Firefox memory leak?

**belial8256** · 03-21-08, 04:47 PM

so the other day i looked at my task manager and noted that firefox was using around 256k of memory. This struck me as wrong, and soon found out that there is a known memory leak for the browser. The trouble is, when i followed some guide about how to fix it (via about:config), the problem doesn't seem to have been solved and it regularly uses far over the 32k restriction i set for it.

Any solutions?

**WileECyte** · 03-21-08, 06:35 PM

That's 32k per window/tab you have open. The more tabs, the more memory you'll use up. The good news is that Firefox 3 will use MUCH less memory. Right now I've got 2 tabs open in the beta version and it's using less than 90 megs. That would be almost twice as bad with 2.0.

FWIW, Firefox 3 beta 4 is pretty stable, but the Add-On support isn't quite there yet. Lots of Add-Ons haven't put out versions that are compatible yet. The final version of 3 should be out by June.

**belial8256** · 03-21-08, 07:09 PM

ahhh 32 per tab, so i see...

many thanks.

**WileECyte** · 03-21-08, 10:16 PM

Yeah... Thankfully one of the major goals of Firefox 3 was to fix the memory profile.

**DeusInnomen** · 03-22-08, 08:21 AM

A'yep. Firefox, as much as I love it, has a notorious memory leak that can't be worked around. I've heard rumblings that the latest beta builds of Firefox 3.0 address this, though.

**WileECyte** · 03-22-08, 09:28 AM

I can confirm that it does. I leave my Firefox with at least 2 tabs, all the time. Firefox 3 seldom exceeds 100 megs anymore.

**RottnJP** · 03-22-08, 11:27 PM

Interesting... I hadn't heard about that issue. I'll have to leave fewer tabs open and see if that helps the momentary freezes I've been having lately.

And, my memory is down to $32 for 2x1 gig sticks with rebate, so I think I'm going to go to 4 GB and install this copy of XP pro 64 I have sitting here collecting dust.

WileE, as always, a font of dork-tastic information! :9