Firefox process occasionally continues to run after closing browser in XP Pro 64 and uses 50% CPU
Every once in awhile after closing Firefox 3.6.13 the process continues to run. The way I discover this is my CPU temperature monitor is increasing from 36C to 50C, so I open the Task Manger and see that it is using 50% of the CPU, slowing down the computer. I am running XP Professional 64 bit SP2 with all the latest updates on an Intel E8400 3.0GHz overclocked to 3.6GHz and 4GB dual channel DDR2-1066 at 800MHz. This happens only occasionally, maybe once or twice a month. I just end the task and the temperature of the CPU drops and everything is normal again.
All Replies (7)
No answer, but a question
Does this happen on a particular web page ? eg is it on a media stream of some sort, or is a download in progress ?
It does not seem to happen on any particular webpage, although I am mostly browsing msnbc.msn.com, foxnews.com or news.yahoo.com. It seems to be random. I close Firefox, I can come back later and open Firefox without any trouble, but the previous instance is still running in the background consuming CPU time As I mentioned, the only way I know there is a problem is that the computer has slowed down and the CPU temperature has gone up to 50C.
It may be malware, it could be worth running a security scan on your computer.
Nope. System clean. Scanned every morning at 1AM while I'm sleeping.
I have this problem with 4.0 as well. It's any time (i.e., not particular web page) you try to close the browser. I do not have malware on my pc.
Not sure this will help but I have a similar problem with the FireFox process continuing to run despite the application being closed. I narrowed this down to the Symantec IPS add-on/extension. Unfortunately I haven't found a solution as of yet other than disabling the extension. http://community.norton.com/t5/Norton-Internet-Security-Norton/IPS-extension-keeps-firefox-exe-from-ending/td-p/342560
Norton IPS is apparently a known issue being mentioned in the KB articles:
- firefox will not start
- firefox crashes when you open it
- I also found an earlier post on the Norton site http://community.norton.com/t5/Norton-Internet-Security-Norton/Norton-IPS-1-0-Addon-for-FireFox/m-p/25425#M8494 but I am not sure this is still considered a problem.
What exactly is this IPS extension. I am currently using XPs with Norton's NIS (version 18.6 - it is a paid for subscription). I do have Intrusion Prevention active in NIS but I see no specific extension or program IPS. Is this some optional additional software?
I did find an explanation but from 2009
I am NOT using the Norton Toolbar etc. is it these components that are causing the problem i.e safe search etc.
I am not having problems with firefox hanging or continuing, despite using NIS. There is a bug on this https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=548945 but that does not seem to have got very far in confirming or resolving the issue. I imagine Norton have a very large userbase and it seems unlikely that the basic NIS is itself incompatible with Firefox.