For some reason, my browsers take up much more CPU resources than usual. Like Leopard-Webkit, it used to take only half cpu IIRC, now it takes all of it, and regularly freezes while loading a web page. This is really annoying, and has forced me to switch to Camino for now (it is a nice browser though), due to it not being affected as much as the other browsers. Any fix for this?
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Browsers on my Powerbook G4 are strangely using up a lot of CPU, keep freezing
- Thread starter hellothere231
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This maybe due to excessive Flash Player usage which cripples even some low end G5s. It is highly recommended that you abandon Flash if still installed on your system due to the insecurity.
How would I stop all the excessive flash usage, though? Just remove flash altogether from my system, or are there any addons for that?
EDIT: Oh, and what could be using the flash player so often?
EDIT: Oh, and what could be using the flash player so often?
Ads use Flash often. I am not guaranteeing that Flash is causing the issue, but it maybe worth it to avoid it. You can remove Flash which is more secure or install AdBlock and ClickToFlash.
Ok, I installed Click to Flash, and I am noticing a small speed increase on the web, yet Leopard-Webkit is still using all of my CPU, and it still keeps freezing on webpages that before it could load fine.
The pages you are used to going to may be using an increasing amount of Javascript as well.
This is not an issue with modern Macs using modern browsers, but is now a big issue in the PowerPC Mac community. It's not 2003 any more and most modern Macs usually just power right through this stuff.
An alternative is to try TenFourFox, which is a fork of Firefox, but for PowerPC. You can use it with some plugins such as NoScript and RequestPolicy to cut out some of the more bloated stuff on the websites you browse.
Things like killing Google Analytics and other tracking features that really slow things down.
This is a problem that is only going to get worse as our Macs age.
This is not an issue with modern Macs using modern browsers, but is now a big issue in the PowerPC Mac community. It's not 2003 any more and most modern Macs usually just power right through this stuff.
An alternative is to try TenFourFox, which is a fork of Firefox, but for PowerPC. You can use it with some plugins such as NoScript and RequestPolicy to cut out some of the more bloated stuff on the websites you browse.
Things like killing Google Analytics and other tracking features that really slow things down.
This is a problem that is only going to get worse as our Macs age.
Might be worth trying this:
In bookmarks menu (after clicking Show All Bookmarks icon), slide the list window until the website preview images aren't visible - if you have 100s of bookmarks these are apparently always being updated.
Seems unlikely but when I had the same issue it stopped after doing that.
Also, there's sometimes an increase in web response after setting Configure IPv6 to Off in network preferences.
In bookmarks menu (after clicking Show All Bookmarks icon), slide the list window until the website preview images aren't visible - if you have 100s of bookmarks these are apparently always being updated.
Seems unlikely but when I had the same issue it stopped after doing that.
Also, there's sometimes an increase in web response after setting Configure IPv6 to Off in network preferences.
I do have TenFourFox, yet it is affected with the same CPU hogging issue that is affecting WebKit and AuroraFox, even with NoScript and RequestPolicy.
Oh, and Dronecatcher, I tried your tip of disabling IPv6, I'll see if it works in the long run.
I have tried both TenFourFox and Leopard WebKit. Generally, stock Leopard WebKit is lower on resource usage but is more insecure than TenFourFox.
I've found Tenfourfox to be a CPU hog on pretty much everything I've run it on, save for my Dual Core G5. It will pretty much max out both CPUs even on a dual 1ghz Quicksilver or MDD. Less computer are even worse-about the only thing that it really runs well on(aside from my DC G5) is my DLSD Powerbook.
I find Webkit to be a lot more CPU friendly, although certain websites(particularly those that are Flash or Java heavy) can really tax it even on a DP G4 system. Adblock plus along with click to flash can really improve the browsing experience.
I'll also add that installed these plugins on my lower spec Intel computers-namely my C2D-based Macbooks. They will run better than on a PPC Macs, but heavy flash and other scripts will cook the processor and make the computer sounds like a helicopter about to take off. My i5 based MBP doesn't even like some of these sites, but can at least get through them without too much trouble.
I find Webkit to be a lot more CPU friendly, although certain websites(particularly those that are Flash or Java heavy) can really tax it even on a DP G4 system. Adblock plus along with click to flash can really improve the browsing experience.
I'll also add that installed these plugins on my lower spec Intel computers-namely my C2D-based Macbooks. They will run better than on a PPC Macs, but heavy flash and other scripts will cook the processor and make the computer sounds like a helicopter about to take off. My i5 based MBP doesn't even like some of these sites, but can at least get through them without too much trouble.
Are there any reasons as to why my web browsers are taking up more cpu than usual, though? Just a few days ago, loading webpages were fine, and they rarely froze. Could it be something with my Powerbook?
EDIT: Also, bunnspecial, how did you get Adblock Plus working on your WebKit install? It doesn't work for me, and because of that I have to use another extension for blocking ads (SafariBlock).
DOUBLE EDIT: I seem to have found the problem, it was an extension I had on WebKit: SafariBlock. WebKit runs much faster now.
EDIT: Also, bunnspecial, how did you get Adblock Plus working on your WebKit install? It doesn't work for me, and because of that I have to use another extension for blocking ads (SafariBlock).
DOUBLE EDIT: I seem to have found the problem, it was an extension I had on WebKit: SafariBlock. WebKit runs much faster now.
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