Computer randomly freezes when using Brave browser

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1

Description of the issue:
My computer was running fine with Firefox browser. I want to give Brave a try so I install Brave browser. After installing Brave browser and using it while Firefox browser is opened, everything seems normal. The problem appears when I close Firefox browser and only using Brave browser by itself, then my computer randomly freezes for a min or so.

How can this issue be reproduced?

  1. Open Brave
  2. Using it for a few minutes without Firefox browser open.
  3. Computer freezes for about min and restores back normally.
  4. After using it for about half hour, computer freezes again, and repeat.

Expected result:
Computer not freezes

Brave Version( check About Brave):

Release Notes V1.22.71 (Apr 1, 2021)

Additional Information:

  1. Windows version: Windows 10 Pro 20H2 Build 19042.867
  2. I have disabled hardware acceleration, and the problem remains.
  3. Reinstall Firefox, same problem.
  4. Not having any internet browsers opened also causes the computer to randomly freezes.
1 Like
2

Hello @phieulang

could you try to use private mode and disable all extension and see if it work fine or still freez

if it work fine then the issue with one of your extension or you need to clear your cache/cookies

hope that help and have a nice day :slight_smile:

1 Like
3

Thanks for you response. I tried private mode, and I still have the same problem. I don’t have any extensions installed in my brave browser.

1 Like
4

do you have any memory issue wiht your computer like having low amount of ram

5

I don’t think so. I have 32 GB of Ram.

The problem only appears if I “don’t” use Firefox. I have to leave Firefox opened for me to use Brave browser without having the computer freezes.

1 Like
6

The problem might not be related to Brave browser as I just noticed something else:

  1. Not having any internet browsers opened also causes the computer to randomly freezes.

I will add this note #4 to the original topic. I understand this is might not be related to Brave, but it’s strange that my computer requires Firefox to be opened for it to work normally. I can’t go to Firefox and request for help since their browser works…

1 Like
7

that very wierd

not sure if that would help but give it a try

go to menu then create new profile then close other window of brave and see if it still work fine or not

1 Like
8

@phieulang,
Very strange issue. I would also try what @justsomeone1 mentions and try creating a new profile and see if you get the same results.

I’m also leaning towards this not strictly being a Brave issue. If your PC is freezing while no browsers are open, I don’t think its very likely that Brave (by itself) is causing the issue. Are there other conditions that you know of that affect this behavior?

For example, if you were to open a different application – lets say Skype or Outlook email app but could be anything – and have those open, does the PC still freeze in the same way?

1 Like
9

Creating a new profile seems to be working. I close the other Brave window and Firefox, and have been using it for about an hour without any freezing issues. I haven’t enable brave rewards for this profile yet.

1 Like
10

glad to see it work fine now but i do not think so that the reward is the issue but i think there some curroption to your old profile

could you close brave then open it and start use the old one again and see how it going one with that old one

1 Like
11

Thanks for your guidance. We might have narrow down to the culprit, but I am still not 100% sure until further test.

  1. Use the first profile, computer still freezes.
  2. Switch over to the 2nd profile, use for a bit, then I noticed a message in the upper right of corner of the Brave browser, asking me if I wanted to enable Foxit PhantomPDF extension/plugins. I declined, and after using the browser for ~15 mins, the computer freezes again.

When I initially installed Brave, I imported my settings from Firefox browser so that I can transfer over the favorites, but I declined to transfer over the extensions because I want the browser to be cleaned. I am not sure if this is the problem. Anyway, back to my steps.

  1. Thinking it is because of the Foxit plugins, I uninstalled Foxit from my computer, restart the computer, and use Brave browser by itself. The computer still freezes.
  2. Open Firefox and use Brave, computer runs fine
  3. Create a third Brave profile, computer still freezes without Firefox running.
  4. Download and install Foxit PhantomPDF, and checkbox the plugins to installed into the browsers, computer still freezes without Firefox opened. However, I am not seeing any extension in the Brave browser at brave://extensions/.

I am trying to use the third profile to see that message in the Brave browser to enable Foxit PhantomPDF, but I am not sure how to make it appear. Do you know how?

1 Like
12

you very welcome

when you used your 2nd profile did you import anything like setting/bookmarks or any thing

i got that you did not import any extension

if you did then i would recommend to just create new empty profile
we need to make it step by step to know which thing cause that issue

then start use that new empty prfile for while and see if it work fine or not?

if it work fine then import on that profile the bookmark only and see if it work fine again or not then after that do the password import and so on

not sure if that the same extension you talking about or not

but stay away from any extension till we make sure that nothing else make issue

hope that help and have a nice day

13

No. When I create a 2nd profile (or 3rd), it’s empty. There is no option for me to import anything - no bookmarks or extensions.

Yes, it’s Foxit PDF plugins/extensions. It’s just a text note that appears in the upper right corner of the screen. I didn’t install any extension for Brave from the beginning.

As I indicated in #9, after creating an empty profile #3, I use Brave browser by itself and the computer freezes. But if I leave Firefox opened, the Brave browser works fine. I have been using it for a couple of hours now with Firefox opened.

14

what about this question that mattches asked you

15

Yes… the freezes are random and not dependent on the opening of the application. As long as Firefox opens, I can use any applications fine. But if Firefox is closed, the the computer freezes randomly in the middle of working on any application.

16

My hunches is that this Foxit PhantomPDF searches for a plugin in the background without it having the program opened. Since Firefox has this Foxit PhantomPDF plugins installed, it didn’t causes any problem. But if Firefox closes, the freezes happens. That’s why I want to recreate that note I saw in Brave browser (step #6) and enable the extension in the Brave browser to see if it solve my problem.

17

as mattches said

but not sure why all those app work while firefox open

i even afraid to suggest that you uninstall firefox cause who know maybe that keep everything freez

but the other app also freez while firefox close and they are not browser so they do not have the option to install that extension

so i am not sure what the cause and i see it not brave or even other app issue i think it OS one

18

I did try this in #3. Uninstalling Firefox doesn’t solve the problem so I have to install it again for me to use the computer normally.

Yes, it is possible the OS issue. Is it possible that Foxit add registry that require it check for plugins in my OS? Anyway to enable Foxit plugin to Brave? By enabling similar to Firefox, at least I can eliminate that from my hunch.

19

sorry for missing that

i send you the extension link from the chrome store

but also try to open thefoxit maybe there setting to manage it from there
or close all browser and make sure it not working in the background then uninstall foxi then reinstall it

but before reinstall it try to see if things work fine without it on your system

1 Like
20

when trouble shoot do not make too many change so for example split every step to make it eazier
for example do not reinstall but uninstall test then install again