High CPU | Browsing + Cache + Settings involved

dmichal

High CPU usage after visiting Youtube

Hello,
I have a problem with high CPU usage after visiting certain websites (e.g. Youtube). The CPU usage increases to an extremely high value (170 reported by Vivaldi Task Manager) immediately after opening the website and remains at that level even after closing the related tab. According to Vivaldi Task Manager, the only task with high CPU usage is 'Browser'. The process seems to be stuck in an endless loop while doing this; it executes cyclically the following sequence of syscalls:

The issue doesn't occur in private mode, but it doesn't seem to be related to extensions - disabling the extensions doesn't help.

I first had this issue about one year ago; reported it (VB-61953) but never received any feedback on that. Deleting the browsing history, cookies, cache etc. fixed the issue for a while, but recently the problem has come back.

Vivaldi version: 3.5.2115.73 (Stable channel) (64-bit)
OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1

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ModEdit: Title

Zalex108

Hi,
Welcome to Vivaldi's Forums!

Try on a New 's Profile:

" Right side" |

Rename it as Tests or something related, and use it as a Clean Profile, to test without custom configurations that can alter the original operation.

Since the result, check:

Active Flags / Experiments
Ad Blocker
Site Data
Clean Cache
Extensions despite already done - Tip

You can try:

AdBlocker OFF
AdBlocker ON
AdBlocker disabled and install uBlock Origin

Maybe some of the thousand trackers leaves something running.
Not happened here on 2 W7 Computers.

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dmichal

Hi,
I've not managed to reproduce the problem on a clean profile. Cleaning the cache on my default profile did solve the issue, so it seems to be a bug related to handling a big cache. Thus I'm afraid the solution is again just for the time being (until the cache grows again).
Before cleaning the cache I've followed the other suggested steps. None of them helped, but while testing I've noticed that the problem occurs not only after visiting certain websites but also in two other cases (maybe these operations involve using cache in some way?):

after opening "Site Data" window,
after enabling NooBoss extension.

Zalex108

@dmichal

Related to open "Site Data", that would be a Bug.

I use SimpleExtManager and the Cache is cleaned with cCleaner each 1 or 2 weeks.

If still happens on the next days or in the next update, Report it.

dmichal

@Zalex108
I guess the problem won't occur until my cache grows again what probably will happen after several months. Also, it seems to me that the root cause has nothing to do with "Site Data"; opening "Site Data" is just one of several scenarios in which the issue occurs in my case and the root cause lies deeper.

@Gwen-Dragon
The issue is not that easy to reproduce; I personally use Vivaldi on 4 computers with similar configurations and it occurs just on one of them. It seems to me that analyzing the source code in search for potentially infinite loops related to cache operations or involving accessing "Databases.db" file may be a good way to go. Maybe I will be able to help you with testing if the issue comes back and you tell me what information exactly should I collect.

Zalex108

@dmichal

I don't know...
Maybe is related with an AntiVirus Software?

Check whether is something different between them or whether it happens with another Chromium based Browser.

Pesala

@dmichal Check the quality of the video. 480 or 720 never cause any problem for me, but 1080p HQ videos always do. I get very high CPU and power usage, and my PC shuts down without warning after a while.

Zalex108

@Pesala said in High CPU usage after visiting Youtube:

@dmichal Check the quality of the video. 480 or 720 never cause any problem for me, but 1080p HQ videos always do. I get very high CPU and power usage, and my PC shuts down without warning after a while.

In case you don't know, ImprovedTube extension can limit to 30FPS and H264, that would help on show a soft 1080.

dmichal

@Pesala Maybe the name of the thread is a bit misleading (sorry for that), but the issue is not directly related to Youtube itself; opening Youtube is just one of several scenarios in which it occurs and it happens immediately after opening the main page, even before opening any particular video.

Zalex108

@dmichal said in High CPU usage after visiting Youtube:

Maybe the name of the thread is a bit misleading (sorry for that)

Do we modify it to just High Cpu?

dmichal

@Zalex108 I'd rather suggest "High CPU usage after visiting certain websites" or "High CPU usage after operations involving cache" or "High CPU usage in case of not cleaned cache"? It seems to me that it better describes the essence of the problem.

Zalex108

@dmichal

High CPU | Browsing + Cache + Settings involved?

dmichal

@Zalex108 OK

Some new information on the problem: the issue just came back (exactly while I was writing the previous post). At a time when it started I had two tabs open (Vivaldi forum and Github). One day has passed since I last cleaned the cache.

@Gwen-Dragon If there is anything I can check to help you reproduce/investigate the issue, it is the right time now.

dmichal

@Gwen-Dragon It was released on 2020-12-07. Nearly three months is not that much in my opinion, especially if there were no security changes (or maybe I missed some?) I can update my browser at any time if you really need it to investigate the issue.

dmichal

@Gwen-Dragon I fully understand your point. I just updated the browser to 3.6.2165.40 and confirm that the issue is still there.

@Zalex108 Regarding your previous suggestions: turning of Anti-Virus didn't change anything. Checking other Chromium-based browsers makes sense, but it would probably involve using it regularly for a long time and I don't really want to switch from Vivaldi to another browser.

Zalex108

@dmichal

Here I have FF and Chrome Profiles for cases difficult to figure out.
Not the same but you can browse and do the needed things on the meantime.

If a Clean Profile is not enough, then you would check with the SnapShot version and see whether works fine or happens there too.

dmichal

Probably it's a Chromium bug; I've found the same problem reported by Chrome users: https://www.reddit.com/r/chrome/comments/cz1whi/help_extremely_high_130185_reported_cpu_usage_and/
https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/17537877
To sum up the second (quite lengthy) thread: it is suggested that the issue occurs when there is little free disk space and it turned out to be true in my case too.

Zalex108

@dmichal

Oh!

This Flag would help vivaldi://flags/#turn-off-streaming-media-caching-always, even with the Low Space problem fixed.