Firefox Speed Tweaks

[Sher-e-Khuda]

Thanks for your help so far, but I don't get you at all. I'll wait for Finchwizard to get me through this.

[Animatrix]

Have you tryed the extension.

Tweak Network.
http://www.extensionsmirror.nl/index.php?showtopic=1225

Info on "about.config"

http://mozillazine.org/misc/about:config/

(no space between about and the : symbol )

It's also possible to edit the preferences normally stored in user.js by entering about:config in the address bar and press Enter. You will see a list of all available preferences in Firefox (many of them are derived from Mozilla and are not used but not yet removed). Double-click on a preference to change its value. The changes you make here will be immediately stored in prefs.js, which is a file automatically generated by Firefox.

http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/edit

[Sher-e-Khuda]

I'm not to keen on downloading/installing any "tweak" or "extension." So, is it OK, if I manually edit the values as suggested by the author of this confusing topic on page 1?

[Finchwizard]

Haha, righteo.

Download this, save to your Desktop.

http://www.moox.ws/files/mozilla/fir...RELEASE_M2.exe

Extract, it should make a folder on your desktop called "Firefox"

When that's done, move this folder into "Program Files"

Then go into the Firefox folder, find the "firefox.exe" program, and make a shortcut to it, either on your desktop, or on your quicklaunch.

Now, click on your shortcut, it should open Firefox.

Go back to Page 1, type "about:config" into the address bar, it should change to a long list of variables that you can double click on to change values.

Change what I said to change, then check out some of the other pages that Animatrix said.

Sorry I've taken so long, been FLAT out at work, and now it's Christmas, and I'm on the computer........oh dear.

[Animatrix]

Ok now here is another way of tweaking FF this time we will be using the "user.js". (Needs to be made first.)

Read this Editing Configuration Files


Some nice people (i have no name sorry) made "user.js" you can download, tweaked for 3 differed connection types.
Look for the link called." Tweaks to speed up Firefox - Files for Dial-up, Cable and DSL users."

http://www.supernova00.biz/

The zip file (when extracted) has 3 folders named according to connection type that holds the "user.js".




The tweakfactor.com has a good article on FF by Achilles.
On page 4 he has preferences based on both connection and computer speed.

Most of this info is based on
laszlo Firefox Tuning tread from MozillaZine Forum

Anyway i strongly suggest you read this nice firefoxtweak article.

All preferences from page 4. ( most notation removed read the article good stuff )



2004-07-13 by Achilles *the man to give thanks too.


(preferences that go into the user.js)

Quick and Dirty Settings

user_pref("network.http.pipelining", true);
user_pref("network.http.pipelining.firstrequest", true);
user_pref("network.http.pipelining.maxrequests", 8);
user_pref("nglayout.initialpaint.delay", 0);

Common to all configurations

user_pref("network.http.pipelining", true);
user_pref("network.http.proxy.pipelining", true);

user_pref("network.http.pipelining.maxrequests", 8);
user_pref("content.notify.backoffcount", 5);
user_pref("plugin.expose_full_path", true);
user_pref("ui.submenuDelay", 0);

Fast Computer Fast Connection

user_pref("content.interrupt.parsing", true);
user_pref("content.max.tokenizing.time", 2250000);
user_pref("content.notify.interval", 750000);
user_pref("content.notify.ontimer", true);
user_pref("content.switch.threshold", 750000);
user_pref("nglayout.initialpaint.delay", 0);
user_pref("network.http.max-connections", 48);
user_pref("network.http.max-connections-per-server", 16);
user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy", 16);
user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server", 8);
user_pref("browser.cache.memory.capacity", 65536);

Fast Computer, Slower Connection

This configuration is more suited to people without ultra fast connections. We are not talking about dial up connections but slower DSL / Cable connections.

user_pref("content.max.tokenizing.time", 2250000);
user_pref("content.notify.interval", 750000);
user_pref("content.notify.ontimer", true);
user_pref("content.switch.threshold", 750000);
user_pref("network.http.max-connections", 48);
user_pref("network.http.max-connections-per-server", 16);
user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy", 16);
user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server", 8);
user_pref("nglayout.initialpaint.delay", 0);
user_pref("browser.cache.memory.capacity", 65536);

Fast Computer, Slow Connection
user_pref("browser.xul.error_pages.enabled", true);
user_pref("content.interrupt.parsing", true);
user_pref("content.max.tokenizing.time", 3000000);
user_pref("content.maxtextrun", 8191);
user_pref("content.notify.interval", 750000);
user_pref("content.notify.ontimer", true);
user_pref("content.switch.threshold", 750000);
user_pref("network.http.max-connections", 32);
user_pref("network.http.max-connections-per-server", 8);
user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy", 8);
user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server", 4);
user_pref("nglayout.initialpaint.delay", 0);
user_pref("browser.cache.memory.capacity", 65536);

Slow Computer, Fast Connection
user_pref("content.max.tokenizing.time", 3000000);
user_pref("content.notify.backoffcount", 5);
user_pref("content.notify.interval", 1000000);
user_pref("content.notify.ontimer", true);
user_pref("content.switch.threshold", 1000000);
user_pref("content.maxtextrun", 4095);
user_pref("nglayout.initialpaint.delay", 1000);
user_pref("network.http.max-connections", 48);
user_pref("network.http.max-connections-per-server", 16);
user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy", 16);
user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server", 8);
user_pref("dom.disable_window_status_change", true);

One of the changes made for this particular configuration is the final line where the status bar is disabled for changing web pages to save processor time.

Slow Computer, Slow Connection

We have entered the doldrums of the dial-up user

user_pref("content.max.tokenizing.time", 2250000);
user_pref("content.notify.interval", 750000);
user_pref("content.notify.ontimer", true);
user_pref("content.switch.threshold", 750000);
user_pref("nglayout.initialpaint.delay", 750);
user_pref("network.http.max-connections", 32);
user_pref("network.http.max-connections-per-server", 8);
user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy", 8);
user_pref("network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server", 4);
user_pref("dom.disable_window_status_change", true);


The settings here has been arrived by.

1. Real knowledge of what the settings do/are for. ( this includes max values that are hard coded. Hard coded max values can NOT be maxed/overwritten )
2. User tests. ( No 2 systems are alike test your settings, "jondoe settings" are never just right )


( *NOTE* ) some of the values here are NOT in the "about:config" to use the "about:config" you need to make the values your self.



Thanks to laszlo at MozillaZine Forum.
laszlo Firefox Tuning tread from MozillaZine Forum


Big thanks to Achilles over at tweakfactor.com
Firefoxtweak article by Achilles

Hope this can help you in your hunt for faster browsing.


For faster launch time try using XP's /Prefetch:1 command line in your shortcut.

Example "D:\Program Files\Moox\Firefox\firefox.exe" /Prefetch:1

Here's another extension with this you can edit all preferences in the config.

Preferential
http://preferential.mozdev.org/installation.html
The installer
http://downloads.mozdev.org/preferen...ial-0.6.1a.xpi

[computeerrgghh]

hm maybe its my connection but is anybody else noticing a real speed difference between firefox and the moox version? btw the downloading tool tweak is attrocious >< is there some extension that dls better

[Animatrix]

Tweak Network.
http://www.bitstorm.org/extensions/

Stopwatch
http://www.numion.com/stopwatch/

scragz
I made a test page to test rendering for a large table. Save the page locally and view it 500 times in an optimized and non-optimized browser to get a good average. I'm averaging about 4.5 sec in my 20040121 G7 SSE2 build, but I have yet to test it in an official build

http://scragz.com/tech/mozilla/test-rendering-time.php

[Sher-e-Khuda]

Originally posted by Finchwizard
Haha, righteo.

Download this, save to your Desktop.

http://www.moox.ws/files/mozilla/fir...RELEASE_M2.exe

Extract, it should make a folder on your desktop called "Firefox"

When that's done, move this folder into "Program Files"

Then go into the Firefox folder, find the "firefox.exe" program, and make a shortcut to it, either on your desktop, or on your quicklaunch.

Now, click on your shortcut, it should open Firefox.

Go back to Page 1, type "about:config" into the address bar, it should change to a long list of variables that you can double click on to change values.

Change what I said to change, then check out some of the other pages that Animatrix said.

Sorry I've taken so long, been FLAT out at work, and now it's Christmas, and I'm on the computer........oh dear.

Now, I've 2 firefox icons on the desktop. The newest one is blue, while the other one is red. Similarly, there are 2 folders in "Program Files" too; one is "Mozilla Firefox," the other is "Firefox."

Is dat OK?

[Finchwizard]

Yep, that's fine.

Just use the one we recommend etc.

[dareino]

Is there a RPM ver of M2 for us Linux users?
thxs
dr

[Finchwizard]

You can compile it yourself if you are on Linux quite easy, just follow the instructions.

Just grab your distros rpm is the easiest though, if you don't want to compile it yourself, it's mainly for Windows users who want the speed tweak.

[BuMp]

If I download Branch version of M3 Thunderbird<Is it necessary for me to download The whole branch version of Firefox M3 or just keep myself with te simple Firefox?

[Finchwizard]

They release nightly builds, and the release the main "Release" Version.

If you want to keep up to date with everything they fix, then grab the latest nightly build, otherwise grab the latest M3 Release.

[BuMp]

Is there any dramatic performance increase in browsing or not?

[BuMp]

And where will I be able to get this Firefox M3 'Release' because I can find only 'Trunk'.Plz help....

[Finchwizard]

Yes, some increase in starting times and a slight browsing speed compared to the released versions from the Mozilla site.

They just work and handle a lot more windows and tabs open etc.

http://www.moox.ws/tech/mozilla/releasebuilds.htm

http://www.moox.ws/files/mozilla/fir...RELEASE_M3.exe

[Webkikr]

Originally posted by Finchwizard
Yes, some increase in starting times and a slight browsing speed compared to the released versions from the Mozilla site.

They just work and handle a lot more windows and tabs open etc.

http://www.moox.ws/tech/mozilla/releasebuilds.htm

http://www.moox.ws/files/mozilla/fir...RELEASE_M3.exe

I am just trying the latest MOOX build that is on that server, and it incredibly faster than the default download.

This loads pages as fast if not faster than IE 6.0, and doesn't seem to have the flash bug.

Looks like I am switching back yet again

[DaRk_fIbRE]

I just down the speed tweaks for firefox.. this one i felt has made all the difference

iIf you have not done this give it a try

Ftom the about:config area create a new integar named "nglayout.initialpaint.delay" and set the value to "0"

[Animatrix]

Just a little info on the "nglayout.initialpaint.delay"

Speed up page rendering

By default, Firefox doesn't try to render a web page for 250 milliseconds, because it's waiting for data. If you add the code below to your user.js file, Firefox immediately tries to render the page, even without complete data. The drawback is on slower machines where doing a "reflow" may actually cause the total page load time to be longer.

[Beavis]

Just an update about the Speed Up Page Rendering, Pipelining etc... Written by one of the developers of Firefox.

After seeing at least a couple dozen blog posts all referencing these changes to "speed up Firefox", I thought it would be worth a little explanation.

Yes, enabling HTTP pipelining can dramatically improve networking performance. The downside, and the reason it's not enabled by default, is that it can prevent Web pages from displaying correctly. If you've enabled this, and you find pages that aren't displaying correctly, please don't blame Firefox or the Web developer. It's probably the fact that you enabled an "unsupported" feature which is incompatible with some Web servers and proxy servers.

The second change, setting the initial paint delay at zero, may get you some content on the screen faster, but it's worth noting that it will dramatically slow down the time it takes the entire page to display. Here's what's going on. Gecko, Firefox's rendering engine, is trying to optimize between the cost of waiting for a bit more data versus doing more painting and reflows as new data comes in. Waiting a bit longer before it starts painting the page gives Gecko a chance to receive more content before chewing up CPU cycles to render and reflow the document. If you drop this value down to zero or near zero, that means you'll see the page start displaying a bit earlier, but not having received much data in that short interval, you'll have a lot more paint and reflow cycles to complete rendering of the page.

This one probably comes down to a combination of bandwidth, CPU speed, and personal preference. If it works for you, and you don't mind the side-effects, then great. Just note that what works for one person/system, may not work for another.

Yes, there are tuning change you can make (even at compile time, see Moox' optimized builds) that will dramatically alter the performance characteristics of Firefox. Feel free to experiment, but remember that most of the defaults are defaults for a reason. If your browser starts misbehaving or web sites look broken, it might be worth going back to default settings.

http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/asa/archives/007164.html

[computeerrgghh]

wow just put moox on my laptop... I gotta say it looks nicer for some reason and works better than on my cr@ppy pc...Heck the download manager doesn't even give me problems anymore

[gotkookie]

Sweet it works great.

[rickbanr]

It will be interested to put a list of plug ins to FIREFOX on this thread ?

What you think ?

[Animatrix]

"rickbanr"
Good idea but i think a new thread might be better.

Will make one and see.

By plug-in you mean extensions yes?

[Finchwizard]

I personally don't think that's much good.

If you want extensions.

Go here.

http://texturizer.net/firefox/extensions/

They will always be up to date, there is no point double posting stuff that is already very easy accessible.