This is an update to a similar, older post that includes the most effective techniques combining balance in performance and preference in Firefox 5.0. If you are interested in what’s to offer and consider applying these mods, I recommend reading this post a section at a time.
1.) Introduction
2.) Getting Started
3.) The Initial Setup
Minimizing Memory Usage
On-Page Load
Ensuring Highest Performance
Strictly Speed
Other Network Enhancements
4.) Conclusion
1.) Introduction
I have been researching techniques to enhance Mozilla Firefox’s performance as well as reviewing others’ experiences. In addition, I have put this configuration technique to the test and amazingly it’s shown unexpected results. Pages load faster, less memory is preoccupied with general web browsing and currently Firefox uses no memory whatsoever when minimized or idle.
If you can get past the funky terminology, it doesn’t take a computer whiz to apply these steps. There are no prerequisites nor hidden installations.
To analogize what these mods do: they are the tweaks a car needs in order to race. Sure the car runs fine, but without certain modifications it will never be a race car. Ready to build one?
If you can get past the funky terminology, it doesn’t take a computer whiz to apply these steps. There are no prerequisites nor hidden installations.
To analogize what these mods do: they are the tweaks a car needs in order to race. Sure the car runs fine, but without certain modifications it will never be a race car. Ready to build one?
2.) Getting Started
Before making any changes, it is important to know Firefox's performance before and after these modifications are applied.
Go here and take good note of your OVERALL SCORE. Once the changes ave been made, you can visit that site again to see how much the numbers have changed. After I applied these very changes, my overall performance score jumped up from 505.4 to 539.7! Enough of the blabber; let's continue, shall we?
Go here and take good note of your OVERALL SCORE. Once the changes ave been made, you can visit that site again to see how much the numbers have changed. After I applied these very changes, my overall performance score jumped up from 505.4 to 539.7! Enough of the blabber; let's continue, shall we?
3.) The Initial Setup
I.) Type about:config in the address bar.
II.) Read the warning and either proceed or go back.
III.) Copy the values that are in bold, and paste them into the "Search:" bar in the about:config Control Panel to locate its default settings. To edit its settings, double click on the value and follow the given directions.
III-A) If the value can not be located, that means you need to create one. To do this you need to:
1.) Right-click anywhere on the page and select New...
1-a.) Integer if the value contains numbers.
1-b.) Boolean if the value contains a True/False statement.
2-a.) Enter in the given Integer value.
2.b.) Enter the given Boolean value.
II.) Read the warning and either proceed or go back.
III.) Copy the values that are in bold, and paste them into the "Search:" bar in the about:config Control Panel to locate its default settings. To edit its settings, double click on the value and follow the given directions.
III-A) If the value can not be located, that means you need to create one. To do this you need to:
1.) Right-click anywhere on the page and select New...
1-a.) Integer if the value contains numbers.
1-b.) Boolean if the value contains a True/False statement.
2-a.) Enter in the given Integer value.
2.b.) Enter the given Boolean value.
browser.cache.compression_level; 1
browser.cache.disk_cache_ssl; true
browser.cache.memory.enabled; true
browser.cache.memory.capacity; 30720 < -- // 2048(very low RAM)-32768 (very high RAM) if unsure, skip and research
browser.display.show_image_placeholders; false
browser.sessionhistory.max_total_viewers; 1
config.trim_on_minimize; true
*Research the values listed above to ensure the best value suites your CPU's memory.*
browser.cache.disk_cache_ssl; true
browser.cache.memory.enabled; true
browser.cache.memory.capacity; 30720 < -- // 2048(very low RAM)-32768 (very high RAM) if unsure, skip and research
browser.display.show_image_placeholders; false
browser.sessionhistory.max_total_viewers; 1
config.trim_on_minimize; true
*Research the values listed above to ensure the best value suites your CPU's memory.*
content.interrupt.parsing; true * Must add to use content enhancements! *
content.max.tokenizing.time; 2250000
content.maxtextrun; 8191
content.notify.backoffcount; 5
content.notify.interval; 750000
content.notify.ontimer; true * Must add to use content enhancements! *
content.switch.threshold; 750000
content.max.tokenizing.time; 2250000
content.maxtextrun; 8191
content.notify.backoffcount; 5
content.notify.interval; 750000
content.notify.ontimer; true * Must add to use content enhancements! *
content.switch.threshold; 750000
network.dns.disableIPv6; true
network.http.max-connections; 30
network.http.max-connections-per-server; 15
network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server; 10
* If you are using a proxy, you will need go to the link at the bottom and search keyword proxy and configure it likewise (or ask how here 😛 ) *
network.http.max-connections; 30
network.http.max-connections-per-server; 15
network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server; 10
* If you are using a proxy, you will need go to the link at the bottom and search keyword proxy and configure it likewise (or ask how here 😛 ) *
network.http.pipelining; true
network.http.pipelining.maxrequests; 8
network.http.proxy.pipelining; true
network.http.request.max-start-delay; 5
network.prefetch-next; false
nglayout.initialpaint.delay; 150
network.http.pipelining.maxrequests; 8
network.http.proxy.pipelining; true
network.http.request.max-start-delay; 5
network.prefetch-next; false
nglayout.initialpaint.delay; 150
network.dnsCacheExpiration; 360
network.dnsCacheEntries; 100
network.ftp.idleConnectionTimeout; 60
network.http.keep-alive.timeout; 30
network.http.connect.timeout; 30
network.dnsCacheEntries; 100
network.ftp.idleConnectionTimeout; 60
network.http.keep-alive.timeout; 30
network.http.connect.timeout; 30
4.) Conclusion
*An overview of these configurations and others can be found here.*
* If unsure which to use, use them all! I did. Although, if you want to test the waters first, try applying just the “Strictly Speed” modifications and see how they work. *
* If you are unhappy with your results, you can always refer back to this list, right click the modification and change it back to its default setting. *
* Other great performance enhancements include: Speedfox and SpeedDNS. *
Have fun and good-luck,
Nathan
* If unsure which to use, use them all! I did. Although, if you want to test the waters first, try applying just the “Strictly Speed” modifications and see how they work. *
* If you are unhappy with your results, you can always refer back to this list, right click the modification and change it back to its default setting. *
* Other great performance enhancements include: Speedfox and SpeedDNS. *
Have fun and good-luck,
Nathan
