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Running 9.0.1 Firefox. I get a msg from AVG that Firefox is using too much memory and then the computer (not just Firefox) shuts off. Running Win7 (64-bit) with 4 GB Mem and Intel i-5. Only 4-5 "normal" windows are open at the time this happens.

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  • Last reply by ideato

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Right now Task manager Performance tab on Memory says: Total 3958; Cached mem 1588; Avail 2239; Free 722; Physical Mem 43% and this window is the only thing open. Kernel mem (MB) says Paged 179 and Nonpaged 80.

I can get you more info if you tell me what you need (and where to find it - I am 60 y.o. woman and this is not my forte :=) Thanks, sandy

Right now Task manager Performance tab on Memory says: Total 3958; Cached mem 1588; Avail 2239; Free 722; Physical Mem 43% and this window is the only thing open. Kernel mem (MB) says Paged 179 and Nonpaged 80. I can get you more info if you tell me what you need (and where to find it - I am 60 y.o. woman and this is not my forte :=) Thanks, sandy

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Hi sjburd,

Have you looked at the Knowledge Base article Firefox uses too much memory or CPU resources - How to fix? There is also some good information in Firefox uses too much memory or CPU resources - How to fix.

Hopefully this helps!

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Thanks for the suggestion, Matt. Just now with only 4 windows open and nothing running in the background, Physical Memory was 59% and CPU usage going back and forth between 7 and 9%. I found an article on reducing Memory, but I am not comfortable to try messing with changing config files, etc. When I close out FF, none or only a little of physical memory is released.

Anyway, do you happen to know if there's a way to go back to an earlier version of FF that did not have this problem and what that version number is? If not, even though I like FF (until these problems) and want to support the open concept, I will have to change browsers. Thanks, Sandy

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If you want to reduce memory(60%) when firefox minimize[only in windows os] there is an easy old good trick:

type in the address bar about:config

then press the button i'll be careful i promise

then right-click anywhere in the list of preferences and choose new > boolean

then type in the open window config.trim_on_minimize

then click OK, and in the next window select TRUE and click OK.

exit firefox and restart-it.


works only in windows os


see for more info :

About:config

Config.trim on minimize



thank you

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