[SOLVED] Browser Just Stops Working

[ron_1]

I recently “updated” from XP (SP3) to Vista (SP2). Since this update of Windows, at times the PM browser just stops working. I’ll click a link or go to a bookmarked site, and nothings happens. So I close PM, but for some reason it is still running even though the program window is gone; Pale Moon will still be in the list in the Processes tab of Task Manager. Also last time this happened, the memory usage was up to 140,000. (Is that number normal?) Also when this happens, no other program (like a security program looking for an update, etc.) can connect to the Internet; I have to restart the computer to fix this, and the restart takes an abnormal amount of time. Does this point to a Windows problem, or a PM problem? Is there some kind of error log in PM I can send over? This happens often and I’m getting pretty frustrated. I’m using version 20.1

[megaman]

I have 17 add-ons and 27 tabs open and I running 705,108k, so you are pretty much okay.

Are you updated on everything?
Maybe a version of Microsoft .NET Framework necessary, or Visual Studio.

Then there is the problem with the antivirus, antispyware, Windows Firewall blocking. (These are the starters)

Do you use any add-ons and/or plugins (Of course the essentials are Java and Flash, depending on the person, though)

[lyceus]

I recently “updated” from XP (SP3) to Vista (SP2). Since this update of Windows, at times the PM browser just stops working. I’ll click a link or go to a bookmarked site, and nothings happens.

Hi!

For what you say, some plug-in or add on hangs PM so you need to see if some exe like "plugin container" is not open in the task manager. Also remember that vista is not longer directly supported, some plugins cannot be updated anymore (this is as vendor will). A possible guilt can be Flash if you use it, as Adobe stopped direct support for vista as well.

Check that meanwhile the clock moves on and the heavy army comes to the rescue!

Lobocursor

[Moonchild]

Unfortunately, Windows Vista is an operating system with a lot of quirks and very limited support. Microsoft even admitted this by offering free upgrades from Vista to Windows 7 for a limited time.
Upgrading Windows XP to Vista very often also does not go very smooth and can leave a lot of junk behind in the registry and file system.

I would suggest you upgrade to Windows 7 SP1 (preferably using a clean OS install). Also, considering Vista has not been available for sale since October 2010, driver and software vendor support for Vista is very limited, and you are only "buying time" until extended support with patches ends for it in a couple years with third-party software vendors already dropping support for the OS right now (see above). I don't think Microsoft has very active support for Vista - and the low market share of Vista users most likely will not change that.

Because of the quirks of the OS, and the general painful troubleshooting on Vista (and lack of test beds before release - I don't think any of the beta testers runs Vista), I cannot guarantee that Pale Moon will run smoothly and without a hitch, especially not on a migrated OS installation like yours.

A few tips in the meantime:

• Run in an administrator account. Limited accounts on vista are a permissions nightmare, and can cause issues writing files or starting/stopping sub-processes (like the plugin container, etc.).
• Disable UAC (user account control) completely. This often interferes with programs starting sub-processes or shutting them down, as well.

[Blacklab]

I don't think any of the beta testers runs Vista

Just to say I have run and tested all recent Pale Moon versions on Vista/SP2 without any problems. Not my choice of OS (gift) but given it's appalling reputation I have been very pleasantly surprised and actually prefer some of the "half-way house" features of the Vista UI/Desktop/Start menu!

I don't think Microsoft has very active support for Vista - and the low market share of Vista users most likely will not change that.

My experience is that MS' own Vista "help" can be poor so searching for other Vista user's "been there, done that" posts has saved me a lot of frustration and solved a couple of weird minor bugs (related to the Start Menu re-ordering alphabetically by itself and the All Programs list duplicating itself). Changed HDD twice (one with bad sectors, one dropped - don't ask! ) and the OS reinstalls from original Vista/SP1 discs were uneventful.

As Moonchild recommends I run in an administrator account with UAC turned off. (Unlike Win 7 you will still get a "UAC is turned off" Security Centre warning pop-up after each boot. This can only be killed by turning off all Security Centre warnings - not ideal - and it's only one click to close the pop-up.)

[ron_1]

megaman wrote:
Are you updated on everything? Maybe a version of Microsoft .NET Framework necessary, or Visual Studio. Then there is the problem with the antivirus, antispyware, Windows Firewall blocking. (These are the starters)

Yes everything is up to date. I have up to .NET 4.0 installed. Not sure about Visual Studio, is Visual C++ Redistributable the same thing? If so I think it is up to date also. I am also using the same security programs as before, except now I am using a more recent version of ZoneAlarm free firewall. I suppose it’s possible that is the culprit??

lobocursor wrote:
For what you say, some plug-in or add on hangs PM so you need to see if some exe like “plugin container” is not open in the task manager. Also remember that vista is not longer directly supported, some plugins cannot be updated anymore (this is as vendor will). A possible guilt can be Flash if you use it, as Adobe stopped direct support for vista as well.

Here is what I have: Adblock Edge, Flash, and Windows Presentation Foundation. I have no idea where the Windows add-on came from. Anyone know what it is? Is it necessary? Here’s a funny thing about the “plugin container,” I have never seen it running in Task Manager since moving to Vista (I seen it all the time when I was using XP). While on XP, after installing an updated PM, I would usually soon after get an alert from ZoneAlarm that it would want to connect to the internet, and I would allow it. I have never gotten a message from ZoneAlarm since moving to Vista, so I manually gave “plugin container” permission. Another strange thing is that I keep getting an alert from ZoneAlarm that Flash Plugin wants to connect to the Internet. I never got this alert while on XP. Can that mean anything?

Moonchild wrote:
Upgrading Windows XP to Vista very often also does not go very smooth and can leave a lot of junk behind in the registry and file system. . . . . I would suggest you upgrade to Windows 7 SP1 (preferably using a clean OS install). Also, considering Vista has not been available for sale since October 2010, driver and software vendor support for Vista is very limited, and you are only “buying time” . . . .

Unfortunately I only got a Vista update disc, not a full installation disc. But what I did was first put on a clean install of XP, then updated to Vista. I figured that would leave less junk behind.

I really wanted to go to Win7, but I didn’t think my current computer is up to snuff for 7. I figured it still has a good 3-4 years or more left in it (just about to the time support ends for Vista), so I opted to go with Vista.

Blacklab wrote:
Just to say I have run and tested all recent Pale Moon versions on Vista/SP2 without any problems. Not my choice of OS (gift) but given it’s appalling reputation I have been very pleasantly surprised and actually prefer some of the “half-way house” features of the Vista UI/Desktop/Start menu!

Except for this problem I’m having, I kinda like Vista also, except for the annoying User Account Control pop-ups, which I’ve turned off.

[megaman]

Zone Alarm must be more aggressive. Also, check the antivirus, just to be sure that it is not being the culprit.
Yes, you can disable the Windows Foundation plugin, it was a stubborn plugin from Microsoft that wasn't beneficial to what you normally do.

7 is leaner, so your hardware can manage it better than in Vista. I had to tweak Vista so much to make it even respond to my actions fast, 7 didn't cause the struggle.

[Moonchild]

7 is leaner, so your hardware can manage it better than in Vista. I had to tweak Vista so much to make it even respond to my actions fast, 7 didn't cause the struggle.

I have to agree on this - Vista has always been much heavier on resources than 7 on the systems I've seen both on.

[ron_1]

I've disabled Flash since my last post here, and so far haven't yet had any problems. But it's still too early to tell.

lobocursor wrote:
A possible guilt can be Flash if you use it, as Adobe stopped direct support for vista as well.

So Flash no more supports Vista, but still supports XP, which is an older OS?

[lyceus]

I've disabled Flash since my last post here, and so far haven't yet had any problems. But it's still too early to tell.

lobocursor wrote:
A possible guilt can be Flash if you use it, as Adobe stopped direct support for vista as well.

So Flash no more supports Vista, but still supports XP, which is an older OS?

Windows XP is supported until 2014 due the huge base of users and mission critical computers that cannot upgrade. Windows Vista meanwhile got the shoot since almost everybody jumped to 7 when I was available, other people better downgrade from Vista to XP. So yes in this insane world, XP is still current for a while but Vista can be considered vintage now.

[ron_1]

To follow up on this:

The problem was apparently ZoneAlarm firewall (at least the version I was using, 8.0.298.0). Took it off Sunday and haven't had this problem since.

[megaman]

To follow up on this:

The problem was apparently ZoneAlarm firewall. Took it off Sunday and haven't had this problem since.

You just need to make it more lenient towards Flash processes and Palemoon, if it affects Palemoon other than the flash process.
Not recommended that you remove a security program, unless you got it covered.

[ron_1]

megaman wrote:
You just need to make it more lenient towards Flash processes and Palemoon, if it affects Palemoon other than the flash process.

Both Flash and PM had permission to access the Internet, so I don't know what else I could have done.

megaman wrote:
Not recommended that you remove a security program, unless you got it covered.

Yes, I would never go without a firewall. Replaced it with Privatefirewall, and it "plays nice" with PM.