Firefox 4 "Hesitations"

[Bigaldoc]

I don't quite know what subject to call this. Ever since I installed Fx 4 I've had a problem that often as I'm typing text, such as this post, the rendering of the text will stop for 1 or 2 seconds while I keep typing and then it catches up, only to keep doing it every few seconds. It's very annoying when you're typing and watching the screen. The keyboard buffer is keeping up but "something" makes Fx pause like that.

Not only typing but I frequently, like most, use the up and down arrow keys or page up/down for scrolling in a page or document. Every so often I press one of those movement keys and nothing happens. After several seconds the move takes place. Then, for some period of time, those keys behave as they should, only to have it happen again.

I don't believe it's the "native" Fx 4 because I've just created a test profile from which I'm now logged in and typing this post. The above behaviors are NOT now present. This makes me think that it's some ADDON or PLUGIN that I'm using that's causing the problem. Wow, is that gonna be a problem to track down or what?

Before I start disabling things, one by one, does anyone have any "candidates" that you've come across so I can see if I also have that addon running? Could it be AdBlockPlus or WOT? I also have a new addon since my favorite one (Copy URL) doesn't work in Fx 4. Now that I'm in a test profile I can't remember the name of the thing. I'll have to list it later.

Anyone got ideas?

[HansV]

I haven't noticed such slowdowns in Firefox 4 (yet?). For reference, these are the extensions and plug-ins I use:

Java Console 6.0.24
NoScript 2.1.0.2
WOT 20110323

Foxit Reader Plugin for Mozilla
Java Deployment Toolkit 6.0.240.7
Java (TM) Platform SE 6 U24
Microsoft Office 2010 14.0.4730.1010
Microsoft Office 2010 14.0.4761.1000
Picasa 3.0.0.0
Shockwave Flash 10.2.159.1
Silverlight Plug-In 4.0.60310.0
Windows Live Photo Gallery 15.4.3508.1109

[Bigaldoc]

Thanks Hans. I suppose I'll leave WOT alone and start my search with the replacement for Copy URL. It is Copy Link Text (CoLT).

What's so strange about this is that this morning I'm back in my usual profile and Fx is NOT exhibiting that strange behavior! There must be some event(s) at some time of MY day that causes it to trigger, so maybe it's not an addon at all. Furthermore, when it was exhibiting the "hesitations" I noticed in Task Manager that Fx was jumping UP in CPU use to numbers in the 50% range. NOW, as I am typing, Firefox is around 23-30% and no hesitations even with both windows open. I'm now gonna watch to see what it does after I submit this post and go to an idle position at the Lounge Index page.

Strange stuff.

[Bigaldoc]

It MUST be some kind of "time of the day" event(s) that's causing my problem but I have no earthly idea what that might be.

As expected for the past several minutes, sitting at the Lounge Index page, idle, the Task Manager has Firefox at 0 (zero) most of the time, occasionally moving to a single digit like 1 - 5% but mostly 0.

It's beyond my understanding what might be going on late in the afternoon or early evening.

[jscher2000]

I assume it is related to network requests, perhaps a scheduled update of software or data (e.g., RSS feeds, block lists)?

There are plenty of tools to intercept and log internet traffic, but finding one that can display just "the answer" without wading through megabytes of packets... would be great! (I have Fiddler2 and Wireshark, but those gather too much information.)

Maybe a "parental control" product would generate a more useful report?

[Bigaldoc]

I assume it is related to network requests, perhaps a scheduled update of software or data ...

Thanks, Jefferson. If it is as you suspect, it isn't something elsewhere on my system. During the time it was happening yesterday, I fired up Google Chrome and used it for some time without a problem. I then created a new, plain-vanilla Fx profile and it operated as it's supposed to do.

If I can catch it happening again, I'm going to disable the handful of addons I have running to see if that stops it. If that doesn't do it, I guess I'll be researching plugins next. Since I got up this morning, the problem has not shown its ugly head!

[viking33]

I assume it is related to network requests, perhaps a scheduled update of software or data ...

Thanks, Jefferson. If it is as you suspect, it isn't something elsewhere on my system. During the time it was happening yesterday, I fired up Google Chrome and used it for some time without a problem. I then created a new, plain-vanilla Fx profile and it operated as it's supposed to do.

If I can catch it happening again, I'm going to disable the handful of addons I have running to see if that stops it. If that doesn't do it, I guess I'll be researching plugins next. Since I got up this morning, the problem has not shown its ugly head!

Al,
I would use the old ploy for testing suspected "updates."
Use the plain vanilla copy and add one or two add ons at a time to
( hopefully ) catch the problem.
I've not noticed any of the symptoms you are having, on my Fx 4.

[Bigaldoc]

Not a bad idea, Bob, but I think it'll be easier to go "backward" by disabling one or more at a time. The problem is that it seems to be time oriented as well since it hasn't happened so far today.

I "only" have six active addons and Hans says he isn't having any trouble with WOT, so I think I'll start my disabling run at the top of this list. I also have a few that I've long ago disabled and one the isn't capable under 4.0 (Copy URL).

[garbsmj]

Al,

I don't have any of those on my V4 of firefox and I get the white screen o'doomette usually when I'm doing something important like working. I can't use IE because it wants to update itself and it would mess up my work. I'll check out what addons I have and maybe reinstalling it might help.