@Noah_SUMO, the AV program only rates websites, it doesn't protect from them. I will do what you ask, but in reality should it matter?

I actually have answered the tab quandary before, 1 tab. Google's home page. 7 and 8 posts up.

Tabs should not be an issue in this case, even at 15 seconds intervals.

Ugh, sorry about that. Missed that but I'll blame that on being half awake.

You'd think some programs wouldn't matter. But in my experience any program can cause unexpected problems.

And now that I've double checked, I think I've found your problem making my previous long winded post from earlier useless. :P

On 4/28, you posted a full log of your Firefox support info. You have Ghostery 2.9.4 but the latest is 2.9.5. Now it's possible you've updated it but if you haven't please do and then retest this problem.

As it has reportedly fixed a memory leak. This fix was released literally just 5 days ago.

From the Ghostery addon site:
Bug fixes in 2.9.5 (Released May 16, 2013)
- Removed the nag when switching to the older panel
- Added an upgrade check for library updates: now tracker library is replaced only if the embedded tracker library is newer than the current bug library
- Resolved an unresponsive script issue when parsing image data:uri sources
- Fixed reporting issue for redirects occurring on the sub-frame level
- Fixed a memory leak

Link to Ghostery addon page

Let's hope this fixes it. Let me know.

Yup, knew about that one myself, already been updated, even so, would that cause a memory leak as seen above?

It's certainly possible. But I don't know for sure if it could grow to be that big. I guess the only wait to know for sure if Ghostery fixed its memory leak on your system would be to disable or uninstall it and surf around without it for a few days (painful I know, I'm privacy freak myself) or until you see the memory problem rear its ugly head again.

I'd also try to email the Ghostery addon author and ask how big was the memory leak he saw his addon was causing.

I've also been a hardcore Firefox user since 2004, I'm still using it but it seems firefox team completely forgot about that memory leak issue. I also have this problem and have been having it since version 4. Version 3 was awesome, fast and reliable but since that release it is just not working. I want to believe the Firefox team will address this issue instead of blaming the extensions but as more time passes by I think the only reasonable solution is to switch to a decent working browser like Chrome. Sorry guys but this has been around enough time unsolved.

I'm here to second what Cyberpawz, kakra and others have been saying:

Firefox is a Memory Hog on Mac

Having 4 configurations:

• OSX 10.5.8 - FireFox 16
• OSX 10.6.8 - Firefox 20.0
• Linux Ubuntu- Firefox 20.0
• Windows 7 SP1 x64 - Firefox 20.0

Having the same plugins in the 4 machines (Ghostery, Session Manager, AdBlock Plus, Scrapbook and other).

Only and just only on Mac Os X systems, the memory leakage is absurd.

TIP: The only workaround I've found is to restart Firefox frequently (ech time it consumes 1 or more GB, which happens with the first 10-20 tabs). I use 'Session Manager' to save my sessions and lower the risk of losing my webpages.

Totally agree, my kubuntu desktop minimizes memory usage as soon as tab amount goes down, while e.g. now on my Mac Air, I have 1 tab open, this page, and the memory usage is > 1GB, while I only have 1 plugin (feedly). This is so annoying

guys mozilla just fails every fuckn update to fix the memory thing i have this problem for loong time and i use a shit load of pages ....every time i update firefox i see the same failure i just dont know why the fuck mozilla keeps updating firefox if they just canot fix the fuckn memory leak!! maybe they cant ..who knows ...so they r just bunch of retards loool but good browser though :)

note: update 20.0.1 = 200+ updates >> 198 failure to fix a simple fuckn memory bug

Noah,

You're going to tell me that in this day and age, that Firefox needs 2GB of memory to load 500 bookmarks? Really now?

Maybe that answer would fly if someone didn't know a lick about computers, but I don't think storing a link takes up 4MB of RAM?

Same problem here, this has been happening over the last several realeses of Frirefox. I'm on OSX v10.8.3, 8GB RAM and if firefox left open for a number of days it will eventually use up all available RAM in the machine, and it has crashed the machine a few times. It is really frustrating. I am a software developer and regularly need to leave the machine & browser running for several days. Below is my Firefox config;

 Application Basics

       Name
       Firefox

       Version
       21.0

       User Agent
       Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10.8; rv:21.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/21.0

       Build Configuration

         about:buildconfig

 Extensions

       Name

       Version

       Enabled

       ID

       Firebug
       1.11.4
       true
       firebug@software.joehewitt.com

       FireFTP
       2.0.14
       true
       {a7c6cf7f-112c-4500-a7ea-39801a327e5f}

       Flashblock
       1.5.17
       true
       {3d7eb24f-2740-49df-8937-200b1cc08f8a}

       Rainbow
       1.5.2
       true
       rainbow@colors.org

       Tamper Data
       11.0.1
       true
       {9c51bd27-6ed8-4000-a2bf-36cb95c0c947}

       Web Developer
       1.2.5
       true
       {c45c406e-ab73-11d8-be73-000a95be3b12}

       YSlow
       3.1.4
       true
       yslow@yahoo-inc.com

       Adobe Acrobat - Create PDF
       1.2
       false
       web2pdfextension@web2pdf.adobedotcom

 Important Modified Preferences

     Name

     Value

       accessibility.blockautorefresh
       true

       accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar
       0

       browser.cache.disk.capacity
       1048576

       browser.cache.disk.enable
       false

       browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value
       1048576

       browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run
       false

       browser.cache.memory.enable
       false

       browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion
       4

       browser.search.update
       false

       browser.sessionstore.restore_on_demand
       false

       browser.startup.homepage_override.buildID
       20130511120803

       browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone
       21.0

       dom.event.contextmenu.enabled
       false

       dom.mozApps.used
       true

       dom.w3c_touch_events.expose
       false

       extensions.lastAppVersion
       21.0

       gfx.blacklist.webgl.msaa
       4

       network.cookie.cookieBehavior
       1

       network.cookie.lifetimePolicy
       2

       network.cookie.prefsMigrated
       true

       network.dns.disableIPv6
       true

       places.database.lastMaintenance
       1371595887

       places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages
       104858

       plugin.disable_full_page_plugin_for_types
       application/pdf

       print.macosx.pagesetup-2
       PD94bWwgdmVyc2lvbj0iMS4wIiBlbmNvZGluZz0iVVRGLTgiPz4KPCFET0NUWVBFIHBsaXN0IFBVQkxJQyAiLS8vQXBwbGUvL0RURCBQTElTVCAxLjAvL0VO

       privacy.cpd.sessions
       false

       privacy.donottrackheader.enabled
       true

       privacy.sanitize.migrateFx3Prefs
       true

       privacy.sanitize.sanitizeOnShutdown
       true

       privacy.sanitize.timeSpan
       0

       security.disable_button.openCertManager
       false

       security.OCSP.disable_button.managecrl
       false

       security.warn_viewing_mixed
       false

 Graphics

       Device ID
       0x 166

       GPU Accelerated Windows
       3/3 OpenGL

       Vendor ID
       0x8086

       WebGL Renderer
       NVIDIA Corporation -- NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M OpenGL Engine

       AzureCanvasBackend
       quartz

       AzureContentBackend
       none

       AzureFallbackCanvasBackend
       none

 JavaScript

       Incremental GC
       true

 Accessibility

       Activated
       false

       Prevent Accessibility
       0

 Library Versions

       Expected minimum version

       Version in use

       NSPR
       4.9.6
       4.9.6

       NSS
       3.14.3.0 Basic ECC
       3.14.3.0 Basic ECC

       NSSSMIME
       3.14.3.0 Basic ECC
       3.14.3.0 Basic ECC

       NSSSSL
       3.14.3.0 Basic ECC
       3.14.3.0 Basic ECC

       NSSUTIL
       3.14.3.0
       3.14.3.0

I have a Mac running OS X 10.8.4 Firefox 21.0

Using the Mac Activity Monitor, I have watched Firefox's memory usage march upwards until at 2.93GB, Firefox hangs and the only solution is to Force Quit.

Under Preferences | Advanced | Network there is allegedly an override for Cache usage but that is routinely blown past. So, WTF Firefox? I wish I could use Chrome because Firefox is just turning into a worthless browser because of this apparent memory leak. I am so disappointed. Rather than continuing to add bells and whistles, you need to solve this problem

Just thought I would add that after the Fx4 memory leak the telemetry system was introduced. The purpose being that developers may be able to identify regressions from the data obtained.

Some of you may wish to consider turning that on if feeling altruistic

• Share data with Mozilla to help improve Firefox

I'm so sick of this but I really don't want to have to migrate to Safari. Here's a screenshot of my system if I've had Firefox open for 4 or 5 days in a row (and note that this grab is without a Firefox window open): Screenshot

Edit: Yes, I'm sending performance data.

I believe Noah was in contact with a developer about an apparent memory bug affecting Macs. Maybe we will get an update from Noah in a few days.

Meanwhile you could try using about:memory (key into the location bar & follow the prompts) at least see if the button on that works to reduce your memory. If so it may be something that helps without the need to restart Firefox.

I am the developer you're referring to and I have chosen to limit my firefox usage to the bare minimum. I use it only when I have no other choice and then kill it immediately. I also have shut off automatic updates on Firefox at 21.0 until you actually fix the memory leak that I and everybody has been complaining about since version 4.0. Funny, I saw on Mozilla's Firefox download page that it has quick links for FF 21.0 and FF3.6--which is the last version that didn't have this horrendous memory leak--and which was the last version before the developers at Mozilla embarked on this hell-bent for leather dash to release versions as quickly as possible with very little regression testing--in my opinion. That 18 versions of a product could be released without addressing this is mind boggling and I cannot imagine who keeps giving the green light to ignoring this issue. You've obviously destroyed all the good will that Firefox built up and now Chrome has eaten FF's lunch. No surprise why.

Curmudgeon99,
. Noah may well have been in touch with you, but is also in touch with a Firefox developer who is investigating Firefox Memory issues on OS X.

Not sure if this got to the stage where a bug has been filed and is being worked on, or even whether the problem can be reproduced reliably yet.

What IS the deal with FF and its memory-handling (or -hogging) activity? I use a nifty little app named CleamMem to monitor the load on my RAM and have Task Manager's process tab set up to display the associated memory loads. With FF v22.0, the memory load builds to several hundred MB and can approach 1GB -- if I use CleanMem to force the active processes to release unneeded holds on RAM the level which is displayed for FF will quickly drop to around 50KB, but then just as quickly ratchet back up to several hundred MB again. When the use of RAM becomes extremely high, FF becomes less and less responsive despite a high-quality broadband connection. The memory-hogging aspect of this browser version really, really needs to be improved!

When this symptom really became noticeable on a Win7 Pro x64 laptop with v22.0 a few weeks ago, I thought it was a conflict with an Intellicast radar website as I had that webpage consistently open and being refreshed, so I filed a bugzilla report (#893943) about it. After a week of stormy weather (very unusual for this time of year) I stopped having to monitor the radar but the slowdown and non-responsive behavior continued, so I started monitoring the RAM load. This memory-leak characteristic is very reminiscent of an experience I had with Opera a few years ago when that was my primary browser, and it finally became such a problem it was one of several main reasons I switched to FF.

Hi jhvance, may you please ask a new question.

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/new

Why are you trying to ask Jhvance from adding to this question? It is clearly the same problem.

Are you trying to hide the fact that several users are experiencing the EXACT SAME MEMORY LEAK on the exact same browser?

This sounds like you're trying to mask the fact that FF has a huge problem with memory by forcing people with the same problem to file isolated bugs.

Jhvance--this is the appropriate place to file your bug. Don't let the Admins buffalo you into diluting the evidence by filing a new bug. That is NOT necessary.

I thought I would add clarification. ( _{a forum moderator ~J99} )

• It IS better to start your own question. Use /questions/new
• You may crosslink it and post in this question still. I often encourage users to cross link such questions precisely so we can all see the information
• The advantages are
  1. that we do then see the full information relating to your own question
  2. and your system.
     Please follow the prompts in the question to supply troubleshooting information

Note in this thread there are at least two distinct problems

1. many users have ghostery, an older version of that caused a memory leak
2. a specific site used by curmudgeon99 causes a memory leak

The thread owner and Original Poster probably has a a third distinct &/or multiple problems.

I struck through the comment about this being the appropriate place to file a bug.

1. This is a support forum NOT a bug filing & tracking forum.
2. The guidelines do say NOT to start your own question in someone else’s question
3. And yes they are only guidelines not hard and fast rules. Cross linking posts is occasionally a good idea so that we do see issues that are related. Even if it is the symptom not the cause that is the common factor.

Update

A bug was filed. At present the reproducible part of that bug relates to use of a particular website. (Bug 896016 - Investigate why Firefox reaches 2-3 GB of heap-unclassified on OSX very quickly (~10 mins) )

~J99

Jhvance,

   Please keep your information on this bug. I have already opened a bug on this same issue and it is appropriate that your bug stay linked to mine. I have experienced the same issue with FF22.0. There is a huge memory leak that afflicts FF and the admins are trying to hide that fact by diluting the bug reports into alleged isolated cases. Keep your bug reports here, attached to this defect. The defect you're seeing is exactly the same as mine.