Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

High CPU Usage in a separate process in task manager

  • 10 replies
  • 0 have this problem
  • 4 views
  • Last reply by Kj

more options

I have been using firefox for more than 4 years now. But from about a year, i m facing the issue with the Sudden High CPU usage in Windows task manager.

The task manager has 2 different firefox processes. One being actual instance i am running. and the 2nd being the automatically opened in background.

i have figured out whenever i have active internet connection and my system is on charging the 2nd task automatically starts in background and uses upto 80% of cpu usage. Ending the 2nd task form task manager doesn't affect anything. only the cpu usage drops. Also Closing my firefox instance does nothing to that 2nd task.

I have tried lot of solutions i found on community. Nothing seems to help. problem still persist. I even posted comments on ongoing threads. but no reply from anywhere.

this is the last time i m trying. if i get a solution its good. otherwise i am going to shift to edge. I have no other choice.

Screenshots from multiple dates are attached.

I have been using firefox for more than 4 years now. But from about a year, i m facing the issue with the Sudden High CPU usage in Windows task manager. The task manager has 2 different firefox processes. One being actual instance i am running. and the 2nd being the automatically opened in background. i have figured out whenever i have active internet connection and my system is on charging the 2nd task automatically starts in background and uses upto 80% of cpu usage. Ending the 2nd task form task manager doesn't affect anything. only the cpu usage drops. Also Closing my firefox instance does nothing to that 2nd task. I have tried lot of solutions i found on community. Nothing seems to help. problem still persist. I even posted comments on ongoing threads. but no reply from anywhere. this is the last time i m trying. if i get a solution its good. otherwise i am going to shift to edge. I have no other choice. Screenshots from multiple dates are attached.
Attached screenshots

Chosen solution

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1421058

This solved the issue. Thank you for you extended support.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (10)

more options

It could be malfunctioning update process. As a test, try to turn off Use a background service to install updates in Settings.

more options

Thanks TyDraniu,

But the issue still persists. i turned off Use a background service to install updates and restarted the system. After restart same thing is happening.

However the About Firefox page shows "Updates are being updated by another instance". if i leave it like this. it will go on for hours.

Also i did downloaded the latest version from website and also installed it.

What should be the next step?

more options

In a Windows Task Manager try to right click it and select "Go to details", then in Details right click it and select "Go to services". Hopefully it could point some running service.

more options

Can you check the command line of those processes (i.e. how they are started) ?

more options

TyDraniu said

In a Windows Task Manager try to right click it and select "Go to details", then in Details right click it and select "Go to services". Hopefully it could point some running service.

Hi TyDraniu,

going to services didn't point to anything through the process details. It just opens the services window and there was nothing showing as firefox and i was not able to make anything out of it with my limited knowledge.

more options

cor-el said

Can you check the command line of those processes (i.e. how they are started) ?

Hi cor-el, I was not able to find the command line in my windows version. However i used windows process explorer tool to get the command line of the process. "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -contentproc --channel="17744.6.1708824219\1331043414" -childID 6 -isForBrowser -prefsHandle 5784 -prefMapHandle 5396 -prefsLen 30385 -prefMapSize 243408 -jsInitHandle 1400 -jsInitLen 238780 -parentBuildID 20230511191846 -win32kLockedDown -appDir "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\browser" - {359102d2-fa98-466e-85e1-4a374505cf20} 17744 "\\.\pipe\gecko-crash-server-pipe.17744" 5408 1d27e93e658 tab

Here is the command it showed me.

Modified by Kj

more options

That looks like a normal Tab content process.

You can check the about:memory and about:processes pages for info about all processes. There are several toolkit.aboutProcesses prefs on the about:config page to show more info. See also the about:unloads page for info about the tabs.

Modified by cor-el

more options

Thanks Cor-el for the response.

But the task running is a completely Independent process altogether. It has no link with the main firefox process that i am actually using. All these about are giving me information about the process that i have control of.

Even when firefox is not being running in my machine. that process is still there. see attached screenshot. I can not check anything about this process actively.

more options

Scrap all this. I m switching to different browser.

more options

Chosen Solution

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1421058

This solved the issue. Thank you for you extended support.