Firefox takes 20 seconds to close with high CPU and memory usage
Running Firefox 66.0.3 (64-bit) on Windows 10 Version 1809 Build 17763.437.
I suspect this issue started with FF 66. When I close Firefox, it takes 20 seconds for the program to end. Looking at the Windows Task Manager, while FF is open there are 5 shown processes. As soon as I close it, the Window is gone but Task Manager still shows 3 processes. On of those processes shows CPU in the 25% to 35% range and also the memory usage for that process keeps going up. After 20 seconds, it's finally all gone.
This is very annoying when I try to shut down Windows with FF open as Windows gets stuck waiting for FF.
I started FF in Safe Mode, but the problem is still there. I disabled Service Workers... no help.
Is it just me? Any ideas what to try?
All Replies (5)
Twenty seconds to close Firefox completely isn't that much because Firefox needs to write all session data to the hard drive and possibly do some cleanup. If you use "Clear history when Firefox closes" to clear any data or use "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed".
If you have security software that monitors writes to the profile folder then this can take extra time. When it takes longer than a minute to close Firefox then a shutdown crash is forced.
I checked my profile folder and see that places.sqlite and favicon.sqlite are each about 40MB and are written out when FF is closed. Now I need to see how to reduce those because I really don't think there should be so much to save.
Just cleared my history, and also cookies where the cookie count was 0 and got the time down to 10 seconds. But I still don't know why places.sqlite and favicon.sqlite are 40MB each.
Modified by AZBruno
You can use "Verify Integrity" button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to get stats about places.sqlite and favicons.sqlite.
Thanks, cor-el, I hadn't spotted that. Although it tells me that the files are sane, it didn't seem to give me anything useful. And it didn't change the size.
After having cleared history and backed up the profile, I just decided to see what happens if I delete place.sqlite. Firefox rebuilt it at only 5MB instead of 40MB and it seems perfectly fine. I then used a database viewer to look at the 40MB version and compare it with the 5MB version and the number of records in each table was basically the same. I assume there is no "garbage collection" on the databases. Having the smaller file does not seem to affect the shutdown time.
I tried letting FF rebuild favicons.sqlite and of course all the icons were reset so I put the old one back.
Separate Security Issue: Update your Flash Player or remove it using these links; Uninstall Flash Player | Windows {web link} Uninstall Flash Player | Mac {web link}
Note: Windows users should download the ActiveX for Internet Explorer. and the plugin for Plugin-based browsers (like Firefox).
Note: Windows 8 and Windows 10 have built-in flash players and Adobe will cause a conflict. Install the plugin only. Not the ActiveX.
Flash Player Version 32.0.0.156
https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ Direct link scans current system and browser Note: Other software is offered in the download. <Windows Only>
https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/otherversions/ Step 1: Select Operating System Step 2: Select A Version (Firefox, Win IE . . . .) Note: Other software is offered in the download. <Windows Only> +++++++++++++++++++ See if there are updates for your graphics drivers https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/upgrade-graphics-drivers-use-hardware-acceleration