so I am a datacenter architect and I will let you know that FireFox and Waterfox (which I use personally) have cracked down on the Adobe Flash products... I had the same issue... Look up at the top for an allow or allow and remember option or a little red mark beside the URL... I had to manually download and update the plugin from Adobe before it would stop... Also this started happening recently on many sites for me including this one...
Firefox freezes when using Audiogon
Anyone else same issue? Chrome works fine.
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@bombaywalla you're not alone. I've cleaned up lots of machine for friends and colleagues. The worst one I've seen to date had over 9,400 suspicious items according to Malwarebytes. This was also a situation where a grandchild was playing numerous "free" games. That one took a while to clean up! Dick |
Almarg, djohnson54, ok, you guys have me a bit worried now that i got duped by that FF security patch to install.... ;( As Almarg suggested, I did look carefully at all the programs installed on my machine & nothing seems out-of-order i.e. i can explain each installed program. I will run Malwarebytes tonight. I have it installed & have been a user of the free version for several years now. i also have Bitdefender. I've been running them in normal operational mode (not safe mode). I will now run it in safe mode.... thanks once again guys.... |
@bombaywalla - Like Al, I've never had Firefox pop up and ask/warn me to install a security patch. Quite a while back they switched to "silent" updates that only manifest themselves as a slower load time while the update is installing. Also like Al, at this point I'd be worried that something else is really the cause of your problems. I would scan my system pronto. I've had the most luck with a product called Malwarebytes. Like most software of this type, they hawk the premium version which you don't need so watch for offers to activate the premium version during install. It's very important to run this type of software in Windows' safe mode (hold down the F8 key during bootup). This gives the software the best chance to find and eliminate any threats. If it finds anything, go ahead and remove it. Then run it again and again until it doesn't find anything else. Boot you machine back to normal mode, use it for a day or so and then repeat the process in safe mode to make sure something didn't sneakily reinstall itself. There is malware that can even hide itself in old Windows restore points. Dick |
Almarg, this was a security update. I’m looking at the log files & it seems that the message was from FF. The log file in the installation folder tells me it was a ’maintenance service’. The actual log file in the AppData folder has a bunch of PREPARE PATCH xxxx & PREPARE ADD xxx logs. It appeaars it was a legitimate FF security patch for me. Perhaps you’ve already done this security patch since you are so much more on top of this sort of thing compared to me? Anyway, i’ve told the Flash player to "ask to activate’ & I installed Disconnect & uBlock. i will monitor the performance with FF from now on & hopefully i’ll be in the same company as bpoletti, tls49, djohnson54, yourself & others..... wow, i learnt a bit more computer software maintenance on Audiogon! Thanks Almarg for your guidance & thanks scott_w for raising this topic - an illterate (me) is a more literate. ;-) |
Hmm.... I just checked for available updates (under FF’s Help menu) on two different computers, and it says that version 44.0.2 which I’m running is up to date. Also, at Mozilla.org the latest version that is available for download, at least in non-beta form, is 44.0.2. I’m wondering if the popup you saw was not from Mozilla.org (from whence Firefox comes), but might have been from some semi-legitimate or illegitimate third party, for the purpose of installing adware or spyware. It may be a good idea to take a look at the plug-ins and extensions that are now listed as being installed in Firefox, and see if any of them are new. In which case you can select for them to never activate. It may also be a good idea to take a look at the list of programs that are installed on your computer, under Start/Control Panel/Uninstall a Program, and see if there is anything that looks unfamiliar or suspicious, in which case you can uninstall it. Google its name in cases of doubt. Also, performing a "system restore" to an earlier date **might** allow you to get rid of the update. (Type "system restore" into the search box that appears near the start button, when you click that button). That won’t affect any of your data files or email files, but you would probably have to reinstall any programs or Windows updates that were installed subsequent to the date at which the restore point was created. Finally, if necessary you could uninstall Firefox, and then download 44.0.2 from Mozilla.org and reinstall it. I’m not 100% certain, but I believe doing that would not affect your existing bookmarks, Firefox settings, cookies, stored passwords, etc, which are stored in a profile folder that is separate from the program folder. Best regards, -- Al |
Almarg, you reminded me of another thing i need to check - i’ve not done a Win7 update in a while. That could be another potential reason.... Also, last night when i turned on the monitor i was "welcomed" by a popup form that said a security update to FF 44.0.2 is available & that it’s highly encourage. So, i installed it ASAP. Well, I can tell you that FF was working better WITHOUT that security update! I was glad that i had updated to 44.0.2 as many of my streaming woes had disappeared but after last night’s security update they’re b-a-c-k!! :( Deactivating Flash protected mode scares me a little bit (I’ve been down for 1 month in 2013/2014 when ransom-ware infected my computer. I can thank the children for downloading their games & every free toolbar that came with it!! I realize that Flash protected mode will not save me when I've installed free toolbars or installed free games. Even then once bitten, twice shy...) but i’m definitely going setup Flash to be active when needed + try the safe mode to debug which plugin might be the root cause. also thinking of installing uBlock & Disconnect extensions like some other members have. I was on the ublock.org website & saw that they have a download for FF. thanks. |
I'm running Win7 Pro 32-b (& i'm sure many others are as well) & I wonder why some of us are more adversely affected than others??Yes, it’s strange. I’m running W7 Pro and Ultimate on my various computers, in both cases the 64 bit version. As I mentioned earlier, though, within the past couple of years I used to have the same or very similar problems. Not at Audiogon, but at some newspaper and other sites that have a lot of Flash content. But those problems disappeared for me when I changed the Flash setting to "ask to activate," and/or as a result of updates to Flash, Firefox, and perhaps even Windows. Best regards, -- Al |
Thanks very much Almarg. I'm going to try these 3 suggestions tonight. after reading the write-up of Flash Protected mode it seems that i'm suffering from exactly the symptoms stated in that article. I;m running Win7 Pro 32-b (& i'm sure many others are as well) & I wonder why some of us are more adversely affected than others?? |
Hi Bombaywalla, I’d feel pretty certain that the out-of-date Adobe Reader is unrelated to the problem. And in fact I’m still using Adobe Reader XI, because when I briefly updated to DC some time ago I didn’t care for it (I don’t remember why). Also, I’ve never bothered to "research" the plug-ins FF reports as unknown. What I’d suggest that you do at this point is some combination of the following: 1)Under Tools/Add-ons/Plug-ins, change the setting for Flash from "always activate" to "ask to activate." Then only give it permission to activate when it is necessary to view something you want to see. 2)Under "Options," right next to the "ask to activate" setting for Flash, disable protected mode. See this writeup. (Although I have been running with protected mode in its default state of enabled, with no problems). 3)Try what DJohnson54 and I said about running in safe mode. As indicated in the link DJ provided, to start in safe mode just hold down the shift key while starting Firefox. As I indicated, if FF runs smoothly in safe mode it most likely means that a plug-in or extension is causing the trouble. Which particular plug-in or extension can be identified by selectively disabling them while running in normal mode. Best regards, -- Al |
Almarg, All, last night i checked my various plugins - the Flash player is up-to-date. the Adobe Reader DC was not. And, a bunch of other plugins such as one from Apple, Google updater, some plugin pertaining to my Canon camera were ’unknown’ to Firefox & it had the ’research’ link next to it. Of course, i’ll be updating the Adobe Reader DC tonight but what about those other plugins that i need to ’research’? I don’t remember each one of them exactly but can provide a list if that’s required. Thanks for the help. last night i was streaming a show from CBS.com & it kept freezing. Argh, it was sooooo annoying. Tried several things to fix that - quit the tab & restart, scroll the video back in time & replay hoping it would not get stuck at the same point & the one that worked the best - don’t put it in full-screen mode (which sucked because i had to watch the whole show in a 5X7 mini-screen). I’m pretty sure that the show from CBS.com was using the Flash player (that is up-to-date per FF) yet i had intermittent video streaming..... |
Bombaywalla, is your Flash Player up to date, or at least not greatly out of date? For that matter, are your other plug-ins all up to date? That is easy to check in Firefox, as you are probably aware: Tools/Add-ons/Plug-ins/"Check to see if your plug-ins are up to date." Also, try running Firefox in safe mode, as was suggested. If it works ok in that mode it most likely means that a plug-in or extension is causing the problem. You can then isolate which one is the culprit by disabling and re-enabling them (under Tools/Add-ons/Plug-ins or Tools/Add-ons/Extensions) until you zero in on which one precipitates the problem. If there are a lot of plug-ins and/or extensions that are installed, the most efficient way of doing that would be with a binary search technique. Meaning disable half of them; see if the problem disappears; if it does it means that one in the disabled group is responsible; if it does not it means that one in the enabled group is responsible; then disable half of those in whichever group is responsible; and so on. But the likeliest culprit based on my experience is Flash. Best regards, -- Al |
glad you brought up this topic scott_w. I've had some issues with FF + Audiogon but like another member wrote the issue seems to be better since upgrading to the latest FF version. For me even worse than Audiogon is Flickr - as I'm cruising thru photos in my various groups FF freezes after scrolling thru about a dozen pix. Then it crashes, pops up a window that says "oops, this is embarrassing your session crashed due to a script that stopped working..." I've had that same sort of issue streaming shows from CBS's website. |
Like Al, I'm using Firefox 44.0.2 with no problems. Also using uBlock Origin like @tls49. You can try starting Firefox in "safe" mode. This will temporarily turn off all extensions and plug-ins. You can get more information here. Dick |
No problem here. I am and have been using the latest version of Firefox, presently 44.0.2, running on Windows 7. Also, while I’m not sure whether or not it may be relevant to the issue you are having, I’ll mention that on some sites I’ve found in the past that the responsiveness of Firefox can be slowed **drastically** if an advertisement or other content that is present on a site calls Adobe Flash Player into play. So I’ve set Firefox to ask for permission before enabling Flash. Regards, -- Al |
