Browser problems / possible OS reinstall?


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Thread: Browser problems / possible OS reinstall?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    49

    Browser problems / possible OS reinstall?

    I have a relatively new dual core 64 bit dual install Win XP/10.04 system.

    At first I was able to run quite a number of browser (Chrome and Firefox) windows simultaneously in different desktops without much in the way of problems save the occasional reboot every few days to let the machine clear it's head.

    Lately when I reboot, it runs fine for a few (1-6) hours, but then one or more of a few of the tabs start "spinning" in the tab showing that they are refreshing and a popup comes up saying that the program isn't responding, and asking whether I want to wait or force close.

    If I choose wait, and go to those tabs, and hit the stop button, it changes to a refresh button but the tab still shows that it is attempting to connect/refresh/whatever it is doing, and the popup returns every few seconds. I.e., it is ignoring the "Stop".

    I am now only running a few browser windows which is a much lighter load than the multiple windows before. I have reinstalled both Firefox and Chrome without any improvement.

    There doesn't appear to be any pattern to the ones that start doing this, but once started any new tab will often fall into the same problem.

    (FWIW, when I boot up, just after selecting the OS I want, a message flashes up (white print on black)saying:

    Modprobe: FATAL. Could not load/lib/modules/2.6.35-22-generic/modules.dep: no such file or directory
    Have no idea if this is relevant, but the "FATAL" caught my attention.)

    What is causing this behavior? What can I do to solve it? What information would be helpful to you?

    Do I need to reinstall Ubuntu?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    People's Republic of North America (Former United States)
    Posts
    849
    A quick Google led me to this:

    http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1603125
    I equivocate, therefore I might be.

    My Linux/Unix Boxes:
    Home: Slackware 10, CentOS 5.3, RHEL 5, Ubuntu Workstation 9.10, Work: RHEL 5, CentOS 5

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    49
    Thanks for this. However it appears that I have inadvertently posted about two different problems thinking that the two might be related.

    I can live with the modprobe error report as it simply slows down boot up a little, but I can't live without a functional browsing capability. None of the references to the modprobe issue mention a related browser issue, so I assume that in my case they are unrelated. In any case, I am not technically capable of the fixes proposed for the modprobe issue.

    So for now, let us please ignore the modprobe issue. Does anyone have any suggestions about what to do to correct the browser issue? Thanks.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    49
    I set up a new user account and have several windows of firefox, each with multiple tabs, running, quick as lightening and so far no problems like the ones I described above. Does this indicate that the problems have to do with my normal user account, not with the OS install?

    If so, how do I clean up the problem? FI, I have a separate /home partition.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    New Orleans, LA USA
    Posts
    986
    Quote Originally Posted by Odyssey View Post
    I set up a new user account and have several windows of firefox...
    I'd be more inclined to say your profiles are more prone to corruption than your user account itself. Try log in as usual, then move your profile to a backup, and fire up your browser. Firefox uses /home/foo/.mozilla/firefox/<profile folder> by default, but if you don't see that folder you can type ls /home/foo/. then hit tab and see the hidden folder names in your home.

    For example:
    Code:
    mv /home/foo/.mozilla /home/foo/.mozilla_bk
    Start up Firefox after you move the profile folder and see if your problem is fixed. If it is, you can copy the backup back long enough to pull things like bookmarks, settings, etc., then start from a fresh profile (Firefox creates one when one does not exist) and import your stuff.
    "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect."

    -Mark Twain

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    49
    Thanks. Did that and started FF again. Total memory and swap use did not change much after restarting FF.

    I use Xmarks so restoring the bookmarks is easy. (I hope that is not the source of my problem).

    Will reinstall Xmarks and see how I get on, then report back.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    49
    Seems that it was gnash. Have uninstalled and the computer is running like a top!

    So far! And keeping the fingers crossed. Will be back if that wasn't it.

    Thanks to both.

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