Chrome downloading annoyances

[WebHead]

Recent versions of Chrome for macOS have become annoying in their downloading behaviour:

• Any more than one download at a time will cause Chrome to become unresponsive and lose its network connection
• Whenever a download finishes Chrome will snap to the front no matter what else I'm doing

Anyone else experiencing this?

Currently using version 112.0.5615.49 on macOS 13.3 on a 2019 27" iMac i9.

 

[coffeemilktea]

I've never had this issue with Chrome; maybe you just need to uninstall and re-install it?

(I'm using whatever the latest version of Chrome is on macOS 13.3.1 on a 2017 27" iMac i5)

 

[bogdanw]

Currently using version 112.0.5615.49 on macOS 13.3 on a 2019 27" iMac i9.

You should update to 112.0.5615.121
"Google has released an emergency Chrome security update to address the first zero-day vulnerability exploited in attacks since the start of the year."
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...mergency-update-fixes-first-zero-day-of-2023/

Get the dmg from https://chromeenterprise.google/browser/download/#mac-tab

 

[WebHead]

Unfortunately updating didn't work. I've noticed Chrome's CPU usage hits 100% with one download, then it becomes totally unresponsive with two.

Any other thoughts? Have disabled a couple of recently added extensions to no avail.

 

[bogdanw]

My “Clean Chrome” AppleScript:

do shell script "find ~/Library/Application\\ Support/Google/Chrome/* ! -name 'Default' -type d -exec rm -rf {} +"
do shell script "find ~/Library/Application\\ Support/Google/Chrome/ ! -name 'First Run' ! -name 'Last Version' ! -name 'Local State' ! -name 'Bookmarks' ! -name 'Preferences' ! -name 'Secure Preferences' -type f -exec rm -f {} + "
do shell script "rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/Google/Chrome"

It deletes caches and all files and folders from ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome, with the exception of Local State , First Run, Last Version; and Bookmarks, Preferences and Secure Preferences in Default.
The script can be run with Script Editor (/Applications/Utilities/Script Editor.app). I have it saved as an app.
Of course, you can also delete the files/folders from Finder.

 

[WebHead]

My “Clean Chrome” AppleScript:

do shell script "find ~/Library/Application\\ Support/Google/Chrome/* ! -name 'Default' -type d -exec rm -rf {} +"
do shell script "find ~/Library/Application\\ Support/Google/Chrome/ ! -name 'First Run' ! -name 'Last Version' ! -name 'Local State' ! -name 'Bookmarks' ! -name 'Preferences' ! -name 'Secure Preferences' -type f -exec rm -f {} + "
do shell script "rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/Google/Chrome"

It deletes caches and all files and folders from ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome, with the exception of Local State , First Run, Last Version; and Bookmarks, Preferences and Secure Preferences in Default.
The script can be run with Script Editor (/Applications/Utilities/Script Editor.app). I have it saved as an app.
Of course, you can also delete the files/folders from Finder.
View attachment 2199404

Nice, shall give it a whirl, thanks!

 

[WebHead]

with the exception of Local State , First Run, Last Version

P.S. Does that mean all my currently open tabs will be preserved? Thanks again.

 

[bogdanw]

P.S. Does that mean all my currently open tabs will be preserved? Thanks again.

No. Tabs are saved in History and that is deleted by the script.
Try from Finder. Make a copy of ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome, then delete all the files and folders from it, except:
Local State
First Run
Last Version

Bookmarks
Cookies
Cookies-journal
History
History-journal
Preferences
Secure Preferences

 

[WebHead]

No. Tabs are saved in History and that is deleted by the script.
Try from Finder. Make a copy of ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome, then delete all the files and folders from it, except:
Local State
First Run
Last Version

Bookmarks
Cookies
Cookies-journal
History
History-journal
Preferences
Secure Preferences

Great, much appreciated!

 

[WebHead]

Update: The issue appears to be fixed in the latest update - so either a known issue or an accidental fix!

Thanks for the advice all the same, am sure it will come in handy in future.