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Speed up Firefox and Conserve Memory

As we all know that the Firefox browser takes a lot of our computer memory, this is of course made a slow computer performance and also affect our activity on the internet.

Why does this happen? One main cause is because Firefox itself. Although popular, it seems that Firefox is not a lightweight browser. This browser is quite fat and wasteful, because it spent a fairly high computer resource. For the first time you run it this browser (version 2) spends at least 10 mega memory in Linux, and 20 mega in Windows. The more you open tabs / web then spent the greater memory and the CPU busies all you work.

But you do not need to be discouraged and hastily decided to switch to another browser. Because with a little Firefox’s tune up, you can improve the performance of your Firefox. Please follow the steps – the steps below…

Open Firefox and on the address type about: config

1. Limit the memory cache capacity
Every time you open a web page, Firefox will automatically save in the cache memory. By default Firefox uses the maximum amount of RAM you have. That’s why the more you open the web; your computer’s memory is depleted. To limit the options add: browser.cache.memory.capacity.
The trick is right-click then New>Integer. Type browser.cache.memory.capacity and then Enter, type the number 2048. 2048 here means use the maximum memory cache only 2 Mega. You can try – try with another number, but try a multiple of 1024.

2. Limit the capacity of the cache history
Just as cache memory, the only difference here by Firefox cache allocation is intended to speed up loading pages when you press the button on the browser back and forward. If you rarely use back and forward, you’ll want to set a small value in order to save memory. In the filter type: browser.sessionhistory.max_total_viewers, change the value of -1 to 3. Default -1 means to use as much RAM available. hmm .. The default value of Firefox is really greedy is not it?

3. Limit disk cache capacity
By default Mozilla sets the disk cache size of 50 Mega. Surely this is waste of memory. Setting it to 2 MB to provide a positive performance, especially for computers with 128 MB of memory and hard disk under the old model. In the filter type: browser.cache.disk.capacity, change the value of 50 000 to 2000.

4. Limit extension / add-ons
More and more add-ons that you use, the more RAM is spent. Disable add-ons that you use less. To compare the performance of memory used when using and without add-ons can be done by trying to run Firefox in safe-mode conditions. The trick with the command: $ firefox-safe-mode. At the option that appears make sure you check the option: Disable all add-ons

5. Disable Flash
Did you know that flash animation that is loaded when you open a web resource consuming sizable RAM? The consequence is the loading time is slower and heavier. Even the flash plugin prior to version 9, RAM resources used by an accumulation of the amount of flash which opened earlier. Hot? A good idea to disable the flash. Please download and install the Flashblock add-ons here for Firefox version 2 and 3, or here for Firefox version 1.

6. Disable download history
We recommend that you disable the feature of this history. As more and more download history is stored, it will reduce the performance of Firefox. Moreover, when the storage on removable media like floppy disks. It’s easy, select the Tools menu> Options> Privacy. Then remove the option to “Remember what I’ve downloaded”

7. Load the necessary course
By default Firefox without us knowing eager to pre-download on web page links are likely to click. This tactic mimics Google’s first result mencache advance of a search link that he found. Of course this method only a waste of bandwidth and CPU performance. To disable this feature type in the filter: network.prefetch-next, click twice, for its value to false.

8. Download and display immediately.
These tips may be useful for the impatient. Generally firefox will wait a while after downloading to start displaying the page in question. To force Firefox to immediately display the web pages that are downloaded, you can set the value: nglayout.initialpaint.delay to 0. If there is no right click, New> Integer> nglayout.initialpaint.delay.

A tip to save other memory is to enable the feature config.trim_on_minimize. It’s just that this feature is only effective in a Windows environment. The trick right-click, New> Boolean, type config.trim_on_minimize. Set the value True. In this way every time Firefox in minimized, automatic memory in use will be removed / released, so it can be used to process other applications.

Last step is to restart Firefox your pet. Good luck

{ 1 comment… add one }
  • Truth Vibrations May 1, 2015, 5:02 am

    this is assnine, you want to use more of your RAM memory, not less. its disk you want to use less of. your memory is there to be used. using MORE of it in things you are actively doing, like browsing with firefox is GOOD instead of BAD.

    OMG!! What is with all these conserve RAM articles when you want to use MORE of the massive RAM you own, not less. This is the opposite of logic. why do people want to use less RAM when RAM is never full and people arent getting their computer’s power worth out of it.

    People have an AH HA moment when they read this and are like “wow, youre right, i never realized how dumb it is to want to make my RAM memory only 15% full instead of 20% full, so i can have even more of it empty, not in use, even though its faster than disk.

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