Make Firefox start faster with Firefox preloader

Martin Brinkmann
Feb 7, 2008
Updated • Feb 5, 2015
Firefox
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3

I'm not very fond of applications that add themselves to the Windows startup because it means that the start of the operating system is slowed down as a consequence.

In my opinion, only a few applications have the right to be started at system start: included in the list are security programs as well as programs that you would start anyway after Windows is loaded.

I'm auto-starting Rivatuner for instance to keep the fan of my Nvidia graphics card from spinning too fast while I'm working on the desktop to reduce the noise they make.

Some users will undoubtedly like the idea of running a Firefox preloader that auto-starts with the system. This ensures that Firefox will startup faster when you click the icon. It is basically the same trick that Internet Explorer is doing by letting Windows start some of it's needed files so that they do not have to be loaded when you click on the Internet Explorer logo.

A faster starting Firefox comes at a cost though. System startup will be delayed slightly because one additional application has to be loaded during that process. The Firefox preloader is also using some Megabytes of Ram all the time in addition to those used by Firefox if you start the browser.

If you use more than one installation of Firefox you have to make a decision which one to boost with the Firefox preloader. I guess it could be useful for some but I personally will not add it to the list of autostart programs.

To use the preloader simply install it on the system and keep the setting to run it at startup enabled. The application displays a system tray icon when it is running, which it is by default even after Firefox has been loaded, that you can use to configure it or reload or unload Firefox.

I don't really think that it is necessary to keep it up after Firefox has been loaded but there is no automatic option to close it afterwards. You may want to consider terminating it manually though.

Summary
Make Firefox start faster with Firefox preloader
Article Name
Make Firefox start faster with Firefox preloader
Description
If Firefox is loading slow on your system you may want to use Firefox Preloader to speed its start up.
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Comments

  1. James said on July 24, 2012 at 7:33 am
    Reply

    Re: Firefox Preloader……BIG DEAL……IF YOU CHECK YOUR TCP/IP CONNECTION YOU WILL SEE THAT THE

    PRELOADER HAS ALREADY INVOKED A CONNECTION AND CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET EVEN IF YOU DONT SEE YOUR HOME PAGE.
    MEANING EVEN THOUGH NO PROGRAMS ARE BYPASSING YOUR FIREWALL FIREFOX IS STILL AN OPEN

    PORT AND SECURITY RISK.
    I MONITOR MY TCP/IP CONNECTION AND WHEN I HALT ALL THE INTERNET ACCESSABLE PROGRAMS

    THE CONNECTION CLOSES.
    SAY THAT I CLOSE WINWORD AFTER I CONNECTED IT FROM THE INTERNET……THE PROGRAM CLOSES

    AND THE CONNECTION STOPS……NOT SO WITH FIREFOX PRELOADER…..WHEN YOU END YOUR BROWSER

    SESSION BY BY CLOSING THE WEB PAGE……..FIREFOX IS STILL CONNECTED.
    SO YOUR COMP IS EXPOSED TO COMPROMISE.
    SURE YOU CAN UNLOAD IT BUT RELOADING IT JUST SENDS IT TO THE TASKTRAY NOT TO CONNECT TO

    THE INTERNET.
    I CAN LEAVE ALL MY INTERNET ACCESSABLE PROGRAMS IN THE TASK TRY AS A RUNNING PROCESS

    AND WHEN I CLICK THE ICON INSTANT CONNECTION……..BUT WAIT THEY ALREADY HAVE INSTANT

    CONNECTION AND INSTANT CLOSE PORT CONNECTION WHEN I END IT.

    SO YEA NOT GOOD, BIG DEAL, SO WHAT……..!

  2. James said on July 24, 2012 at 7:29 am
    Reply

    Re: Firefox Preloader……BIG DEAL……IF YOU CHECK YOUR TCP/IP CONNECTION YOU WILL SEE THAT THE

    PRELOADER HAS ALREADY INVOKED A CONNECTION AND CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET.
    MEANING EVEN THOUGH NO PROGRAMS ARE BYPASSING YOUR FIREWALL FIREFOX IS STILL AN OPEN

    PORT AND SECURITY RISK.
    I MONITOR MY TCP/IP CONNECTION AND WHEN I HALT ALL THE INTERNET ACCESSABLE PROGRAMS

    THE CONNECTION CLOSES.
    SAY THAT I CLOSE WINWORD AFTER I CONNECTED IT FROM THE INTERNET……THE PROGRAM CLOSES

    AND THE CONNECTION STOPS……NOT SO WITH FIREFOX PRELOADER…..WHEN YOU END YOUR BROWSER

    SESSION BY BY CLOSING THE WEB PAGE……..FIREFOX IS STILL CONNECTED.
    SO YOUR COMP IS EXPOSED TO COMPROMISE.
    SURE YOU CAN UNLOAD IT BUT RELOADING IT JUST SENDS IT TO THE TASKTRAY NOT TO CONNECT TO

    THE INTERNET.
    I CAN LEAVE ALL MY INTERNET ACCESSABLE PROGRAMS IN THE TASK TRY AS A RUNNING PROCESS

    AND WHEN I CLICK THE ICON INSTANT CONNECTION……..BUT WAIT THEY ALREADY HAVE INSTANT

    CONNECTION AND INSTANT CLOSE PORT CONNECTION WHEN I END IT.

    SO YEA NOT GOOD, BIG DEAL, SO WHAT……..!

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