Insert Firefox bookmarks manually into new profile - which files, changes required?
I am attempting to migrate my bookmarks from an old profile to my new Firefox which is an Ubuntu snap install. I did not make a backup I can use. The instructions I am following are published here:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_data_to_a_new_profile_-_Firefox
I copied the following files from my old profile and pasted them to overwrite those in the new profile. But the bookmarks are not visible in my new FF.
cert8.db (cert9.db in Firefox 58 and above) content-prefs.sqlite cookies.sqlite formhistory.sqlite key3.db (key4.db in Firefox 58 and above) permissions.sqlite places.sqlite favicons.sqlite (Firefox 55 and above) webappsstore.sqlite
The following additional files mentioned in the above article were not present in my old profile, and I am uncertain why missing , or if they are required.
chromeappsstore.sqlite logins.json (Firefox 32 and above) mimeTypes.rdf persdict.dat signons.sqlite (Firefox 31 and below) signons3.txt (if exists)
When the above file transfer produced no result, I checked places.sqlite file within the old profile and found this (screenshot). I am not sure how to interpret it.
https://app.box.com/s/s1ifii15w8ut3uvzs371izyvyt18dbfb
I also checked all the other .sqlite files listed above and there is no evidence of a bookmark list.
Here is the only part of prefs.js that references places.sqlite in the new FF install.
user_pref("signon.importedFromSqlite", true); user_pref("storage.vacuum.last.index", 1); user_pref("storage.vacuum.last.places.sqlite", 1538270926);
Can someone please suggest a solution?
All Replies (14)
From what Firefox version was the old profile if you check this in compatibility.ini and possibly in prefs.js?
If the Firefox version that used this profile is to old then places.sqlite might not be compatible.
Did you look for backups in the bookmarkbackups folder?
Note that you need to remove existing places.sqlite-shm and places.sqlite-wal files.
Thank you for your reply. I do not have access to the old Firefox installation, but it would have been less than a year old and was regularly updated.
Unfortunately, there are no backups available of my old bookmarks. My oversight.
I did replace all .sqlite files in the new FF install with those from the old Install. The situation remains as described in my original post above. It appears the new FF is not finding the transferred places.sqlite file where I presume my bookmarks are stored.
If you would be so kind as to answer the following questions, perhaps the solution would become clear.
In what file are FF's instructions to look for bookmark data in a particular place? How can this be edited so it finds my bookmarks?
Is there any way to view the bookmarks as text by opening a particular file? I tried opening the places.sqlite file but there was no listing. It must be somewhere.
Does it matter that the new FF is a Linux snap installation whereas the previous one was not?
I am hoping to sort this out has I cannot afford to loose those bookmarks.
Modified by firefoxsolution
Do you have compatibility.ini in the backup? This file contains information about the Firefox version that last used the profile.
Firefox uses two locations for the Firefox profile folder, so make sure to look in the correct location. Location used for the main profile that keeps your personal data in "AppData\Roaming" (Root Directory on about:profiles).
- C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<profile>\
Location used for the disk cache and other temporary files in "AppData\Local" (Local Directory on about:profiles).
- C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<profile>\
You can use the button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page.
- Help -> Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Directory:
Windows: Show Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder - http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox
This is a Linux OS, as was my previous one.
As I understand, all profile data is normally stored under the root directory in .mozilla. However, In a snap install of FF, only extensions are stored there. The rest is in the snap folder.
I do not think this matters since the old profile files were transferred to the latter folder where the main functionality of FF appears to reside.
I refer again to my questions in the previous post.
I believe the paths you have given above relate to Windows. I do know how to navigate the file structure my current (Linux) system, but that has not helped me solve the problem.
Modified by firefoxsolution
OK then. Can anyone tell me in which file of my old profile I can can read (as text) the bookmarks in my old profile?
They must be somewhere, but I have so far been unable to locate them.
I heard they are supposed to be stored in places.sqlite, but I see none there upon opening that file.
If I can find them listed somewhere, I will then re-enter each one manually in the new FF GUI.
Only Firefox can easily access the bookmarks (and history) stored in places.sqlite. You only need to place this file in the Firefox profile folder of the other device. Otherwise you can restore a backup from the bookmarkbackups folder.
You can use the tool on this website to inspect compressed bookmarks.jsonlz4 files.
You can use the button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page.
- Help -> Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Directory:
Windows: Show Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder - http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox
As previously mentioned, 1) I do not have a .json bookmarks backup form my old profile, and 2) there are no booksmarks listed in text form in the places.sqlite file of either my now or old Firefox installation.
The question remains, where within a profile, either in text or compressed form, does FF store bookmarks? I have looked everywhere I can think of in both installations and cannot access them.
Your continued interest is appreciated.
Modified by firefoxsolution
Hello, The bookmarks are actually stored in bookmarks-xxxx.(html, xml, json) In Windows but I suppose on Linux is the same. Hope this help!
Modified by AnnaSycamore
firefoxsolution said
As previously mentioned, 1) I do not have a .json bookmarks backup form my old profile, and 2) there are no booksmarks listed in text form in the places.sqlite file of either my now or old Firefox installation.
You don't have the bookmarkbackups folder?
Bookmarks and history are stored together in places.sqlite. You can use one of these sites to look at your places.sqlite database:
This uses a client-side library to read the database, it doesn't send your database to the cloud.
Look at the moz_bookmarks table to see what is in the database. The titles of bookmarks and folders are in that table, but the URLs are in a different table.
Note: Check your original places.sqlite, not the one you're using now.
Modified by jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
Here is the screenshot I posted earlier showing what appears in my old places.sqlite.
https://app.box.com/s/s1ifii15w8ut3uvzs371izyvyt18dbfb
I can see the moz.bookmarks table. But how do I open it to read the contents? I cannot navigate there in the sqlite reader.
Also, what separately named table are the URL's in?
BTW I have already tried moving all sqlite files to my new profile but for some unknown reason, my new FF install does not find the old bookmarks.
Is it possible to instead move the two tables that contain the bookmark names and URL's?
Otherwise, I would transcribe by typing each one in, but I have to locate them as text first.
Modified by firefoxsolution
firefoxsolution said
Here is the screenshot I posted earlier showing what appears in my old places.sqlite. https://app.box.com/s/s1ifii15w8ut3uvzs371izyvyt18dbfb
That seems to be a list-out of the structure of the file. Try using the first tool I mentioned to view the file; there is a table selector to choose which table you want to browse.
Also, what separately named table are the URL's in?
I think to get both the title and URL together, you need to join moz_bookmarks with moz_places on moz_places.id = moz_bookmarks.fkey
BTW I have already tried moving all sqlite files to my new profile but for some unknown reason, my new FF install does not find the old bookmarks.
Does the other data transfer, such as cookies or site-specific permissions? Are you sure you're putting the files in the currently active profile folder that Firefox is using? You can verify that by opening the page about:profiles (copy/paste that to the address bar and press Enter) and find the profile that says it is the current one ("This is the profile in use and it cannot be deleted."), and look at the "Root Directory" path.
Is it possible to instead move the two tables that contain the bookmark names and URL's?
Database surgery? I wouldn't try it myself.
As per your instructions, I have confirmed the bookmarks are present in tabular form in the places.sqlite file of my old Firefox profile.
Unfortunately, the new FF install does not find them when I insert that file into its profile, or insert the entire profile.
In which file is the path that directs FF where to find the bookmarks? Maybe I would be able to change that.
I will also install FF on my Windows PC, and see if the old profile works there since my Ubuntu install is in "snap" format and may be creating this anomaly.
Modified by firefoxsolution
firefoxsolution said
In which file is the path that directs FF where to find the bookmarks? Maybe I would be able to change that.
I don't think Firefox will look anywhere except the profile root folder.
I don't know what Snap is...
See Snapcraft - Snaps are universal Linux packages https://snapcraft.io/