ATTENTION: Firefox is damaging system SSDs by automatically downloading files without permission

[an531]

When I made a switch from Chrome to Firefox a while ago, under `about:preferences` -> `File and Applications` -> `Downloads` -> `Save files to`, I selected my G: drive, rather than my C: drive, to save my files to and opted for `Always ask you where to save files`.

Now, it turns out that my brand new NVMe SSD, which is my C: drive, has had TBs written onto it needlessly/recklessly, which has obviously worn it out substantially. How could this happen when I have barely written anything to the drive and how is Firefox completely to blame for this? Well, lemme tell you.

Apparently, whenever I click to download anything and the window "Enter name of file to save to..." pops up, Firefox begins downloading the file automatically (completely ignoring the fact that I haven't authorized the download yet) and, what's more, it downloads the file to C:\Users\<username>\Downloads (completely ignoring the fact that I specified in Firefox settings to have my files saved to the G: drive and not the C: drive). Now, I have to download a lot of files weekly and for that purpose I have a separate enterprise HDD (designated with the drive letter G:). G as in "Gee, you better save all your downloads to this high-capacity, ultra durable drive, rather to your small, expensive NVMe".

So let me ask this as politely as I can.

Can someone explain to me what thought process led Mozilla engineers to the conclusion that when a user selects a different-than-default path/drive to save to, like G: instead of C:, and selects the option to `Always ask you where to save files` then the user clearly, definitely and without a doubt wants Firefox to hammer his C: drive with temporary, silent/hidden/background, automatic, unauthorized downloads? Please.

[jscher2000]

In case Firefox isn't able to use the root of the G drive as a temp folder for downloads (while you decide where to save them), could you create a folder on that drive and test whether making this your "Save files to" folder improves anything?

G:\FxDown

[an531]

Yes, a part of the problem is that there appears to be a bug in Firefox that prevents it from using the root of the drive. I have the latest version of Firefox installed (116.0.3). This isn't an issue with Chromium-based browsers, like Edge.

However, the main part of the problem is that Firefox downloads files without permission in the background/hidden. There isn't even as little as a notification that says that Firefox has started downloading the file - I had to go on a whole adventure to find out what is wearing out my SSD. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but there isn't an option in the main settings or even in about:config to turn this vile behavior off...

Files should only be downloaded when you press save. Otherwise, this creates a lot of issues. Like the one I had where my SSD has been pointlessly damaged. Like when you decide to cancel a download, because, say, you've found that the file already exists at destination, but you've already downloaded in the background. Like some potential security concerns that may come from unauthorized, background downloading of files from the internet.

What I would expect Mozilla engineers to do about all this is as follows:

1. Fix the Firefox bug that ignores the root of the drive as a "Save files to" directory;
2. Provide (even a tiny) notification that says "Firefox has started downloading the file in the background" or something along those lines;
3. Create a sub-setting, under "Always ask you where to save files", that will allow to enable/disable pre-downloading of files in the background;
4. Setup a gofundme page for my late SSD, which had to be sacrificed for Firefox users to learn all this;

[jscher2000]

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@an531 wrote:

However, the main part of the problem is that Firefox downloads files without permission in the background/hidden. There isn't even as little as a notification that says that Firefox has started downloading the file - I had to go on a whole adventure to find out what is wearing out my SSD. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but there isn't an option in the main settings or even in about:config to turn this vile behavior off...

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It's been this way for as long as I can remember. If you think it's a serious security problem, you can file a bug, or check whether someone else has filed one: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/

To submit proposed changes to the developers here, create a new post in the Ideas section of this site.

As for disk write volume, the web content cache and session history would be much bigger concern than downloads. Some threads on settings changes related to those features:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/nggml7/im_going_to_be_upgrading_to_a_new_laptop_soon/
• https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/ufozuh/disable_browser_cache_in_firefox_so_you_dont/
• https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/583jv2/is_the_firefox_issue_with_writing_too_much_data/
• https://support.mozilla.org/questions/1317032