1010416 - Many ghost windows in Firefox 29 due to Skype Click-to-Call extension

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(Core :: General, defect)

Description

[Angelo Borsotti]

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; rv:29.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/29.0 (Beta/Release)
Build ID: 20140506152807

Steps to reproduce:

Open FF 29 in the morning, and use it all the day, opening pages in separate tabs,
and CLOSING them after reading.


Actual results:

The memory footprint increases roughly up to 900 Megs, and never decreases.
I must quit it and restart it at least once a day, while with the previous release
I could keep it open for days.


Expected results:

Release memory when tabs are closed. I understand that keeping some contents in memory could save time, should the user reopen the same pages shortly after, but
when a page is not reopened after a few hours, probably it is cheaper to throw it
away.

Comment 1

[Nicholas Nethercote [inactive]]

When Firefox is showing these symptoms -- i.e. after you've used it all day and then closed all the tabs and the memory usage stays high -- can you please type "about:memory" into the address bar, and then hit the "Measure and save..." button, and then attach the resulting file to this bug? (Note that this file may contain information such as what sites you have visited; if putting that into a public bug report make you uncomfortable you could instead email it to me.)

Also, can you type "about:support" into the address bar, and then click on the "Copy text to clipboard" button, and then paste the results into a file and attach that here as well? Among other things, that will tell us what add-ons you have installed.

With those two files, we'll have a reasonable chance of working out what's wrong. Thanks!

Comment 2

[Angelo Borsotti]

This time it did reach only 700 Megs. I have got the measurements you asked.

Comment 3

[Angelo Borsotti]

Attachment: about:memory

Comment 4

[Angelo Borsotti]

Attachment: about:support

Comment 5

[Nicholas Nethercote [inactive]]

Ok, you have lots of "ghost" windows, which are basically leaked windows:

> │  ├───36.11 MB (07.02%) -- top(none)
> │  │   ├──32.55 MB (06.33%) -- ghost
> │  │   │  ├───4.80 MB (00.93%) ++ window(http://www.corriere.it/scienze/14_maggio_16/ragazza-15-anni-l-antenata-nativi-americani-f4f6804e-dcd8-11e3-a199-c0de7a3de7c1.shtml)
> │  │   │  ├───4.16 MB (00.81%) ++ window(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/correspondent?s=t)
> │  │   │  ├───3.74 MB (00.73%) ++ window(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/implementable)
> │  │   │  ├───3.69 MB (00.72%) ++ window(http://www.ibs.it/code/9788804512622/galli-giancarlo/finanza-bianca-chiesa.html)
> │  │   │  ├───3.39 MB (00.66%) ++ window(https://www.google.it/search?q=%40cerasa&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb&gfe_rd=cr&ei=Ml94U-GMOOna8geo2IGYBA)
> │  │   │  ├───3.08 MB (00.60%) ++ window(http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/655589/what-is-difference-between-cycle-path-and-circuit-in-graph-theory)
> │  │   │  ├───2.90 MB (00.56%) ++ window(http://www.lachiesa.it/calendario/Detailed/20140518.shtml)
> │  │   │  ├───2.22 MB (00.43%) ++ window(http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Soros)
> │  │   │  ├───0.50 MB (00.10%) ++ window(http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-8209997240620059&output=html&h=90&slotname=7141727539&adk=3453147570&w=728&ea=0&flash=13.0.0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdictionary.reference.com%2Fbrowse%2Fcorrespondent%3Fs%3Dt&dt=1400313651619&bpp=11&bdt=1398&shv=r20140513&cbv=r20140417&saldr=sa&correlator=1400313651865&frm=23&ga_vid=1268734594.1400313652&ga_sid=1400313652&ga_hid=787553639&ga_fc=0&u_tz=120&u_his=10&u_java=1&u_h=922&u_w=1152&u_ah=883&u_aw=1152&u_cd=24&u_nplug=17&u_nmime=71&dff=serif&dfs=16&adx=230&ady=99&biw=1062&bih=729&isw=728&ish=90&ifk=549113690&eid=317150304&oid=3&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fdictionary.reference.com%2Fbrowse%2Fconform%3Fs%3Dt&rx=0&eae=2&vis=1&fu=4&ifi=1&dtd=265)
> │  │   │  ├───0.35 MB (00.07%) ++ window(http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.html)
> │  │   │  ├───0.35 MB (00.07%) ++ window(https://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.html)
> │  │   │  ├───0.25 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDQQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibs.it%2Fcode%2F9788804512622%2Fgalli-giancarlo%2Ffinanza-bianca-chiesa.html&ei=8Zx3U5G4HY-w7Aauu4CwBQ&usg=AFQjCNGErgqT1UPl6qa8mrLe2rC5bydwNw&bvm=bv.66917471,d.ZGU)
> │  │   │  ├───0.25 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDEQqQIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corriere.it%2Ffoto-gallery%2Fscienze_e_tecnologie%2F14_maggio_17%2Fecco-dinosauro-piu-grande-mondo-e2c6d856-dda5-11e3-9bca-c6f1cdc28cdd.shtml&ei=ymJ4U_iHCMSO7AaJsYG4Dw&usg=AFQjCNEWRS2CvTbQDgmv96F7I7xapHRPAQ&bvm=bv.66917471,d.ZGU)
> │  │   │  ├───0.25 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lachiesa.it%2Fcalendario%2FDetailed%2F20140518.shtml&ei=sVp4U4TWA4Gk4gS2q4CoDA&usg=AFQjCNE_CAKmEN2SpA38tEPS9XM2dXF2wg&bvm=bv.66917471,d.ZGU)
> │  │   │  ├───0.25 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCycle_(graph_theory)&ei=aRJ3U6TvM-zT7AatkIDoCw&usg=AFQjCNGzZ0VNiPY1x97zLHPUWyjVs0Sojw&bvm=bv.66917471,d.ZGU)
> │  │   │  ├───0.24 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-8209997240620059&output=html&h=250&slotname=5548602264&adk=1522725179&w=300&ea=0&flash=13.0.0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdictionary.reference.com%2Fbrowse%2Fhayward&dt=1400311702466&bpp=11&bdt=1846&shv=r20140513&cbv=r20140417&saldr=sa&correlator=1400311702926&frm=23&ga_vid=2146413884.1400311703&ga_sid=1400311703&ga_hid=1339063554&ga_fc=0&u_tz=120&u_his=4&u_java=1&u_h=922&u_w=1152&u_ah=883&u_aw=1152&u_cd=24&u_nplug=17&u_nmime=71&dff=serif&dfs=16&adx=315&ady=969&biw=1062&bih=761&isw=300&ish=250&ifk=408679282&eid=317150304&oid=3&rx=0&eae=2&vis=1&fu=4&ifi=1&dtd=479)
> │  │   │  ├───0.24 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://www.google.it/aclk?sa=L&ai=C3iAoF194U-eTIMK87gaY4ICgDMuq0a4Do6mZzG6TkfDMnQIIABABILZUUOG9icEHYP0CyAEBqgQfT9DQPMu4UnE47ufD_BiYDnodCgUWqK1pp8EZ5ks18IAFkE6AB4OL3SmQBwM&sig=AOD64_1_JQGlBWqcZKsGXm2W6RDAps5RjQ&rct=j&q=&ved=0CC4Q0Qw&adurl=http://www.amazon.it/s/%3Fie%3DUTF8%26keywords%3Dle%2Bcatene%2Bdella%2Bsinistra%26tag%3Dslhyin-21%26index%3Dstripbooks%26hvadid%3D29665866395%26ref%3Dpd_sl_2szx5m8wjy_e)
> │  │   │  ├───0.24 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CEUQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmath.stackexchange.com%2Fquestions%2F655589%2Fwhat-is-difference-between-cycle-path-and-circuit-in-graph-theory&ei=nxF3U_3_IISv7Aa1lYGIBQ&usg=AFQjCNEdIMoHoOykrttAYtZuz3vaizakTg&bvm=bv.66917471,d.ZGU)
> │  │   │  ├───0.24 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CFcQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibs.it%2Flibri%2Fgalli%2Bgiancarlo%2Flibri%2Bdi%2Bgiancarlo%2Bgalli.html&ei=LJt3U7HKOabb7Abo6YDgBA&usg=AFQjCNExpM-gT-0s-I9mylkOPBtDu4lkvg&bvm=bv.66917471,d.ZGU)
> │  │   │  ├───0.24 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CEsQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cittacattolica.com%2Findex.php%3Faction%3Dpagdx%26idx%3D15&ei=m1p4U-jLN4ey7AblpIDQBA&usg=AFQjCNGEHLdM8260Bp7sUi00CuV52sBvUA&bvm=bv.66917471,d.ZGU)
> │  │   │  ├───0.24 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGlossary_of_graph_theory&ei=iRJ3U6OjKeqS7Aa2soDIAQ&usg=AFQjCNGhYMcwQHTHsNwu4TKe6hjIk_c6Og&bvm=bv.66917471,d.ZGU)
> │  │   │  ├───0.24 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdictionary.reference.com%2Fbrowse%2Fimplementable&ei=AA13U9OpAafR7AbHyIHgBw&usg=AFQjCNFSeOJhIJpsbW7V-bTp-qJnG0pK8w&bvm=bv.66917471,d.ZGU)
> │  │   │  ├───0.24 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fit.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGiancarlo_Galli&ei=LJt3U7HKOabb7Abo6YDgBA&usg=AFQjCNGQX7lssa_GDxwXwH0TkTJmFh1PxQ&bvm=bv.66917471,d.ZGU)
> │  │   │  ├───0.24 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fit.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGeorge_Soros&ei=4453U5vNN-_Q7AalxoDACg&usg=AFQjCNG0xsbLsefBm-O8ZlJjJka0pkdeCg&bvm=bv.66917471,d.ZGU)
> │  │   │  └───0.24 MB (00.05%) ++ window(http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2

There's a very high chance that one of the enabled add-ons -- As You Wish,
Firebug, or Skype Click to Call -- is at fault. Can you please disable them one
at a time and see if that makes the problem go away? I'd start with the Skype
one, because that's caused exactly this problem before in the past (see bug 911650).

Once you've worked out which add-on is at fault, we can take the next step.
Thanks!

Comment 6

[Andrew McCreight [:mccr8]]

FWIW, about:supports shows that it is v7.2 of Skype Click To Call, which is newer than the version that is supposed to fix the issue in bug 911650.

Comment 7

[Kris Maglione [:kmag]]

I'd recommend uninstalling any add-ons by "Lipo Technologies", regardless of whether they're at fault. To call them 'terrible' is an understatement. Admittedly, "Browser Server" is mostly just code stolen from elsewhere with some ad injection and user tracking gunk tacked on.

I just briefly tested the newest Skype Click-to-Call, and didn't see any ghost windows. It's possible that they only occur with certain usage patterns, though.

Comment 8

[Angelo Borsotti]

I have disabled the Skype addon, and have seen that after a full day of use the memory is now 300 Megs,
i.e. less than half the one with the addon enabled.
I have then the impression that the Skype addon is not entirely compatible with FF 29.
I would suggest to flag it as "incompatible" so as to avoid the same problem to occur on other customers.

Comment 9

[Angelo Borsotti]

I see that the Skype to Call addon has no "remove" button in the about:addons page.
I think there should be a means to remove *any* addons, correct?

Comment 10

[Emanuel Hoogeveen [:ehoogeveen]]

Just a guess, but it may be a global extension or an extension added through the registry. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firefox_:_FAQs_:_Uninstall_Extensions has a pretty good guide on getting rid of each type of extension.

Comment 11

[Angelo Borsotti]

The link describes a number of ways of getting rid of an extension manually.
I think that it would be more safe and comfortable for the user to have a "remove" button
on all extensions in the about:addons page.

Comment 12

[Nicholas Nethercote [inactive]]

kmag, any way we can be more pro-active about this add-on?

Comment 13

[Kris Maglione [:kmag]]

Probably not. I can't even reproduce this, so without reliable STR, I wouldn't even know where to start. We might be able to pull some correlations between add-ons and ghost windows from telemetry, though, which might let us proactively deal with this kind of issue more generally.

(In reply to Angelo Borsotti from comment #9)
> I see that the Skype to Call addon has no "remove" button in the
> about:addons page.
> I think there should be a means to remove *any* addons, correct?

That's because the add-on is installed to a global location which your user account doesn't have access to modify. You can disable it (which has exactly the same effect as removing it), but removing it entirely from within Firefox is not possible.

Comment 14

[Angelo Borsotti]

Kris, I removed it with Control Panel->Programs->Uninstall.
My user account has admin privileges. Then I do not understand why the remove
button does not appear.

Comment 15

[Kris Maglione [:kmag]]

Even if your account has admin privileges, it likely also has UAC. Regardless, Firefox instances, for various reasons, do not make changes to the system which affect other profiles or user accounts.

Comment 16

[Nicholas Nethercote [inactive]]

I wonder if a cautionary blog post is worthwhile...

Comment 17

[Kris Maglione [:kmag]]

The current version of the Skype extension is also a pure SDK extension, and doesn't use any non-SDK interfaces. Its non-content code is also quite small. Unless there's an SDK bug it's triggering, I don't see a way the current version could be causing this.

Comment 18

[Angelo Borsotti]

I have been running now FF 29 for 2 days and using it heavily with Skype to Call disabled
(and yesterday also removed) and the memory footprint is 380 megs.
I do not know if Skype has a bug or is triggering one in SDK; fact is that FF lo longer
get swollen.

Comment 19

[Nicholas Nethercote [inactive]]

I guess we can close this, then.

Comment 20

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

Wait, don't we need a bug on Skype to Call or something?

Comment 21

[Nicholas Nethercote [inactive]]

If you want, we can. kmag can't reproduce it.

Comment 22

[Kris Maglione [:kmag]]

It would help if we had a copy of the version that's implicated. The version bundled with the current Skype installer doesn't seem to cause any such problems, but it's possible that there are a large number of instances of a broken version in the wild. If that's the case, I'd like to block them. We'd need to be able to reproduce, though.

Comment 23

[Angelo Borsotti]

I have Skype 6.14.0.104. Thus the addon should come from its installer.