Firefox 2 and Intel Mac

10-25-2006 9,239 views 40 Comments

Anyone here using an Intel Mac and Firefox 2? So far it has been extremely buggy. Not in rendering or crashing - but it hangs every five minutes or so and I have to force quit. I never had this problem with the previous version of Firefox.

40 Comments

John #

Commented on 10-25-2006 at 1:43 PM
I've been using FF 2.0 since the early release candidates and haven't had any issues at all.

Maybe disable any extensions you have or worse case, delete your profile folder and start over. FireFox 1.5 on my PC at work got corrupted and I had to nuke the profile and start over.

Mike #

Commented on 10-25-2006 at 3:35 PM
I've been using the FF 2.0 nightly builds on my MBP for at least a month and haven't had that problem.

Sean Corfield #

Commented on 10-25-2006 at 3:37 PM
I installed the FF2 final release the other day and it's been rock solid for me on the MBP. What extensions do you have installed? Maybe one of those is the culprit?

Miles Rast #

Commented on 10-25-2006 at 3:40 PM
I've had similar issues with RC2 and RC3, unexplainable crashes especially on ajax-based websites like BaseCamp. Also, having too many tabs open caused unnstable results.

My only plug-ins are the Google Toolbar and Web Developer's kit. I am downloading the new release as I write this and am going to try losing the Google Toolbar as well. My issues with Firefox have been used on an Intel-based desktop Mac Pro. *crosses fingers*

Best,
- Miles

Scott McNulty #

Commented on 10-25-2006 at 4:27 PM
Just to add to the chorus, I've been using it for a few days on my MacBook and it has crashed once (though the new session restore is pretty cool).

Rob Brooks-Bilson #

Commented on 10-25-2006 at 5:31 PM
Ray, are you sure it's not the connectivity at the conference? Wireless has been pretty spotty, with all sorts of DNS issues. That may be causing the hangs.

Raymond Camden #

Commented on 10-25-2006 at 5:45 PM
Yeah but a hung connection shouldn't hang the whole app.

rob shaw #

Commented on 10-25-2006 at 6:22 PM
I have had massive issues with firefox 2.0 as well such a pain which its your primary browser. I tried to go back to 1.5.7 but was still have crashing issues so maybe my setting or an extension is causing it to hang (have you got google sync?).

The most stable version I have had of firefox on my mbp was from this site http://www.beatnikpad.com/archives/2006/02/26/fire...

rob shaw #

Commented on 10-25-2006 at 9:03 PM
I just removed my pref folder /user/library/application support/firefox

then opened firefox and installed google sync (get all my settings and bookmarks back) and I back up and running.

Been stable all morning. Alot faster as well.

Must be an extension or corrupt preference issue.

Raymond Camden #

Commented on 10-26-2006 at 10:33 AM
I've killed my preferences and am currently just running Google Toolbar. So far so good. Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Raymond Camden #

Commented on 10-26-2006 at 11:33 AM
Dang it. I spoke too soon. Unless Google Toolbar is the culprit. I'm going to have to nuke it again and try a totally pure Firefox and see if it works. If not - back to 1.5.7.

PaulH #

Commented on 10-26-2006 at 1:15 PM
on windows also seeing some funky issues on several machines: for instance, click on a link & ff 2.0 jumps to the top of the page instead of the link. happens pretty frequently. bummer.

Stephen Collins #

Commented on 10-26-2006 at 2:23 PM
And a "me too" from me too. Beachball of hell madness all of a sudden for no apprently good reason. I'm guessing it's probably on of my extensions eating the app, but I can't be sure. I've not tracked it to a consistent set of circumstances yet.

Andy Jarrett #

Commented on 10-26-2006 at 2:39 PM
Just to jump in, I gotta say that mine has been running fine. Sorry :o) Though I get a weird rendering bug viewing Directory views on Apache at startup. Apart from that no problems.

Matthew Tagg #

Commented on 10-28-2006 at 1:52 PM
Hi Ray, I believe the Google Toolbar to be the culprit. I installed it yesterday and RC3 has been hanging constantly since then. Just freezes up.

Raymond Camden #

Commented on 10-28-2006 at 2:26 PM
Interesting. I have been since my 3rd install w/ NO extensions at all. I really do miss the Google Toolbar though.

EDOUARDO #

Commented on 11-05-2006 at 3:37 PM
Lots of FF 2 crashes here too on MacBook pro, same on desktop G5. Seems pretty well sure that Google toolbar is the culprit. Once that is disabled all settles down.
Otherwise i am GUARANTEED a lock up / crash, its just a matter of 'when'.
If I leave FF running, then return to it, it has invariably reported 'Application not responding'.
ED.

Raymond Camden #

Commented on 11-05-2006 at 4:57 PM
I've kept it off my mac, and so far, so good.

Charles Barilleaux #

Commented on 11-07-2006 at 7:17 AM
I have a MacBook, and have been having the random-hangs-must-force-quit issue as well. I have the Google toolbar and the del.icio.us plug-in. Having read this thread, I think I'll try removing the whole shebang, and reinstall. Or try beatnickpad.

YK #

Commented on 11-20-2006 at 5:32 PM
Problems here as well, with FF2 on a brand new MacBook Pro. The only extension I have is the web dev toolbar. The ap constantly crashes, sometimes when it's just open with no browser windows. I'm actually considering going bak to Safari.

EJ #

Commented on 11-21-2006 at 12:20 PM
I have been having the "not responding" problem as well. Pretty much every time I use firefox, after a certain amount of time, the beachball starts spinning and I have to "force quit" the app. I just uninstalled all of the extensions I had and will see if it works.

EDOUARDO #

Commented on 11-21-2006 at 12:36 PM
Hmm. I have a bit of a progress report here - on my desktop Mac Quad 2.5Ghz G5 I have FF2 with Extensions: DOM inspector, Google Toolbar, Talkback and Adsense Notifier running - this seems stable and is not giving any problems.
On the mac Book Pro Intel laptop I am now running FF2 with only the Adsense Notifier (all others disabled) and this is also running stable now.

EJ #

Commented on 11-26-2006 at 1:29 AM
Update: I have uninstalled all of the add-ons (even the google toolbar) except for "talkback" and now firefox 2.0 works perfectly. YAY!

LimeKnight Pete #

Commented on 11-28-2006 at 8:31 AM
I get the rancid beachball of death on a regular basis as well.. I've got Chris Pederick's web dev toolbar and the google toolbar - both of which I use every day..
oh and I'm running firefox 2 on a MBP.

Lisa B #

Commented on 11-29-2006 at 10:43 PM
yes me too, it hangs often FF2 on intel Macbook Pro, I've got all kinds of plugins, Safari works perfectly, seems to crash on complex sites like Amazon.. locks up all tabs so you can't use the application at all, no access to any other tabs or windows.. I'll try these suggestions

Lisa B #

Commented on 11-29-2006 at 10:43 PM
yes me too, it hangs often FF2 on intel Macbook Pro, I've got all kinds of plugins, Safari works perfectly, seems to crash on complex sites like Amazon.. locks up all tabs so you can't use the application at all, no access to any other tabs or windows.. I'll try these suggestions

eric #

Commented on 12-01-2006 at 5:21 PM
I've had the same problem on my Mac Pro. I've followed Rob Shaw's advise and deleted the folder

/user/library/application support/firefox.

I didn't have GoogleBar, so I didn't need to uninstall that (but apparently it has been causing the problem, too), but uninstall it if you have it. This should get you running like the Firefox of old.

Oh, and make sure to export your bookmarks (if you care about them).

Bookmaks/Organize Bookmarks.../File/Export, or use Google Sync.

Hope this helps those in dire need. Oh, and thanks Rob for the tip.

Owen #

Commented on 12-04-2006 at 1:11 PM
I am almost certain the problem lies with the Google Toolbar. I do run the Web Developer toolbar, but I don't show the toolbar, I just use the context menu. I had lots of crashing with my usual set of extensions, but over time I've been experimenting with different sets. No Google Toolbar, no crashing. Could be just a problem with the new FF and extensions that add toolbars. Hope that helps someone.

EJ #

Commented on 12-22-2006 at 7:50 PM
Well, I am also running FF2 on a Macbook Pro and I was getting the dreaded beachball. After uninstalling every plug in and using firefox for more than a month, I have not gotten one "Not responding" message again nor has firefox frozen up. It seems to have worked.

rc #

Commented on 02-08-2007 at 2:25 PM
I've got a major issue where multiple tabs that were opened and closed on one session, continue to open each and every time i open FF2 on MBPro. No matter if I clear history and everything. I finally dumped FF2 for my MBP. any ideas on this one?

lewafer #

Commented on 03-09-2007 at 11:52 AM
I'm also having major problems with FF2 crashes on Intel iMac 24in. It's been crashing about 6 times a day. Have the Google toolbar installed, FoxyTunes, and a weather bar. Of course, had no probs with FF 1.5.

pierre d'maui #

Commented on 04-05-2007 at 6:41 AM
I too have MBP and experience FF2 hanging. I have to force quit maybe 1-3 times a day. Memory issues I would say. I don't have GoogleToolbar and only 3 plugins. There are some web sites around with FF tricks. I am going to play with a few to see how it affects FF.

Safari is indeed rock solid it seems. I don't have any plugins for it.

Bash Coder #

Commented on 04-09-2007 at 6:40 AM
FF2 on my MacBook is crashing a few times daily. Either that or the spinning color wheel is supposed to be hypnotizing me into some odd behavior or belief. I have the latest del.icio.us add-on.

Oh yeah, almost forgot: This all started the day I realized that I am a squirrel.

Juliana Farha #

Commented on 04-27-2007 at 7:24 AM
I'm using a MacBook with Firefox, and it crashes constantly. I get the endless beachball, but what's more irritating is that I can't even force quit the application - I have to shut down my computer. In fact, I had endless problems with previous versions of FF and switched back to Safari until I found that more and more websites were giving me an 'unsupported browser warning' with it.

I gather it might help to uninstall the FF add-ons - can someone tell me how you do this?

Raymond Camden #

Commented on 04-27-2007 at 1:13 PM
Juliana, if you go to Tools/Add Ons, you will see your list of extensions and you can remove them there.

I tried FF again with the last release, and it seems better now.

Rick #

Commented on 05-05-2007 at 4:38 AM
I've recently switched to a mac...firefox crashes a few times a day with no explanation...very disappointed that Mozilla cant get it right for mac users...

VT #

Commented on 05-30-2007 at 8:27 AM
I have noticed that if I delete the Profile in Firefox before launching the program then Firefox does not crash

Nomad #

Commented on 08-30-2007 at 10:19 AM
I had the same problem on my Intel Mac-Pro but the PPC version of FF works fine.

jonas #

Commented on 10-28-2007 at 5:54 AM
hey ray, i exactly now what you mean... i'm having the same troubles since a few weeks ago, pro'lly since the last update and i don't know what to do...

if u have found a solution, i'd be more than happy if you could drop me a line on how to fix this!

greetings from munich, germany!

jonas

Raymond Camden #

Commented on 10-28-2007 at 8:56 AM
I posted on this more recently. I found that the major cause of trouble with FF was Firebug. I had it turned on for all sites. Turning it off - and then turning it when I needed to - helped a LOT.