[ISSUE] Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[ISSUE] Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[thamesynne]

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New issue by thamesynne on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933

Description:
<!-- Don't request update of package. We have a script for that. https://alpha.de.repo.voidlinux.org/void-updates/void-updates.txt . However, a quality pull request may help. -->
### System

* xuname:  Void 5.11.22_1 x86_64-musl GenuineIntel notuptodate rFF
* package:  firefox-89.0.2_1             (but has been observed since at least Firefox 88)
* X server: Xvnc provided by tigervnc-1.10.1_3

### Expected behavior

Not the actual behaviour...

### Actual behavior

When right clicking to bring up a context menu, or dropping down a selection box, occasionally Firefox will spawn a new process, which doesn't do anything useful but does block at least Firefox, and sometimes the entire X server. Manually killing this process unfreezes everything, allowing the session to continue.

No error output appears from Firefox to suggest what's gone wrong.

Other than the fact that it results from Firefox dropping down a menu, I can see no pattern to why it occurs. Sometimes it happens with every 3rd or 4th right click, sometimes an entire session will pass without it happening.

I have greated a 32-bit glibc chroot and tested Firefox-i686 in that environment; the bug does not seem present there. Has Firefox grown an incompatibility with musl?

### Steps to reproduce the behavior

Bug is intermittent - see above.

(I apologise for not being able to provide more detail.)

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[ericonr]

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New comment by ericonr on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-879089804

Comment:
Doesn't seem to be an issue on Wayland, fwiw.

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[dkwo]

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New comment by dkwo on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-885169297

Comment:
I'm seeing a similar behaviour since today.
It now spawns hundreds of processes in htop.

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[dkwo]

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New comment by dkwo on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-885169297

Comment:
I'm seeing a similar behaviour since today.
It now spawns hundreds of processes in htop.
(e.g. github is almost unusable).

btw, how do you decide which subprocess to kill?
mine are all named firefox or contentproc..

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[thamesynne]

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New comment by thamesynne on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-885202857

Comment:
First, i do a `ps ax | grep fire`; that gives me a list of candidates.  Usually there are just two with the command line 'firefox' (without any options), and between them are lots of subprocesses with very long command lines full of options. Mostly it's the one with the higher PID that needs killing - unless there are no subprocesses between those two; then the PIDs have wrapped and the lower one needs to be killed.

I think that heuristic has only steered me wrong once, and I was in a hurry that time.

(Having said which, I've only used the 32-bt glibc version since I created this bug report, and that doesn't exhibit the problem at all.)

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[thamesynne]

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New comment by thamesynne on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-885202857

Comment:
First, i do a `ps ax | grep fire`; that gives me a list of candidates.  Usually there are just two with the command line 'firefox' (without any options), and between them are lots of subprocesses with very long command lines full of options; it's one of the processes with no options that needs to be killed. Mostly it's the one with the higher PID that needs killing - unless there are no subprocesses between those two; then the PIDs have wrapped and the lower one needs to be killed.

I think that heuristic has only steered me wrong once, and I was in a hurry that time.

(Having said which, I've only used the 32-bt glibc version since I created this bug report, and that doesn't exhibit the problem at all.)

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[dkwo]

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New comment by dkwo on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-885499406

Comment:
Thanks.
Something fun: today I'm using laptop as docked to external monitor, and I'm not able to reprodue the issue, which was happening all the time while on laptop only.
Could this have to do with some weird interaction firefox/xorg/drm-intel?

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[github-actions]

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New comment by github-actions[bot] on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-1136640212

Comment:
Issues become stale 90 days after last activity and are closed 14 days after that.  If this issue is still relevant bump it or assign it.

Re: [ISSUE] [CLOSED] Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[github-actions]

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Closed issue by thamesynne on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933

Description:
<!-- Don't request update of package. We have a script for that. https://alpha.de.repo.voidlinux.org/void-updates/void-updates.txt . However, a quality pull request may help. -->
### System

* xuname:  Void 5.11.22_1 x86_64-musl GenuineIntel notuptodate rFF
* package:  firefox-89.0.2_1             (but has been observed since at least Firefox 88)
* X server: Xvnc provided by tigervnc-1.10.1_3

### Expected behavior

Not the actual behaviour...

### Actual behavior

When right clicking to bring up a context menu, or dropping down a selection box, occasionally Firefox will spawn a new process, which doesn't do anything useful but does block at least Firefox, and sometimes the entire X server. Manually killing this process unfreezes everything, allowing the session to continue.

No error output appears from Firefox to suggest what's gone wrong.

Other than the fact that it results from Firefox dropping down a menu, I can see no pattern to why it occurs. Sometimes it happens with every 3rd or 4th right click, sometimes an entire session will pass without it happening.

I have greated a 32-bit glibc chroot and tested Firefox-i686 in that environment; the bug does not seem present there. Has Firefox grown an incompatibility with musl?

### Steps to reproduce the behavior

Bug is intermittent - see above.

(I apologise for not being able to provide more detail.)

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[vincele]

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New comment by vincele on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-1500825550

Comment:
I have the same problem (for monthes now), and tried a few things to overcome it.
* self compiled-firefox, same bug happen.
* self compiled-firefox, stripped of a lot of things, same bug happen.

During those monthes, I got a few Void firefox updates, none fixed the problem.

Yesterday, I tried a x86_64-glibc chroot, and I've yet to see that bug showing up. On the musl system it randomly happens, sometimes instantly (at the first right-click that opens a contextual menu, in-html-page or on the FF UI itself)

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[vincele]

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New comment by vincele on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-1500825550

Comment:
I have the same problem (for monthes now), and tried a few things to overcome it.
* self compiled-firefox, same bug happen.
* self compiled-firefox, stripped of a lot of things, same bug happen.

During those monthes, I got a few Void firefox updates, none fixed the problem.

Yesterday, I tried a x86_64-glibc chroot, and I've yet to see that bug showing up. On the musl system it randomly happens, sometimes instantly (at the first right-click that opens a contextual menu, in-html-page or on the FF UI itself)

EDIT:
xuname: Void 6.1.21_1 x86_64-musl AuthenticAMD uptodate rFFFFFF
firefox-111.0.1_1
xorg-server-21.1.8_1

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[vincele]

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New comment by vincele on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-1500825550

Comment:
I have the same problem (for monthes now), and tried a few things to overcome it.
* self compiled-firefox, same bug happen.
* self compiled-firefox, stripped of a lot of things, same bug happen.

During those monthes, I got a few Void firefox updates, none fixed the problem.

Yesterday, I tried a x86_64-glibc chroot, and I've yet to see that bug showing up. On the musl system it randomly happens, sometimes instantly (at the first right-click that opens a contextual menu, in-html-page or on the FF UI itself)

EDIT:
* xuname: Void 6.1.21_1 x86_64-musl AuthenticAMD uptodate rFFFFFF
* FF version: firefox-111.0.1_1
* xserver: xorg-server-21.1.8_1
* WM: self-compiled dwm (maybe the following issue is related : https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/36636)

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[vincele]

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New comment by vincele on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-1500825550

Comment:
I have the same problem (for monthes now), and tried a few things to overcome it.
* safe-mode, same bug happen.
* self compiled-firefox, same bug happen.
* self compiled-firefox, stripped of a lot of things, same bug happen.

I even think I've tried a brand new profile, but cannot remember for sure.

During those monthes, I got a few Void firefox updates, none fixed the problem.

Yesterday, I tried a x86_64-glibc chroot, and I've yet to see that bug showing up. On the musl system it randomly happens, sometimes instantly (at the first right-click that opens a contextual menu, in-html-page or on the FF UI itself)

EDIT:
* xuname: Void 6.1.21_1 x86_64-musl AuthenticAMD uptodate rFFFFFF
* FF version: firefox-111.0.1_1
* xserver: xorg-server-21.1.8_1
* WM: self-compiled dwm (maybe the following issue is related : https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/36636)

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[dkwo]

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New comment by dkwo on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-1500892523

Comment:
hmm, maybe try to exclude profile, by renaming firefox profile to e.g. firefox-old.
I can only say that I've never seen this issue on wayland (river), so maybe you could give that a try?

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[vincele]

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New comment by vincele on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-1500900608

Comment:
I'll continue to test with the glibc chroot to be sure. Then we'll see if I want to dig into this issue further.

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[vincele]

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New comment by vincele on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-1500941737

Comment:
BTW, someone on reddit reported something that looks like this:
https://www.reddit.com/r/voidlinux/comments/12fp1uf/firefox_frequently_freezes/

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[snark-attack]

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New comment by snark-attack on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-1500945764

Comment:
I reported that on Reddit, as announced I join this discussion. 
Void 6.2.8_1 x86_64-musl GenuineIntel uptodate rrnFF
firefox-111.0.1_1
xorg-server-21.1.8_1
dwm-6.4 (this is compiled w/o any patches)

btw: as of now, I also have problems using thunderbird and chromium
thunderbird-102.6.1_3
chromium-111.0.5563.64_1

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[vincele]

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New comment by vincele on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-1501070443

Comment:
My workaround:
* install chroot somewhere via xvoidstrap or rootfs tarball
* chroot into it as root
* install firefox & some fonts
* use `bwrap` (void bubblewrap) to launch firefox from the chroot (add `--bind /home /home` to the bwrap invokation to get access to your profile and .Xauthority)

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[casualtyface]

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New comment by casualtyface on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-1672148454

Comment:
Apologies, but has anyone discovered a workaround or solution for this issue?

Re: Intermittent bug in Firefox 88+ on x64/musl

[vincele]

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New comment by vincele on void-packages repository

https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/issues/31933#issuecomment-1672229759

Comment:
@casualtyface, I see at least 2 different proposed workarounds in the few messages above (wayland & glibc chroot).

The problem with workarounds (that work) is that you then will not pursue proper bug fixing.

BTW, I can tell that I have not met that bug since using the glibc chroot, not even once. And there were a few firefox & other updates since Apr 9.