firefox zombie process starts sometimes when starting firefox

[gnupipe]

When I start Firefox a Firefox zombie process starts sometimes (not always) and then goes away after a few seconds (stays sometimes until firefox is closed). This problem occurs with four computers (2 laptops and 2 desktops running ubuntu 10.04, 11.10, precise beta 1 and beta 2) I also have this same problem with Thunderbird. (Maybe I should make a separate bug report for that.)

Reproducible: Sometimes
Firefox version: 11.0~b4+build1-0ubuntu1 (on Precise beta 1)
Expected: No zombie process
What happened instead: Zombie process starts
Hardware: Core i7 2600K Nvidia GTX 570 8 GB ram (my desktop) running ubuntu 10.04.4 64 bit with latest updates (precise beta 1 tested)
AMD Athlon 64 3000+ some nvidia graphics card 1GB ram running ubuntu 11.0 32 bit (desktop) (latest updates)
acer aspire core i5 6gb ram nvidia optimus (my laptop) (ubuntu 11.10 tested)
acer apsire core i5 6gb ram sandy bridge graphics laptop (ubuntu precise beta1 tested)

Firefox safe mode does NOT help!

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: firefox 11.0~b4+build1-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-17.27-generic 3.2.6
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-17-generic x86_64
AddonCompatCheckDisabled: False
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 1.93-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: ubuntu 3432 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu 3432 F.... pulseaudio
BuildID: 20120224155729
CRDA: Error: command ['iw', 'reg', 'get'] failed with exit code 1: nl80211 not found.
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'PCH'/'HDA Intel PCH at 0xfb400000 irq 66'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC892'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0892,10438410,00100302'
   Controls : 43
   Simple ctrls : 20
Card1.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:1 'NVidia'/'HDA NVidia at 0xfb080000 irq 17'
   Mixer name : 'Nvidia GPU 18 HDMI/DP'
   Components : 'HDA:10de0018,10de0101,00100100'
   Controls : 24
   Simple ctrls : 4
CasperVersion: 1.305
Channel: beta
Date: Sun Mar 11 16:40:30 2012
ForcedLayersAccel: False
IfupdownConfig:
 auto lo
 iface lo inet loopback
IpRoute:
 default via 192.168.0.1 dev eth1 proto static
 169.254.0.0/16 dev eth1 scope link metric 1000
 192.168.0.0/24 dev eth1 proto kernel scope link src 192.168.0.103 metric 1
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth1 no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Beta amd64 (20120301)
Plugins:
 QuickTime Plug-in 7.6.6 - Lib=libtotem-narrowspace-plugin.so, Location=/usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
 DivX® Web Player - Lib=libtotem-mully-plugin.so, Location=/usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
 Windows Media Player Plug-in 10 (compatible; Totem) - Lib=libtotem-gmp-plugin.so, Location=/usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
 VLC Multimedia Plugin (compatible Totem 3.0.1) - Lib=libtotem-cone-plugin.so, Location=/usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
 iTunes Application Detector - Lib=librhythmbox-itms-detection-plugin.so, Location=/usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=fi_FI.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
Profiles: Profile0 (Default) - LastVersion=11.0/20120224155729 (Running)
RfKill:
 0: hci0: Bluetooth
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
RunningIncompatibleAddons: False
SourcePackage: firefox
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 06/27/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 1850
dmi.board.asset.tag: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: P8P67
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr1850:bd06/27/2011:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnP8P67:rvrRev1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer

[gnupipe (eovregsites)]

I would like to add that I have this same problem with other distros like Fedora 16, Linux mint 12, Debian 6 and Arch Linux.

[J. Cappelletto (cappelletto)]

Can confirm same behaviour for Firefox 12.0 (from ppa) and Ubuntu 11.10 (upgraded from 11.04).

I must add that Firefox takes too long to startup when launched as regular user, and throws this warning:

(firefox:13601): Gtk-WARNING **: Unable to locate theme engine in module_path: "pixmap",

But starts without any delay (nor warning) when launched as root from cli.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[KK (kk-n)]

same symptoms

[nick flash (flashnick-51)]

Hello

I ran into the same problem. Firefox and Thunderbird, once started, turned immediately into a zombie process.

after a few inquiries I found out, that the openJDK got updated. both mozilla applications rely on JAVA functionality to perform some tasks. I downgraded from openJDK 7 to openJDK 6 and things got to the usual again.

cheers, nick

[Paul White (paulw2u)]

We are sorry that we do not always have the capacity to review all reported bugs in a timely manner. This bug was reported some time ago and there have been many changes in Ubuntu since that time.

Ubuntu 12.04 (precise) reached end-of-life on April 28, 2017.

Does anyone still see a problem related to the one that was reported when using a currently supported version of Ubuntu? Please let us know if you do otherwise this report can be left to expire in approximately 60 days time.

Thank you for helping make Ubuntu better.

Paul White
[Ubuntu Bug Squad]

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for firefox (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]