First page takes ages to load on Firefox
I have Total installed and recently experience the following behavior: As I open Firefox, the first page or pages I try to browse take a long time to load (14 seconds +) but after that browsing works pretty much as usual. The problem is resolved by disabling the F-secure browsing protection add-on (currently in version 6.3.9, last updated 19 January 2025 probably when this started) disabling other add-ons has no impact. The VPN is off.
I haven't yet tried refreshing Firefox.
Win 11 Pro.
Answers
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Hello,
I am also only an F-Secure user.
Although I do not use Firefox daily (and I do use F-Secure beta solution), I did not notice something like this (which can be fixed by disabling Browsing Protection addon).
I mean, probably, from time to time Firefox seems to be very 'strange' at launch and loading some websites, but it was so even without F-Secure BP addon (for me).
So, did you mean that when you re-enable F-Secure BP addon the trouble comes back?
And as soon as you disable F-Secure BP addon - trouble will disappear? Is it such stable to reproduce?
Spoiler below contains just some my random thoughts, likely unhelpful and unrelated.
Could it be something with specific website (like home page, first page; or each time when you tried to open pages after opening Firefox - they are always the same)? Can you try to navigate a random website like, for example, google.no (Google Norway). Will this also take more than ten seconds? Or could you try not to wait (14+seconds) but refresh page immediately and see if it still will be with a delay?
However, it is doubtful that this could have any effect. Because I would think that the problem is in some of the features like Cookie Blocker or Ad blocker; but it would be strange if everything then functions too well for any other webpage/website. And the only 'first' page (first opening) can be with such an impact.
Thus, then I would have the feeling in my mind that when Firefox starts, some network connections immediately begin to be checked by the BP addon. As a one-time event. But you said that disabling other extensions does not help (probably disabled - they do not generate any network traffic). And I don't know what else could significantly load the BP addon to block the page from loading (creating a delay in its display).
Another thought, since I don't use Firefox daily (and I also constantly clean its cache and all that. And I don't use any profile that saves activity), it may be if you have active use and the browser stores a lot of internal cache or whatever information / files and something checking…. but it will not explain (at all) why disabling F-Secure BP addon can fix delay or something.
Did you try to check situation with set-up like: all other addons are disabled, but F-Secure BP is not? With this set-up, trouble is still there?
Thanks!
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Ok I realized what causes it. The behavior is very regular and only the F-secure add-on has this effect, but it only occurs when I restore a previous session on Firefox. Tbf it's a fairly large session. Presumably the add-on is scanning the restored tabs, even when they are not active? But still it's a new issue. Clearing the cache has no effect.
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So am I the only one with this problem? Waiting over 15s+ every time I start up the browser and restore a session is unacceptable.
My routine now is to disable the add-on after starting up Firefox because it's faster. The last update broke the add-on in some way, reinstalling it doesn't fix the issue.
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Hello,
The behavior is very regular and only the F-secure add-on has this effect, but it only occurs when I restore a previous session on Firefox.
Maybe I did not manage to reproduce exactly this way. How did you restore a previous session on Firefox?
I tried using the option in the settings (at Startup) - open previous windows and tabs. And, also, tried via Menu button - History - Restore Previous Session.
By this way, well… with a fairly small 'session' (less than ten tabs / websites) - the active tab loads quite quickly. And, probably, with my settings - the rest are loaded only when I go into them (also quite quickly).
How many tabs / websites are there in your session with your experience?
Anyway, maybe, since it is quite stable to reproduce with your routine / setup - to create FSDIAG after repeating the trouble is an option for further contacting their support (or if they will ask you to share more information via Community).
// I see in notes for 6.3.9 addon: "Fixed statuses when opening new tab" (whatever it means).
It's possible that something has actually changed near your use case (quite opening new tab); and maybe the "fix" has that side effect. so, perhaps, the best way is to contact their Support via 'web Chat" option in mentioned above place. They will tell you how to share the created fsdiag with a bit of more technical information about reasons (if any).
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Thanks. I restore the session in the usual way in Firefox: History>Restore Previous Session.
It's an extremely large session, about 1400 tabs, I've been dragging along for months because of some research and bad organization skills. But it's nothing new for me so that can't be issue. I had the same session already before the update and this problem didn't occur.
I also tried opening and closing Firefox without restoring the session "purging" it from the Firefox profile folder (and restoring it later in a different way) but didn't help.
