Firefox 51.0.1 (32-bit)

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ZeeOSix

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My Firefox just updated and it's now shown as "51.0.1 (32-bit)".

I also noticed in Task Manager that there are two separate memory use lines for "firefox.exe *32".

I wonder why Firefox changed this, maybe to handle it's use of memory better?
 
I think it's to increase security by sandboxing processes and tabs. Maybe; I'm not an expert.

wiki.mozilla.org/Security/Sandbox
 
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What does our Win10 computers do in '64', that they cannot no longer do in '32'?

My Dell desktop has not noticed a difference in the change yet. If security is better in 32 and I haven't lost anything I normally use, I'm fine with the switch.

The switch may effect the more high-tech computer users, but not 90+% of us that only use a computer for surfing, documents, files, games and bookmarks.
 
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Originally Posted By: ruhroh
I think it's to increase security by sandboxing processes and tabs. Maybe; I'm not an expert.

wiki.mozilla.org/Security/Sandbox


Yup. And to that end you may note - If Mozilla really copied Chrome's good idea about this - a process for each tab and even most plugins.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
I think Firefox switched to sandboxing each tab at version 48. I remember reading about that some time ago. Do you see an individual firefox.exe entry in Task Manager for each tab running? Or is it always just two lines?

Related article on digitaltrends.com


Always just two "firefox.exe *32" lines in Task Manager, regardless of how many tabs are opened.

Before 51.0.1, there was always just one "firefox.exe" line in Task Manager.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I am running FF 51.0.1 and only seeing a single firefox.exe *32 process in Task Manager. Windows 7.


I'm running Windows 7 also ... here's a snapshot of Task Manager.

 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Yeah, I'm not seeing that.

Something to do with your FlashPlayerPlugin maybe, invoking another instance of FF?


Don't know, but like I said before there was only one line of "firefox.exe" in Task Manager before FF 51.0.1 (32-bit) showed up yesterday. Guess I could reboot my computer and see it that changes anything.
 
Just rebooted the computer ... same two "firefox.exe *32" process lines show up in Task Manager.
 
It is interesting that you have two Flash plugins running also. I presume they're not there BEFORE you launch Firefox after a reboot, right? Then, when you launch Firefox, both tasks (or all four, depending on how you look at it) show up. Then they go away after you close Firefox?
 
...... or is your Flashplayer plug-in set to Always Activate, or Ask To Activate?

-------------------------------

To the member that suggested uninstalling / reinstalling Firefox, how do I save my 300 or-so Bookmarks, if I don't have a current backup?

All those bookmarks is one of the reasons I never tried Chrome. I wouldn't know how to transfer them, even if I could.
 
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Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
To the member that suggested uninstalling / reinstalling Firefox, how do I save my 300 or-so Bookmarks, if I don't have a current backup?

All those bookmarks is one of the reasons I never tried Chrome. I wouldn't know how to transfer them, even if I could.

Go to Bookmarks --> Show All Bookmarks. Then click "Import and Backup" at the top of the page. This will show you options to Export to HTML and Import from HTML.


BTW, I'm running FF 51.0.1 on my Ubuntu machine, too, and there is only a single FF process there as well.
 
My Firefox 51 only shows one Firefox process also..... using 238MBs.

---------------

Pete

So I will be exporting my bookmarks to Chrome HTML, should I install Chrome? Do I send them to Chrome from Firefox, or do I import my Firefox bookmarks from Chrome?


Excuse me, but I know little about this stuff.
 
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Triple_Se7en, uninstalling and re-installing an application should never, under any circumstances, tough your user data. The application and your data are in separate locations with different permissions. Uninstalling should only ever remove the application and other libraries that would have been installed; *all* of which lie outside your My Documents (or Home on Mac/ Linux).

Having said that, it is always a good idea to back up your data. All of your Firefox data, including your cookies, passwords, bookmarks and preferences are in a folder. That location, if I am not mistaken, may have changed through some versions of Windows (it's just ~/.mozilla in most Linux OS's) so I cannot tell you precisely where it is. (Let me know what version of Windows you're using and I can look it up if you'd like.) EDIT: Try this page: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data

By simply backing up that folder and replacing it or verifying it was not buggered with during an uninstall/ reinstall you are right back in business.

Alternatively, if you elect to install Chrome you can enter its Settings page and scroll down to find an "Import bookmarks and settings" button. It'll find the Firefox profile folder and offer to import the whole shootin' match for you.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
It is interesting that you have two Flash plugins running also. I presume they're not there BEFORE you launch Firefox after a reboot, right? Then, when you launch Firefox, both tasks (or all four, depending on how you look at it) show up. Then they go away after you close Firefox?


If I close Firefox, both firefox.exe process lines and both FlashPlayPlugin process lines disappear in Task Manager. If I reopen Firefox, and view a tab that requires Flash Player, then both show back up with two process lines each.

Yes, it appears there are two Flash Player processes going on to match the two Firefox processes.

And yes, my Flash Player is up to date ... I check for updates once a week and update if a new version is available.
 
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