365919 - Address bar autocomplete, scripting become slow or stop after using certain applications

Status: RESOLVED INVALID

(Firefox :: General, defect)

Description

[Keith Ammann]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.1) Gecko/20061204 Firefox/2.0.0.1
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.1) Gecko/20061204 Firefox/2.0.0.1

Since switching to Firefox 2 from 1.5, I've encountered the following problem: After any length of time using certain other applications (including Google Talk, Crossword Compiler, CGoban, KoLMafia, the website OKCupid), I begin to experience problems with the autocomplete function in Firefox's address bar: When I type a letter or two of a frequently visited site, it takes a long time to complete the URL, or it never completes it at all. Two other problems accompany this one: Web pages such as Gmail lose their ability to open a new browser window using an alias -- the new window gets stuck on the alias URL -- and, if I let the problem go without restarting or rebooting, all search engines disappear from my Google Toolbar. (When the bug reaches this point, restarting Firefox does not fix the problem -- I have to reboot. If I restart Firefox before this point, the bug is usually corrected, though it reappears later. Closing Firefox often causes other slowed-down programs to snap back to life.)

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
N.B. Because it usually takes at least an hour or two for this problem to emerge, I haven't tried to reproduce it under controlled conditions -- it would take forever and keep me from using my computer for other things. Lately, however, it does happen every session.

1. Run Firefox and keep it running, with Gmail open in one window.
2. Run any two of the programs listed above.
3. Wait a long time. Do other stuff while you wait.
4. Type the first one or two letters of a URL into the address bar.
Actual Results:  
- All programs begin to slow down. Alt-Tabbing from one to another results in delays and temporary screen artifacts.
- The vertical text insertion cursor disappears, and the program appears to hang.
- Nothing appears if you try to pull down the address history.
- Clicking on links in Gmail produces empty windows with a Gmail alias URL, not the URL linked to, in the address bar.
- Java applications take an inordinately long time to load.

Expected Results:  
The same seamless behavior obtained with earlier browsers and earlier in the current browser session.

I use the Qute theme. When I first upgraded to Firefox 2, I also upgraded the User Agent Switcher; upon hearing that it was responsible for some problems, I uninstalled it, but the problem has persisted.

Comment 1

[Keith Ammann]

One other thing I forgot to mention: Once this bug has kicked in, it also freezes ForecastFox. One tipoff is that the pop-up current temperature indicator gets "stuck" partway out.

Comment 2

[Keith Ammann]

Outside programs (Crossword Compiler, Google Talk) are eliminated as culprits. This bug exists entirely within Firefox and the websites it accesses.

Windows Task Manager reveals unusually high memory usage when the bug is in effect -- generally in the 95Mb to 105Mb range. Also, once Firefox reaches its "stuck" phase (as opposed to merely running slowly), exiting Firefox normally does not end the Firefox process -- some vestige of it remains running in the background, as can be seen in Windows Task Manager. This process must be terminated in order to run Firefox again. Then, upon running Firefox, the program declares that it was terminated abnormally and offers to restore the status of the previous session. The window status it returns corresponds to the moment when Firefox went from slow to "stuck."

Comment 3

[Keith Ammann]

Today I tried disabling ForecastFox. THIS SEEMS TO CLEAR UP THE BUG.

Thanks for all the help you've provided with this bug, guys. I really don't know how to express my gratitude.

Comment 4

[Keith Ammann]

Reviewing comments on the net confirms that the problem is with ForecastFox.