[lokoike]

Been having a funny problem for quite a while now, and I wondered if anyone had experienced this as well.

Periodically, when I open up my Gmail account (with Firefox, of course), FF crashes! It gives me the Windows Error Report message, and then FF closes. At first I figured it was FF, but Google Mail is the only page that does this, and there doesn't seem to be anything that triggers it. I would say it happens once every day or two.

Yesterday, I went on my friend's computer to check my mails, and the same thing happened! So apparently, it isn't just me. Anyone else have this happen, and if so, did they find a fix?

Computer info:

Both comps have WinXP Pro with SP2
Both comps were using Firefox 1.5.0.2
His FF had no extensions, mine had 11 (I could list them if you guys want, but I doubt it is relevant, since his has none and the same thing happened)

[JohnDemolition]

sounds like some kind of bug with Firefox. thank god i don't use it .

btw: you might wanna check if its been filed https://bugzilla.moz...product=Firefox

[Andavari]

If FF has something that allows the reporting of broken websites that cause it to crash file it with Mozilla.

I know for years that there have been some websites such as (ZDNet in the past) that have caused Mozilla Suite to crash and/or crash a whole computer which probably has to do with some messed up script, however since I haven't used FF that much I haven't run into the same problem.

[Eldmannen]

Besure use latest version of Firefox.
Does it crash if you have Javascript disabled too?

[pwillener]

I use FF (1.5.0.2) on Gmail daily, and I never had a crash or any problem. I also have some extensions (9), but no problems with Gmail.

Can you try to access Gmail with FF in Safe Mode (not Windows Safe Mode, but FF Safe Mode [Start, Programs, Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Firefox (Safe Mode)]).

When FF crashes on you, what are you doing in Gmail - just logging on, reading mail, composing mail?

[Sniper]

If you have Thunderbird, just forward your Gmail account to it.
Works for me.

[lokoike]

@ pwillener: It crashes right after I enter in my username/password, so during the logging in process. I would try in Safe Mode, but I wouldn't know if that fixed it or not, because it signs in fine more often than not. The crash only happens every few days or so, and as far as I can tell, it is totally random. At least, I haven't been able to pick out any pattern yet.

@ Sniper: I don't use Thunderbird, nor do I intend to, but I certainly do appreciate the suggestion!

@ Eldmannen: A friend sent me a link to a forum where the turning off JS suggestion was given. It appeared to fix the problem for a number of users, so that certainly could be the problem. The only thing about that that strikes me as strange is that the problem occurs at random times. If it was just a matter of turning on/off JS, wouldn't the problem happen every time it was turned on, and not just periodically?

Also, I have the CustomizeGoogle extension, which some people reported crashed Gmail. But since I also encountered the problem on a computer without that extension, I doubt that is the problem.

I think ultimately, I'm putting my money on either an FF bug, a Gmail bug, or Javascript. I'll leave JS off and see if the problem occurs again.

@ everybody: Thanks for all of the suggestions, and if anyone has run into/fixed this problem, please feel free to share your fix!

[Andavari]

Does Gmail show any ad's? If so try to block the ad server.
Also it probably wouldn't hurt to notify Gmail of the problem you're having.

[sweetasman01]

No problem with gmail here, but yahoo is anoter issue. After a bit of research it turned out that yahoo was calling a file in yahoo messenger to check wha version i had installed then the AdBlock plugin caused ff to crash.

[Humpty]

No fix here but a fella over at Wilders is having weird things with FF and Gmail.

FF-Gmail weirdness

[lokoike]

Thanks for the link, Humpty. I just read the last couple of posts on that site, and here is a quote:

Quote

It happened to me as well, I couldnot access Gmail, neither google search, I had to use MSN.
When I have asked in Gmail forum, they replied to me, that Gmail is still beta, so it can happen.

So apparently, it would appear that Google is taking the fault for this. So theoretically, this should be gone when Gmail comes out of beta, without any changes made on my part whatsoever.

I'm still going to play around with the JS settings, just to see if I notice a difference or not, but I have a feeling that this is something that time will have to heal. Thanks to everyone who posted info and suggestions!

[pwillener]

lokoike, on Apr 26 2006, 05:33 PM, said:

... this should be gone when Gmail comes out of beta ...

As they say in India "tomorrow never comes", as tomorrow will always be one day ahead.

The same is true with Gmail - it will remain in beta forever, same as Google Groups, and most Google products, in fact.

[lokoike]

pwillener, on Apr 26 2006, 09:13 PM, said:

As they say in India "tomorrow never comes", as tomorrow will always be one day ahead.

The same is true with Gmail - it will remain in beta forever, same as Google Groups, and most Google products, in fact.

Well, that's certainly a morbid thought. I sure hope my email isn't a permanent beta!

I honestly think that it will one day be considered a finished product, although I agree that it may be a while... I haven't lost hope though, cause features are constantly being added to both Google's email and chat services. So at least I have some visible proof that Google is doing something!

Of course, I hope that they are taking the time to stabilize old features before adding the new ones...

~fingers crossed~