaks in extensions:
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2490/
http://dbaron.org/mozilla/leak-monitor/


Ed

[Shiraz Dindar]

Thanks --

I've noticed this extension before but I've always thought that "leak" refers to specifically to memory leaks. Can a leak also affect CPU use?


Shiraz

[Frank Lion]

- typically around 20 tabs open (I'm a multi-tasking kind of guy)
- 27 extensions installed

Basically:

1. Is my CPU being drained more by the many tabs, or by the many extensions?

Hi,

Yeah, you probably do have too many tabs open, but they affect memory more than CPU.*

Of your extensions, the following have given various problems (not necessarily CPU) in the past -

All-in-One Gestures
All-in-One Sidebar
Google Toolbar for Firefox
IE View
Skype extension for Firefox

*Also remember that some Flash sites (i.e. Pandora, etc) and heavy JavaScript sites can really hit your CPU. I would also check out your RSS and LiveBookmarks side, as well.

Hope this helps.

[Shiraz Dindar]

Well! It turns out Firebug was the culprit -- conclusively determined. A quick Google of Firebug and CPU revealed I'm not alone. It's really intended for intensive development work so I shouldn't have had it turned on at all times anyhow. My bad... but still, methinks the extension should come with a CPU usage warning.

Thanks for your help guys...

Shiraz

[Person_McPerson]

That's why Firefox used to be slow for me...

[Mulsiphix]

So by disabling the extension do you mean in the Add-on's area or by click on the icon in my status bar and choosing disable?

[Shiraz Dindar]

I disabled it in the Add-ons. I'm not sure whether the other way will address the CPU usage problem or not.

[eyrie]

Either or. I disabled it in the icon and selectively activated it for sites I work on - that way you don't have to restart FF. The other thing I disabled which seemed to help A LOT, is Network Monitoring (under Net > Options > Disable Network Monitoring). So far FF hasn't hit 100MB or more. Prior to this, it was peaking somewhere between 100-150MB.

[steviex]

If you look in the Problematic Extensions page, It is recommended that Firebug is disabled when not being used, for this reason .
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Problematic_extensions

Firebug All versions? Causes excessive CPU usage Disable Firebug when not using it

[eyrie]

That's just lazy, sloppy thinking.... To me, "Disable [xxx plugin] when not using it" basically means "If you don't plan on using it, don't even bother installing it in the first place".

And that's not really a solution since I use it predominantly for development/testing purposes - which is almost always.

[Mordwin]

Firebug is fairly configurable there though... if you select the disable option then it will only run for local files (which can be blocked separately) or any sites listed in its allowed list, or you can just turn it on and off for specific pages as needed. It'll likely still use RAM when disabled, but less than when enabled, and the CPU usage should be much lower too.

[steviex]

In all cases, I suggest you direct any comments about Firebug to the author of the Extension. Also make sure you have the most up to date version of the extension.

If you make the Extension Author aware of this issue, then steps can be taken to attempt to rectify the situation. If no one tells him, he does not know, and nothing can be done.

And 'If you do not plan on using it, don't install it' is always good advice