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Did a clean install, bookmarks gone

TheNobleShade
TheNobleShade
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To resolve an issue that has been plaguing me, I did a clean install of Firefox. I followed some instructions I found on here that ensured that all I had to do was rename the existing Firefox folder to something else, download and run the installer again, and I should have done a clean install without losing my user data.

The issue I had has been fixed, but all of my add-ons and bookmarks are gone. I can get the add-ons back, but where can I find the bookmarks in the old Firefox folder?

To resolve an issue that has been plaguing me, I did a clean install of Firefox. I followed some instructions I found on here that ensured that all I had to do was rename the existing Firefox folder to something else, download and run the installer again, and I should have done a clean install without losing my user data. The issue I had has been fixed, but all of my add-ons and bookmarks are gone. I can get the add-ons back, but where can I find the bookmarks in the old Firefox folder?

Chosen solution

I knew there was a folder I forgot to check. Regardless, I got my stuff back after signing in to Firefox again (independent of this site). Sorry for wasting for time, but I'll remember that info as well if I ever have this issue again.

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All Replies (2)

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 25 Contributor
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Question: When you installed Firefox again, did it mention creating a new profile? To check for other profiles that Firefox is aware of, check the steps in this article: Recover lost or missing Bookmarks.

You only renamed this folder:

C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox

to something like

C:\Program Files\OldFirefox

Normally that folder only has program files and not your data. Your data is stored in a profile folder, usually under:

C:\Users\<your username>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox

It's a hidden folder, but you can set Windows to show hidden files and folders: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/view-hidden-files-and-folders-in-windows-97fbc472-c603-9d90-91d0-1166d1d9f4b5

Under Firefox, click into Profiles, then in each profile folder, look at the files in the bookmarkbackups folder and see whether any date back to before the reinstall.

Anything promising there?

TheNobleShade
TheNobleShade Question owner
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Chosen Solution

I knew there was a folder I forgot to check. Regardless, I got my stuff back after signing in to Firefox again (independent of this site). Sorry for wasting for time, but I'll remember that info as well if I ever have this issue again.