Looking for a way to disable e10s in Firefox

MissChris · 10 Nov 2020

Up until version 77 (I believe) there was a way to disable firefox's e10s. The multi instances seriously slow down my pc. Then they did away with making changes in aboutconfig that used to work. The last "fix" I have found was from about a year ago, suggesting to add an environment variable. It worked for some folks but it never worked for me. I haven't been able to find anything else anywhere regarding disabling e10s. I am seriously considering using an older version of FF that will allow me to disable e10s, or even go to another browser. Anyone out there know of a new trick to disable e10s in FF?

Running win 7 pro with version 82 FF

townsbg · 10 Nov 2020

How to disable multiprocessor support | Firefox Support Forum | Mozilla Support I have 78 ESR and those entries are still there. You might also try this. Firefox's performance settings | Firefox Help

MissChris · 12 Nov 2020

Thanks townsbg, but the first link was from 2 years ago when FF was in it's 50s. These tricks worked up until FF got into the late 70s and now 80s. The performance settings have never made a difference in what I have entered, currently set to one. Tried 3, but no change. It doesn't seem to make a difference what this is set to. I am looking for a workaround more recent, since all the other tricks no longer work. Thanks again.

townsbg · 12 Nov 2020

Sorry but I don't know of anything else but they have their own forum. The performance setting is suppose to lower memory consumption if that's what you care about.

file3456 · 13 Nov 2020

So I just did my fair amount of research and found out how to do it. First and foremost, in Mozilla's infinite wisdom they have turned off the ability to turn OFF multi thread support. Yes, the pref may be there still, but it won't do anything since the core code doesn't allow you to change it. BUT! I found a solution. You have to set an environment variable and then launch Firefox and this environment variable will launch Firefox in one thread, and ONLY one damn thread that we SHOULD! be allowed to do from the get go.

So here's what you do. Download the zip file attached here. Unzip the .cmd file and place it in your Firefox directory where firefox.exe is located. For the 32 bit version of Firefox that'd be C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox For the 64 bit version of Firefox that'd be in the programs folder, not the x86 programs folder. Now once this little cmd file is in that folder right click it and copy. Now go to your desktop, right click and paste as shortcut. Now double click the cmd shortcut and bam!, Bob's your uncle, or maybe even your sister. LOL Look in Task Manager and there should be only one Firefox process.

If you want to know what's in this cmd file, just rename the .cmd to .txt and open with Notepad or use what I use, Notepad ++, right click the cmd file and open with Notepad ++. Since I own a few websites and mess around with all kinds of crap, Notepad++ is a great tool for this computer/hacker dork.

Scan the file at Virus Total. I already uploaded it so the result should be instant.

For the dorks. SHA256 hash of the zip file is: 86400b69b1cecbcd8f7c036a6c89254a1a33db4280767793147fccf19796baa2

You're welcome.

file3456 · 13 Nov 2020

I'm thinking there's a permanent solution by adding this variable to the environment variables, but I'm not too sure what I would have to input in the path field. I may know though. Let me find out in a virtual machine without mucking my puter up and I'll see if this can be done without the use of a cmd file to launch Firefox.

MissChris · 22 Nov 2020

Thanks again townbg, but I've exhausted Mozilla's help site, and the perf settings don't have any impact, although that is supposedly what they are designed to do. As F22 Simpilot so nicely put it, "in Mozilla's infinite wisdom they have turned off the ability to turn OFF multi thread support.". And thanks to you F22 Simpilot, I know you spent a lot of time on this and trust me, I totally appreciate this. Having said that, I have read about and tried messing with environmental variables. Here's what I have found and implemented. I have entered the following "NEW" string in the advanced system settings (via the computer properties), environment variables. MOZ_FORCE_DISABLE_E10S, with the value set as "1". There seems to be a confusion as to whether this should be added in user variables or system variables, so I added this in both. BUT---although I found 1 poster who had success with this method, I DID NOT

So I am ready to try your little trick-wish me luck.

I shall return...

MissChris · 22 Nov 2020

I'm Baaaack

So it turns out that your little file contains the same string as what I already had, except I implemented it differently. But, I did as instructed and it works perfectly. The cmd prompt opens briefly, and FF starts, except---it also does NOT reduce the instances of FF

Back to the drawing board?...

file3456 · 23 Nov 2020

So this is a massive cluster. I just tried portable Firefox and it doesn't disable the multi CPU crap even after I changed the .cmd to reflect the new .EXE Also, it appears Firefox in their infinite wisdom got rid of the ability to do this now according to Reddit.

May want to try Pale Moon and for sites and Recaptcha that doesn't work in Pale Moon use a plain vanilla Firefox install. There's also UnGoogled Chromium, but once you add an extension Google tracks you. Though, this too will open multiple processes.

I think my .cmd trick worked was due to my Firefox version being 80.0.1.

Edit-

Yep! Just confirmed it. Version 80.0.1 allows you to do this. If you want that portable version go here: PortableApps.com - Browse /Mozilla Firefox, Portable Ed./Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition 80.0.1 at SourceForge.net

It's FirefoxPortable_80.0.1_English.paf.exe

Now edit the .cmd with this: start FirefoxPortable.exe

Edit 2-

Appears they got rid of turning off e10s in version 82. So version 80.0.1 will be the latest that allows this.

MissChris · 23 Nov 2020

Well I guess this is a partial success. I had already contemplated an older version of FF, but that would have been 75. I didn't know anything about the portable version. Thanks for that. I installed it and I didn't even have to add/change the script, as I already have it in environmental variables (as explained previously), which seemed to do the trick. I can't for my live fathom why Mozi is so adamant for folks to not be able to at least reduce multi instances. There are lots of folks out there with older comps that have the same issue as I do. I'm gonna leave this thread open for now. Who knows, somebody might come along and figure something out...Lots of thanks to you my friend for all you have done to try to help.