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dps_mcafee
Former Member
Message 1 of 40

Mcafee Siteadvisor 3.4.0 Memory leak in Firefox 8.0 and 7.0.1

It seems Mcafee Siteadvisor 3.4.0 has a Memory leak in Firefox version 8.0 and 7.0.1

On my EEE 901 XP machine which has no page file it eventually causes a page file warning and I think a file protection error.

I monitored the memory usage using Process Explorer and tracked it down to Firefox and then by disabling each of the add-ons to find it was down to Siteadvisor. On my machine it occurs when I am viewing an Email in Gmail web page.. memory being used and incrementing up and up.

I would think if I had a large page file the issue would take a long time to appear.

Attached is a picture of the memory usage increasing to about 1Gb after 6 minutes.

Currently I have disabled siteadvisor.

Dave

Message was edited by: dps_mcafee on 10/11/11 15:20:58 CST
39 Replies
exbrit
MVP
MVP
Message 2 of 40

Re: Mcafee Siteadvisor 3.4.0 Memory leak in Firefox 8.0 and 7.0.1

In this instance you'd probably be best advised to go straight to Technical Support which is free via phone or online chat.  Linked under Useful Links at the top of the page.

I've not seen this or observed anyone reporting similar occurrences here.   I would imagine that you would have to have a lot of web pages open to cause even the slightest drain on memory under normal circumstances.

I'm assuming that this is consumer SiteAdvisor and not the Enterprise version.

However they will want to know a few things, is this XP SP3 x86 and fully updated and why is there no page file?

As there is no page file how much installed memory (RAM) is there?   (You need more than 2gb to make up for that page file and even then many applications will go crazy without one).

There have been arguments for and against the idea of no page file going on for years with the argument for keeping it usually winning.

Here's one from 2005:  http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2005/10/running-xp-with-the-pagefile-disabled.html

Edit:   On further reading up about this model I see that it may have come with the page file missing as standard.    In which case I can only suggest that the above problem may be due to clashing browser add-ons, or your SiteAdvisor settings being set to Secure Search or Protected Mode perhaps?   In the case of the latter it may be objecting to contect in whatever pages you have open.

In my own experience I've found that the McAfee home products can work strangely on netbooks so the first suggestion, to contact Technical Support, would seem to be the best idea in this case.

.

Message was edited by: Ex_Brit on 11/11/11 5:58:15 EST AM
dps_mcafee
Former Member
Message 3 of 40

Re: Mcafee Siteadvisor 3.4.0 Memory leak in Firefox 8.0 and 7.0.1

I have the free version so I assume it is the consumer version of SiteAdvisor.

All PC's are fully up to date with Windows updates and fully scanned for Virus and malware.

It's not a page file issue. I have now seen it on another different faster PC with page file enabled, again it just eats up the memory till it has all gone, with a Gamil Email web page open.

I don't have the time to call support.    I am sure the Siteadvisor memory leak in Firefox 8.0 and 7.0.1 will turn up on another machine when a Gmail email page is open. Time will tell and the world will catch up.

In the mean time Siteadvisor will be disabled.

Message was edited by: dps_mcafee on 11/11/11 05:03:02 CST
exbrit
MVP
MVP
Message 4 of 40

Re: Mcafee Siteadvisor 3.4.0 Memory leak in Firefox 8.0 and 7.0.1

Well if you can't call support we can only say thanks for noting it, but we haven't see reports of this before.   I will ask internally however to see if anyone has any thoughts on it.

By the way you responded at the same time that I was editing my answer above.

exbrit
MVP
MVP
Message 5 of 40

Re: Mcafee Siteadvisor 3.4.0 Memory leak in Firefox 8.0 and 7.0.1

By the way, is this XP SP3? .

Unclepotter
Former Member
Message 6 of 40

Re: Mcafee Siteadvisor 3.4.0 Memory leak in Firefox 8.0 and 7.0.1

Hi

Sorry if this is in the wrong section

Starting this morning everytime I clicked on opened an email In Gmail and Hotmail straightaway I saw the Physical memory usage shoot up to around 75% and the cpu usage as high as 60%.In the task manager Firefox went up to 900,000k in the space of minute or so.

This is the same with any browser I use,Chrome,Opera,FF8 and IE9,although in IE9,the physical momery usage stayed stable but the cpu usage went to around 60%

This only happens when an email is opened.When clicking back on inbox the cpu usage drops to 2% or less.

I have McAfee Security Center installed and Have windows Vista,a 2.13 dual processor and 2GB ram.This has never happened before and all other web activities are normal.

I treid turning the anti spam feature off in McAfee,but it was still the same,any ideas what to do please.

I also did a scan with Malwarebytes(which found nothing)The only thng I updated yesterday was to FF8,but as this happenes in other browsers I'm not sure if that can be releveant?

exbrit
MVP
MVP
Message 7 of 40

Re: Mcafee Siteadvisor 3.4.0 Memory leak in Firefox 8.0 and 7.0.1

OK there appears to be something going on with Gmail and SA.  I have posted internally for some help on this.  Meanwhile you may wish to open a case with Tech Support and escalate it if necessary.

That is the fastest way to get it fixed.

Unclepotter
Former Member
Message 8 of 40

Re: Mcafee Siteadvisor 3.4.0 Memory leak in Firefox 8.0 and 7.0.1

Thanks Ex_Brit

This has been bugging me all day as I know I haven't done anything different my end to what I did yesterday.As I have said it seems to affect hotmail emails as well.

As soon as I opened your reply the physical memory rapidly started to climb as did cpu usage.As soon as I went back into my inbox normality resumed.

Do you think it would be worth uninstalling Site Advisor?

How do I open a case with Tech Support,I am in the UK so what is the best time to contact them?

exbrit
MVP
MVP
Message 9 of 40

Re: Mcafee Siteadvisor 3.4.0 Memory leak in Firefox 8.0 and 7.0.1

Just click on Technical Support under Useful Links at the top of this page.   Phone support for the UK is only open until 1800hrs Mon-Fri so you'll have to go through the Online Chat, that's open 24/7.

I doubt uninstalling/reinstalling will help but running the Virtual Technician might.  http://mvt.mcafee.com or wait until you go for the Chat as you'll have to run it anyway.

Message was edited by: Ex_Brit on 11/11/11 1:56:22 EST PM
Unclepotter
Former Member
Message 10 of 40

Re: Mcafee Siteadvisor 3.4.0 Memory leak in Firefox 8.0 and 7.0.1

Hi Ex_Brit

I have just disabled the Site Advisor add-on in Firefox and the problem has stopped.On opening your last email the physical memorry usage stayed at a rock steady 48% and the cpu usage was around 2%

So it will be interesting what the people at Google and McAfee have to say

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