Hello,
I’ve just updated to v2015.10.3.2223 (Avast free), and Firefox consistently consumes an extra of 20 MB RAM when starting the browser.
I only have the three shields installed (no tools).
I’d appreciate your help.
Does it go down soon after you open Firefox?
If it does and seeing it’s taking only 20 MB I wouldn’t worry about it.
Right now FF is using over 400 MB of CPU on my system.
It also matters how many and which add-ons you have.
Hi Para-Noid,
Thanks for replying. I really appreciate it.
FF used to start with 220 MB (it goes down after a while).
I meant to ask why Firefox consumes an extra of 20 MB with v2015.10.3.2223 in comparison with Avast previous version.
- I haven’t changed any settings in FF.
Win 7 32-bit.
Best regards.
Possible because f a difference in the Avast AOS module ???
Just a guess. 
Hi bob3160,
Thank you. I appreciate your help too.
Could you please elaborate a bit?
May I ask one of Avast’s developers to refer to the issue?
May you have many more years of happiness.
Firefox has been a bit of a RAM hog, I regularly see mine close to 500MB for firefox.exe, so I wouldn’t be overly concerned about an extra 20MB. I would like to see my firefox as low as 200MB RAM, but RAM is essentially there to be used, not much point having it otherwise.
There used to be another firefox entry in task manager PluginContainer.exe or something close to that. But that appears to have gone now.
I have lots of add-ons around 30 and usually have multiple tabs open and that will add to the RAM usage.
Hi DavidR,
Thank you.
I don’t really mind the extra 20MB. I just want to figure out the cause, and whether I should reinstall Avast.
“PluginContainer.exe” is for Out-of-Process management; it should start when Adobe Flash (etc.) is activated.
Best regards.
I don’t believe reinstalling avast would make a difference - what Bob said it is possible the avast browser plugin Avast Online Security (AOS) could make a difference. It does some checks over and above what the Web Shield does. I don’t have that installed so I can’t show you its settings (click the AOS icon in firefox, scroll down to settings) and you should get some idea of what else it does.
If you have that installed try disabling/uninstalling it and see if that makes a difference.
Thanks again Bob and David. I appreciate your kind help.
I don’t have any tools installed (only the three shields).
Best regards.
You’re welcome.
I just wonder if this might be related to the Web Shield doing more - e.g. scanning HTTPS pages now, but that would probably have been seen in the earlier 2015 versions.
I just tested this.
Firefox 39 memory usage on startup before avast upgrade = 215-218 MB
Firefox 39 memory usage on startup after Avast! upgrade = 214-219 MB
I don’t think avast! is causing the memory problem, or at least it isn’t for me.
If you are still having issues with Firefox memory usage you could try writing a bug report on Bugzilla.mozilla.org.
It’s 2015. Are you really complicating over 20MB of RAM usage? Programs need RAM to operate you know. Having it unusued and idling is silly thing to do…
@David,
Thanks again.
I have disabled HTTPS scanning in both versions.
@ItNoWork,
Thanks for testing it.
What OS do you use?
@RejZoR,
I’m quite sure it’s an indication to some problem. At least on my machine.
I uninstalled Avast using http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avastclear.exe.
Without Avast, Firefox consumes 220 MB on start-up.
Clean-installing v2015.10.3.2223:
Firefox consumes 240 MB.
Clean-installing v2015.10.2.2215:
Firefox consumes 220 MB.
Best regards.
Using an older version also gives you less protection.
Your computer, your choice.
Sorry forgot to mention, I use Windows 7 (most recent version)
As for the problem, the only thing that I can think of that would affect Firefox’s memory would be Avast! Online Security (aka AOS) as mentioned by bob3160, its a browser plugin that (I think) gets automatically installed when you install Avast!. You mentioned that you reinstalled Avast!, did you do the default install or a custom install?
@ItNoWork,
Thanks again. I really appreciate it.
Custom install. No tools/plugins.
I want a better protection, but I’m afraid there’s something wrong with the new version on my machine.
Thanks.
Does anybody know how to contact Avast team?
https://support.avast.com/Tickets/Submit/RenderForm/27/&cls02&ptf01&lic01&scr06
Choose your language and submit your problem directly to Avast.
@Bob,
I’ve submitted a ticket. Thank you so much.