# Solved: Firefox 2 takes too long to open



## techdawg667 (Mar 11, 2008)

Firefox 2 takes too long to open the first time after i open the comp. It starts with no lag afterwards though. Even IE7 is faster than Firefox (how is that possible?). FF3 beta4 is normal though. Any Help? I have Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 RC


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## Broni (Dec 1, 2007)

Maybe add-ons.
Go Start>All Programs>Mozilla Firefox>Firefox(Safe Mode), and see, if it starts faster.


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## ACA529 (Nov 16, 2005)

How long does it usually take? I know it takes quite a while after startup for it to boot for me. 

Do you have many programs trying to startup when your computer starts up? Try disabling some un-needed startup items and see if that helps.


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## techdawg667 (Mar 11, 2008)

i have absolutely no add-ons. FF spazzes when i try to install one (Thats for another thread


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## Broni (Dec 1, 2007)

I just noticed, you have SP3. Where is it come from, since it wasn't released to the public, yet?
You're also using FF3 beta. Do you still have FF2 installed, or you uninstalled it before you installed FF3 beta? I've noticed problems, when I had both version installed alongside on my test computer.
I'd advice you to totally uninstall any FF, you have there, using this manual: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Uninstalling_Firefox, and then install fresh copy. 
I did same thing, and then FF3 worked flawlessly.


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## techdawg667 (Mar 11, 2008)

Broni: I have had the problems before i installed the FF betas. Even in safe mode it takes hella long.

ACA: about 20 seconds the first opening and then half a second after that (IE is about 7-10 the first time and then 3-4 the rest)


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## Broni (Dec 1, 2007)

You didn't answer any of my questions...


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## techdawg667 (Mar 11, 2008)

well, what do you mean SP3? I have vista. i seriously doubt theres even a pre-alpha SP3 out. or that there are service packs for browsers. If you were referring to FF3, then the betas are publicly available via the Firefox beta site.


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## Broni (Dec 1, 2007)

I meant SP1...sorry. Where did you get it from?
Do you still have FF2 installed, uninstalled; uninstalled before you installed FF3, or after?
Was it complete uninstall, as in my link?


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## RootbeaR (Dec 9, 2006)

IE is preloaded partially at start up. That is why it is faster to open than FF is the first time.


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## techdawg667 (Mar 11, 2008)

Broni: I got SP1 from the Microsoft Download Center. I still have FF2 installed alongside FF3 beta.


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## Broni (Dec 1, 2007)

> I got SP1 from the Microsoft Download Center


Beta version? Because SP1 final version has been available for general users only since yesterday.



> I still have FF2 installed alongside FF3 beta.


This may be your main issue. Uninstall both versions, using my link from post #5, and install just one version (whichever you prefer).


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## bozz (Sep 18, 2003)

Using more than one version of Firefox is perfectly fine as long as you created seperate profiles.

Installing 3.0 Minefield/GP while keeping Firefox 2.0.0.x

20 seconds to load initially is also about the norm for most since Firefox is not pre-loaded like IE. Some folks say that Fx loads in only a couple of seconds and others longer. Probably depends on your cp as well. Mine takes about 20 seconds also. It's no big deal since it works just fine after getting up.


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## techdawg667 (Mar 11, 2008)

thnx Bozz for explaining fully. now i know that it isnt really a problem. but will Firefox eventually be preloaded if i use it enough? I've been using it for 3 weeks now, but it still takes 20 seconds to load, which probably means its not preloaded. Isnt Vista supposed to have this thing where they figure out your program pattern and preload programs accordingly?


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## bozz (Sep 18, 2003)

> will Firefox eventually be preloaded if i use it enough


Not with XP at least. I'm not familiar with Vista to answer that one. You could add it to your Start-up if you wouldn't mind Firefox launching everytime you started up your pc. Maybe one day Firefox will be faster at loading but is 20 seconds really a big deal??


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## techdawg667 (Mar 11, 2008)

Its actually pretty annoying. Think of it like the torturous wait when you select the Programs dropdown menu in Start Menu in WinXP ... but longer.


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## bozz (Sep 18, 2003)

techdawg667 said:


> Its actually pretty annoying. Think of it like the torturous wait when you select the Programs dropdown menu in Start Menu in WinXP ... but longer.


Actually my Programs menu opens practically instantly.

So you have a choice to make with Firefox.

Good luck.


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## RootbeaR (Dec 9, 2006)

techdawg667 said:


> Its actually pretty annoying. Think of it like the torturous wait when you select the Programs dropdown menu in Start Menu in WinXP ... but longer.


Fresh boot, cold PC, FF takes @ 6 seconds to open my home page.

Try using a different home page, Yahoo or Google, to see if it still takes as long.

Are you clearing all cookies when you shut down?


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## techdawg667 (Mar 11, 2008)

i odnt have a homepage, and i cleared the cookies. still about 20 seconds.


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## RootbeaR (Dec 9, 2006)

techdawg667 said:


> i odnt have a homepage, and i cleared the cookies. still about 20 seconds.


Unless you open to a blank page, you have a home page.

I was wondering if you cleared cookies at shutdown as having cookies will sometimes load pages faster.

To change homepage, navigate to a page to use, can be almost any page, click preferences in the edit menu, click the main tab at top of new window if not already highlighted, then click "Use Current Page."


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## techdawg667 (Mar 11, 2008)

ok your confusing me now. BTW, i marked this thread solved if u didnt notice


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## RootbeaR (Dec 9, 2006)

No, I didn't notice.

Now I know.


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## johnebadbak (Feb 28, 2002)

V. Speed up page rendering in firefox type about:config in the url box.

By default, Firefox doesn't try to render a web page for 250 milliseconds while it's waiting for data. If you add the code below to your user.js file, Firefox immediately starts to display the page, even without complete data. The drawback, especially on slower machines, is that the total time to display the page will be longer.
Code:

// Last value in milliseconds (default is 250)
user_pref("nglayout.initialpaint.delay", 0);

V. Enable Pipelining

Pipelining is an experimental feature, designed to improve page-load performance, that is unfortunately not well supported by some web servers and proxies. To try it out, add the following code to your user.js file:
Code:

// Enable pipelining: double click line to change to true
user_pref("network.http.pipelining", true);
user_pref("network.http.proxy.pipelining", true);
user_pref("network.http.pipelining.maxrequests", 50);

right click in the user.js click integer create "nglayout.initialpaint.delay", 0 

to finish changes..


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## techdawg667 (Mar 11, 2008)

John thanks for the um ... somewhat unrelated advice ... but I want faster FF startup (which is now SOLVED) not faster page loads. Page loads are fine


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## ThisGuyDoug (Jul 1, 2008)

OK, I'm new to the forums and I realized this is now listed as SOLVED, but is it really?

Check out this video and let me know if the steps work to decrease program startup time:
Slow PC Tips


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