Why does it take up to two minutes for Gmail to open?
The first time I try to access Gmail in the morning, and also when that site has not be accessed recently (a few hours), it can take up to two minutes for Gmail to load. This started several months ago, perhaps around the time that Gmail changed its privacy policy and I opted out of allowing them to store mail in order to more effectively target ads on the site. I'm using the encrypted site.
What gives? Anyone else having the same problem? I doubt its the antivirus software, as I had the same problem with Norton before switching to Avast. Of course, I've not modified Avast since loading it. However, modifications suggested by Norton didn't fix the problem either. Thanks much, BAB
All Replies (16)
Try the Firefox SafeMode to see how it works there.
A troubleshooting mode, which disables most Add-ons.
(If you're not using it, switch to the Default Theme.)
- You can open the Firefox 4.0+ SafeMode by holding the Shift key when you use the Firefox desktop or Start menu shortcut.
- Or use the Help menu item, click on Restart with Add-ons Disabled... while Firefox is running.
Don't select anything right now, just use "Continue in SafeMode." To exit the Firefox Safe Mode, just close Firefox and wait a few seconds before using the Firefox shortcut (without the Shft key) to open it again. If it is good in the Firefox SafeMode, your problem is probably caused by an extension, and you need to figure out which one.
Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems
When you figure out what is causing that, please let us know. It might help other user's who have the same problem.
Also, update to Firefox 13
Thanks, Tyler. It may take a couple days to check out your suggestion, as once Gmail does open in Firefox it tends to open much quicker subsequently. Good at least for a few hours. Also, I disabled "use hardware acceleration" which seems to have quickened the response time. If this last fixes the problem, any idea what it means to update graphics drivers? Buy new cards or update the firmware from the manufacturer's site?
Thanks, Bruce
You can try to update your graphics driver, Upgrade your graphics drivers to use hardware acceleration and WebGL
Thanks, I'll give it a try.
You can check the network.http.* prefs on the about:config page and reset all bold user set network.http prefs to the default value via the right-click context menu -> Reset.
Check at least:
- network.http.proxy.keep-alive should be true
If acceleration is the problem why should only Gmail be so slow? Entirely possible, I suspect, but seems odd.
BAB
Thanks, Cor-el. I'll give those a look. BAB
please also update firefox to the latest version (13.0.1 at the moment).
I updated the graphics driver but it didn't change the situation. Thanks, though. I'll try safe mode next.
bb
Did you check out the network.http prefs on the about:config page?
You can also try to reset all the preferences on the Save mode start window.
- Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
Yes, the network.http prefs are all default. The only network that isn't default is cookie prefs.
bab
Also, I noted you responded to a question about the version 13 new tab. I don't seem to have that function, although the newtab in about:config is on (default.) Is there a setting that empties the cache on shutdown that should be changed to allow the cache to accumulate website info? Should the Cache button no be on in the Clear Recent History drop down? Thanks, bab
Well, going into safe mode and checking the button to set options to default got me the new tab page, which I like a lot. I have no idea if it will help with the loading problem. If I should close Firefox now will it stay in safe mode until I want to change it back? And how would I change it back? I would want to start disabling the add-ons I originally had. I can leave the about:config items at default and change them to my preferences one by one.......
bab
No starting Firefox in safe mode is a one time event unless you hold down the Shift key or have a (desktop) shortcut with the -safe-mode command line switch.
Well, using Firefox in safe mode this morning very much speeded up the loading of Gmail. Funny, none of the other pages I routinely visit display this long delay in opening, even without the safe mode. I accessed Gmail using the new tab, however, since the toolbar wasn't available in safe mode. Could that affect the loading?
Do you really suspect it's an add-on that is causing this problem? I'll disable them one by one, but here's what i have loaded -- perhaps someone with experience would suggest a likely candidate?
Extensions: Adblock plus, Avast, AVG, Better Privacy, 2 Spanish dictionaries (Spain and Argentina), Element hiding helper for Adblock, gTranslate, Java Console, Java, Microsoft.net framework assistant (what the hell's that?), PDF download (which I just disabled since it never works), Photo Me, and TinEye.
Plugins: Acrobat, AVG, Google Earth, Google update, Java deployment, Java platform, Office 2010 (two), MS Media Player (two), Quick Time, Real player and four real player subsidiaries (?), Shockwave Flash, and Silverlight.
Suggestions welcome, and thanks in advance. Jees, wonder if it isn't Adblock, eh? bab
Removing the extensions and plug-ins only helped with one thing: removing the extension AVG Security Toolbar allows access to the new tab. Which got me thinking, since the Bookmarks Toolbar doesn't appear when in Firefox safemode, I enable all the extensions, appearance, and plug-ins (except the AVG Security Toolbar) and restarted the computer. After I opened Firefox I went to View and unclicked the Bookmarks Toolbar. Voila, Gmail starts only after a few seconds.
Anyone have the slightest idea as to what's going on here?
Thanks, bab