Firefox running very slow

[Sue]

I use Firefox as a browser on my laptop.

For some time now I have had terrible problems with it hanging all the time. If I open a new tab, it takes ages to actually open the page.

I have googled what to do and have also looked at the Firefox help, but I don't really understand it (anything I have done has made no difference, and nor have Firefox updates).

I did try a different browser (Opera) but it seemed really complicated to get my email synched in it (I have four email addresses for different purposes) so I gave up on that.

I would prefer to stay with Firefox because I am used to it. Can anybody explain in very simple non-techy language how I can sort this out?

I never used to have this problem, so I have no idea what has changed.

I use Chrome on my mobile, which is quick and unproblematical :)

[JohnL]

Clear the cache/history ?

https://support.mozilla.org/gu-IN/kb/how-clear-firefox-cache

You may well have already done this.

[Spartacus]

Have you ever run a tool like Norton utilities on your laptop to free up space from deleted files, optimise your registry and compress files on your hard drive ?

It may not help but good housekeeping regardless

[Sue]

JohnL Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Clear the cache/history ?

>

> https://support.mozilla.org/gu-IN/kb/how-clear-fir

> efox-cache

>

> You may well have already done this.

Thanks JohnL, but will this not affect all the passwords I have saved on my laptop?

[Sue]

Spartacus Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Have you ever run a tool like Norton utilities on

> your laptop to free up space from deleted files,

> optimise your registry and compress files on your

> hard drive ?

>

> It may not help but good housekeeping regardless

No I haven't, but I've just looked and I've got over 200GB free storage at the moment, so I'm not sure that is the issue?

Or is what you are talking about something different?

On my old laptop I used to occasionally defrag etc, but I haven't done anything like that on this one ....

[Sue]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> JohnL Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Clear the cache/history ?

> >

> >

> https://support.mozilla.org/gu-IN/kb/how-clear-fir

>

> > efox-cache

> >

> > You may well have already done this.

>

>

> Thanks JohnL, but will this not affect all the

> passwords I have saved on my laptop?

ETA: I have occasionally removed cookies when I was having problems logging into a particular site, but I haven't done the whole lot at once .....

[ruffers]

I know this isn't what you want to hear but why not just switch to Chrome? - your settings on there should follow .

[JohnL]

Hmmm yes - as a chrome user I might not be the best advice and I tend to clear out everything about once a year but this page might help - it claims the "refresh" option doesn't lose bookmarks, passwords, and open tabs.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/refresh-firefox-reset-add-ons-and-settings

[Sue]

JohnL Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hmmm yes - as a chrome user I might not be the

> best advice and I tend to clear out everything

> about once a year but this page might help - it

> claims the "refresh" option doesn't lose

> bookmarks, passwords, and open tabs.

>

> https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/refresh-firef

> ox-reset-add-ons-and-settings

Thanks JohnL, I think I tried that at least once before, but maybe I am imagining it, so I will try again now!

ruffers, I'm not too keen to switch to Chrome but if push comes to shove I may have to, because I am getting very tired of sitting watching little dots going backwards and forwards, it's like going back about twenty years :(

[Sue]

So I clicked on that "refresh" button in the link, and nothing at all happened. Although I am in Firefox at the moment.

Not even any little dots going backwards and fowards :(

I will try to find a similar button elsewhere .....

ETA: OK, done that. I don't think it has helped, but I'll try restarting Firefox again, and perhaps my laptop, and see what happens......

[DulwichFox]

This problem is likely to be caused by your Anti-Virus.

Try removing any Firefox Extensions that you did not install yourself or do not need.

In Windows 10 this problem can be caused by your Power Settings.

Windows 10 sometimes changes your power plan to Power Saving once your upgrade to it,

so it's advised that you change your settings to High Performance

Foxy

[Sue]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> This problem is likely to be caused by your

> Anti-Virus.

> Try removing any Firefox Extensions that you did

> not install yourself or do not need.

>

> In Windows 10 this problem can be caused by your

> Power Settings.

>

> Windows 10 sometimes changes your power plan to

> Power Saving once your upgrade to it,

> so it's advised that you change your settings to

> High Performance

Thank Dulwich Fox, but I have had the same anti-virus since I had the laptop, and the Firefox problem has begun much more recently.

The refresh suggested by JohnL automatically removes any Firefox extensions.

I haven't upgraded to Windows 10, I've always had it on this laptop. But thanks for trying to help, much appreciated.

However, fingers crossed, the refresh does seem to have speeded Firefox up so thanks very much, JohnL!!

I'll keep you posted, I'm sure you are all waiting with bated breath :)) :)) :))

[DulwichFox]

Windows 10 may well of been on your Laptop since day one but Problems with Firefox occur when

Windows up-dates to Windows 10 Version 1803.

Best to turn off Auto Updates and only install updates Manually after any issues have been resolved by Microsoft.

Windows 10 Default Browser is The Edge Browser which I cannot get on with.

But Windows 10 can cause problems with Any other Browser.

I get problems with Chrome but it is better than Edge.

I also use Opera which is Brilliant. Opera offers fast, secure browsing.

I do not have Firefox Installed. It seems rather outdated for my needs.

I still have another PC Running Widows XP. Firefox simply does not work and take 10 minutes to open.

Chrome is also very sloooooow I only keep it for sentimental purposes Windows XP is where I learned

about the Registry and how to Edit it.

[TheArtfulDogger]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> I do not have Firefox Installed. It seems rather outdated for my needs.

>

Strikes me as ironic that you don't use a browser named after you foxy 🤔😂

[DulwichFox]

TheArtfulDogger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> DulwichFox Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> >

> > I do not have Firefox Installed. It seems rather

> outdated for my needs.

> >

>

> Strikes me as ironic that you don't use a browser

> named after you foxy 🤔😂

Named after me ? No

Firefox Initial release date: 23 September 2002

DulwichFox Created 11th July 2010

[Spartacus]

Dulwichfox

Reading your posts I've concluded you are German as you take everything literally and respond the same with very little humour. (Note despite conceptions, not all Germans are humourless !)

[DulwichFox]

Spartacus Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Dulwichfox

> Reading your posts I've concluded you are German

> as you take everything literally and respond the

> same with very little humour. (Note despite

> conceptions, not all Germans are humourless !)

I think you are not realising I was responding to Artful..

.. Dogger will know where I am coming from.

Just because I do not laugh at my own Jokes or add smiley emojis it does not mean there is no humour..

Even if it may be very dry.

And no I am not German. It may be the Welsh in me..

Welsh people are said to be of German descent

Well spotted.

[Sue]

Crikey, it has really speeded up now!

Thanks so much, JohnL.

I use Firefox on my laptop for email and for anything else I need to do online (many many things :) )

I am most intrigued as to why it is "rather outdated for my (Dulwich Fox's) needs"?

[JohnL]

Spartacus Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Dulwichfox

> Reading your posts I've concluded you are German

> as you take everything literally and respond the

> same with very little humour. (Note despite

> conceptions, not all Germans are humourless !)

My boss is German and he has a sense of humour but it's rather difficult to get.

[se22cat]

Hi Sue, I'm pretty sure you already know this, but if you look in Firefox's menu, you can create a free account with Mozilla which allows you to store all your bookmarks and settings in the cloud, very useful if you lose your laptop/the rust drive dies/the SSD dies taking it's filetable along with it. Vanilla Chrome is all well and good, but it eats up memory like hell, you could try one of it's forks such as Chromium which is a bit less greedy. Can't beat Firefox for it's extension library though!

If your laptop is finding it hard to cope with Window's continuing bloat, maybe consider switching to Linux? Linux Mint, Pop OS and Kubuntu spring to mind as being among the most user friendly. Good for the brain too, learning a new environment and your way around Terminal : )

[Sue]

Thanks SE22cat, I don't think I could cope with Linux :))

My brain got exhausted around half a century ago trying to learn Fortran :)) (and yes I know they're different kettles of fish).

[se22cat]

Hey, no worries, just thought I'd throw the suggestion out there :)

Ah, you could kill someone with any one of the books you'd need to learn Fortran! The students and statisticians of today complaining about setting up a study in SPSS know nothing of true pain...Got much respect for you using that.

Do look into making a cloud account though - don't forget all hardware dies.

[Sue]

To be clear, I never finished it, hence the reference to "trying" - my brain got stuck at some point and I never got past that point :))

Thanks for the suggestion re the cloud, though :)