Closed Bug 516998 Opened 16 years ago Closed 10 years ago

High CPU Use when running asghost.exe

Categories

(Firefox :: General, defect)

Product:
Firefox
Component:
General
Platform:
x86
Windows 7
Type:
defect
Priority:
Not set
Severity:
normal

Tracking

()

Status:
RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

People

(Reporter: fabian.inostroza.p, Unassigned)

References

Details

(Keywords: regression, regressionwindow-wanted)

User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.0; es-ES; rv:1.9.1.3) Gecko/20090824 Firefox/3.5.3 Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.0; es-ES; rv:1.9.1.3) Gecko/20090824 Firefox/3.5.3 I have a fingerprint reader and it uses a process called asghost.exe, when im using firefox 3.5.3 both uses too much cpu, it doesnt happen with firefox 2. if i terminate asghost process the cpu usage normalizes but i cant still using fingerprint Reproducible: Always
I don't believe the problem is with the "fingerprint reader" as much as it is to do with HP's Credential Manager, part of the HP ProtectTools Security Manager suite. I have the exact same high CPU usage problem on a Compaq 8510w laptop, running Security Manager v3.00 AA. Logging out of the Credential Manager (run HP ProtectTools >> Credential Manager and click "Log Out" to close down the Credential Manager) has the CPU return to normal levels.
(In reply to comment #1) Sorry, should mention: Build identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.0; en-US; rv:1.9.2.2) Gecko/20100316 Firefox/3.6.2 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729)
I can reproduce this on my WinXP notebook (HP 6930p with HP Protect Tools installed) with all FF 3.6 versions so far. Downgrading to the latest 3.5 version (Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; de; rv:1.9.1.9) Gecko/20100315 Firefox/3.5.9) resolves the problem. In my setup, it is only seen on specific websites. A 100% sure way to reproduce this is to open the BitTorrent Download Manager web interface of a Buffalo LinkStation NAS device. I tried various versions of the HP Protect Tools suite, which includes the problematic asghost.exe, but the results are the same in all versions. However, I could never reproduce this with MS-IE. It looks like the high CPU load is somehow linked to the automatic scanning for login information which is done by HP Protect Tools. It seems to generate some kind of interaction with FF, causing this problem when certain pages are loaded.
I can confirm the existence of this bug. I am running version 3.6.2 on a 3 GB, 2 Ghz dual-core Compaq nc8430 with Credential manger for HP ProtectTools version 2.5.0.880.13, and Windows XP Pro Service Pack 2. The problem became obvious after 3.6 was installed, although I can't say for sure that it didn't exist in earlier versions. I can start Firefox fine and use it for a few minutes, then CPU utilization goes through the roof with asghost.exe taking about half. Normally, it sits in the background, monitoring web pages for Login and Password requests, and completing them when a match is found to credentials in the Credential Manager. When not running Firefox, it uses virtually no CPU time. The problem does not occur when using IE. I have not been able to narrow the problem to specific pages, but I know that I spend a large amount of time in a Java app that utilizes port 8080, and I can guarantee that it will occur using this app.
Hi! I have te same problem :( asghost.exe > 30% CPU (sometimes with Firefox open) Firefox > 30% CPU HP EliteBook 6930p Firefox 3.6.3 (en-GB) Windows 7 Enterprise x64 HP Security Manager - Version: 4.10.10.0003
Still happens in the latest 3.6.7 build. Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; de; rv:1.9.2.7) Gecko/20100713 Firefox/3.6.7.
when i'm logged in to Hp ProtectTools credential manager, FF 3.6.7 may hang on some flash site.
Still present with 4.0pre8
The problem is INSANELY magnified with Mozilla 4.0 v 2.0.0.3960 asghost.exe runs CONSTANTLY at about 35% CPU.
Due to this issue, I am only installing security updates for version 3.5, currently using 3.5.15 (Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; de; rv:1.9.1.15) Gecko/20101026 Firefox/3.5.15). At least, none of the 3.5 security updates so far introduced this bug in 3.5, even 3.5.15 is working great.
asghost.exe 2.5.0.57 runnning @ 40% when using FF for me for past year with Win Vista Bus 32bit SP2. Currently using FF 3.6.13. I am a software M$ C# developer with Vis Studio 2005 (& C++ & ASM experience), should anyone want more info like mini dumps etc.
Running Firefox 3.6.13 and HP Credential manager 2.0 and I have the same problem. Some web sites cause the CPU to raise for Firefox.exe and asghost.exe where each of those processes are running at 25-30% CPU on a dual core laptop (basically pegs one core). Logging out of credential manager makes everything ok.
I can confirm that logging out of Credential Manager stops excessive CPU
I can confirm that this bug still exist when using FF 4.0 and Credential Manager 4.1.11.1505. High CPU usage and constant freezing on Flash sites. Will try the solution with log out...
I'm another with the same problem. FF 4.0.1 and CredMgr 4.10.10.0003. High CPU and FF eventually locks and needs to be shutdown with the task manager. Internet Explorer does not have the problem even when going to the same sites. I'm going back to IE as my default browser on my laptop.:-( Please fix this! FF is my favorite.
Version: unspecified → 4.0 Branch
This bug was reported using a pre-release version of Firefox 4. Now that Firefox 4.0.1 final has been released, can you please update and retest your bug? A fresh profile would be a good starting place to test, http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+profiles. If you continue to see the issue, can you please update this bug with your results? Filter: firefox4prebugsunco
(In reply to comment #16) > This bug was reported using a pre-release version of Firefox 4. Now that > Firefox 4.0.1 final has been released, can you please update and retest your > bug? A fresh profile would be a good starting place to test, > http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+profiles. If you continue to see the > issue, can you please update this bug with your results? > > Filter: firefox4prebugsunco I believe I've found the workaround to this (with help from other posts elsewhere). I have an HP6730b running Windows 7. I have experienced this problem and the related, I believe, problem where playing Flash videos would lock up FF. I've had this problem with FF3.6 onwards. I was noticing this high CPU usage of ASGHOST.EXE when investigating those hangs. I believe the problem is the HP ProtectTools Credential Manager not interacting well with FF, or more probably with FF's plugincontainer.exe. The credential manager monitors, in part, web traffic offering to save passwords and supplying them. This is actually unnecessary for FF, which has superior password caching built-in, so I think that it's no biggy to switch it off for web-browsing (at least for FF users - other browser users may experience reduced functionality). This can be done by running the Credential Manager and choosing settings. Go to the "Single Sign On" tab and deselect the checkbox labelled "Enable automatic detection of logon dialogs and Web pages". I find this does the trick for me in that I no longer have hanging FF when viewing Flash, or asghost taking up CPU. However, I only view it as a workaround in that non-browser applications that used to benefit from this (e.g. the VPN gateway I use to connect to work) now require passwords to be entered. It would be nice if FF developers could get together with HP to fix this.
If any of you guys could confirm that this is still the case on a recent nightly build (http://nightly.mozilla.org/) then I could mark this bug as NEW. Unfortunately I can't repro myself given the circumstances of this issue.
(In reply to comment #18) > If any of you guys could confirm that this is still the case on a recent > nightly build (http://nightly.mozilla.org/) then I could mark this bug as > NEW. Unfortunately I can't repro myself given the circumstances of this > issue. I would definitely ask this bug be marked as NEW and get attention. I've given up on Chrome and IE and recently came back to FireFox (5.0.1) - however it frequently freezes and I see asghost.exe hogging over 40% of CPU. (Aside - I wondered if some of the plug-ins were problematic, disabled the flash video plugin; which means I cannot watch youtube or other videos using firefox! - clearly that did not help).
Confirming based on the number of past reports and the fact that it's still the case in 5.0.1. Asghost does seem to be quite problematic in general, according to my web searches. This sounds like a problem with Asghost that FF might try to work around, but that would require an interested developer with the problematic hardware...
Status: UNCONFIRMED → NEW
Ever confirmed: true
The problem is still persisting in FF 6.0.
I'm getting same problem. This makes FF pretty much unusable for me which is a shame. usnig FF 6.0
Contacted HP about this, they said asghost works fine with IE so it is a FF problem :(
I had the same problem using Hp Credential Manager and Firefox 7.0.1. To manage password I use the application Keepass, which can be used for firefox, chrome or any other browser or application. So I've recorded all my password on this application and every time I'ask it to write automatically the userid and the passwored of a website or program, it asks me a unique password. To insert this password I use the credential manager which at this point manage only this application, ignoring all the other. After this on Credential Manager I have disabled on settings in the section "Single Sign On" all the selection of the second block (I try to translate because I've italian version). I've disabled: - Register User Credential - Ask confirmation before register credential - Don't give suggestion Also I've disabled on General: - Shows welcome and completition pages on wizard; - Show suggestions; - Show suggestions at start; - Ask to record credential on start; - Record fingerprint for new users; - Show suggestion before one touch action; - Action for One Touch --> Do nothing; - Shows welcome and completition pages; - Show all criterias; - Use last criteria on next access; - Use last userid on next access; Now Asghost consume the 1% of cpu and the same Firefox, I've not anymore the constant consume of 20-30% of cpu I had before. :)
@ alberto.polizzano@gmail.com Thank you for sharing a workaround and your kind input. The Credential Manager Single Sign On works not only with web browsers but also with other apps, and it seems disabling it this way may remove its functionality form the rest of the system.
(In reply to alberto.polizzano from comment #24) This is not a useful workaround for most folks unless you have keypass. I prefer credential manager over keypass so for me I won't use Firefox until this problem is fixed. > I had the same problem using Hp Credential Manager and Firefox 7.0.1. To > manage password I use the application Keepass, which can be used for > firefox, chrome or any other browser or application. So I've recorded all my > password on this application and every time I'ask it to write automatically > the userid and the passwored of a website or program, it asks me a unique > password. To insert this password I use the credential manager which at this > point manage only this application, ignoring all the other. After this on > Credential Manager I have disabled on settings in the section "Single Sign > On" all the selection of the second block (I try to translate because I've > italian version). I've disabled: - Register User Credential - Ask > confirmation before register credential - Don't give suggestion Also I've > disabled on General: - Shows welcome and completition pages on wizard; > - Show suggestions; - Show suggestions at start; - Ask to record > credential on start; - Record fingerprint for new users; - Show > suggestion before one touch action; - Action for One Touch --> Do > nothing; - Shows welcome and completition pages; - Show all criterias; > - Use last criteria on next access; - Use last userid on next access; > Now Asghost consume the 1% of cpu and the same Firefox, I've not anymore the > constant consume of 20-30% of cpu I had before. :)
(In reply to alberto.polizzano from comment #24) Obviously, disabling any one of the two problematic components will get rid of this problem. I prefer to disable Firefox, because otherwise my fingerprint reader becomes unusable and I did not find any other software besides what HP provides to make use of this hardware on WinXP. It seems that Win7 has better built-in support for fingerprint readers... Maybe I'll switch to that OS some day. For now, I dumped FF and switched to Chrome. Someone would need to check what was changed from the last version of FF 3.5 to the first version of 3.6, because that is where this bug was introduced. Since this did not happen for the last 2 years, chances are that it will never happen.
Someone who sees this could try finding a regression window, but it's not for the faint-hearted. Definitely a tricky process. Info: http://quality.mozilla.org/docs/bugzilla/guide-to-triaging-bugs-for-firefox/finding-a-regression-window/ I guess the problem is that none of the volunteer developers have the hardware to reproduce this.
OS: Windows Vista → Windows 7
Version: 4.0 Branch → Trunk
Not sure about CPU usage but when HP ProtectTools is installed I constantly have to force quit Firefox 0.0.1 because it locks up.
(In reply to Roman from comment #28) > Someone who sees this could try finding a regression window, but it's not > for the faint-hearted. Definitely a tricky process. Info: > http://quality.mozilla.org/docs/bugzilla/guide-to-triaging-bugs-for-firefox/ > finding-a-regression-window/ > > I guess the problem is that none of the volunteer developers have the > hardware to reproduce this. Correct. https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Projects/Mozmill/How_to_do_regression_testing
Flags: needinfo?(wkaufmann)
Flags: needinfo?(fabian.inostroza.p)
Keywords: regression, regressionwindow-wanted
Does this still occur with newer versions of Firefox and ProtectTools?
Flags: needinfo?(tmcrespo)
Flags: needinfo?(luzi.alberto)
Flags: needinfo?(greg.fenton)
Flags: needinfo?(chris)
Flags: needinfo?(bruce.chadbourne)
Flags: needinfo?(greg.fenton)
Closing this as incomplete due to inactivity and lack of response from the reporters. Feel free to reopen the bug if the issue still reproduces on a current build.
Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 10 years ago
Flags: needinfo?(wkaufmann)
Flags: needinfo?(tmcrespo)
Flags: needinfo?(luzi.alberto)
Flags: needinfo?(fabian.inostroza.p)
Flags: needinfo?(chris)
Flags: needinfo?(bruce.chadbourne)
Resolution: --- → INCOMPLETE
This bug is 6 years old. Why even bother at this point. No longer have the computer that I had the problem with...
(Wes: I am using my laptop nowadays, because it is good enough to work in these days.) Yesterday I reinstalled my HP ElitBook 8530p notebook (dualcore CPU and 4GB RAM). The new OS is Windows 7 Pro 64bit. I installed the latest Firefox and latest Thunderbird. I installed HP Credential Manager which is used for fingerprint reader. When I start Mozilla Firefox, the asghost.exe is eating one core from the CPU at 100% and the CPU is working too hot (more than 70 Celsius grad) and the system cooler is spinning all time very loud. I am software developer so if somebody can told me any instruction how can I determine what is caused this problems, I can try to find out something. Or if somebody have solution for this issue please share with me. Thanks.
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