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restore bookmarks

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  • 4 have this problem
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  • Last reply by cor-el

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After restating my desktop Mac, all my stored bookmarks (100's) have disappeared. Following the instructions on the Mozilla Help Pages to restore bookmarks, I received the following response: "Unable to process the backup file". So how do I restore my bookmarks? I am also unable to add a new bookmark. What is going on? Also, why is History no longer being logged? Clicking on the History tab, no history is displayed.

After restating my desktop Mac, all my stored bookmarks (100's) have disappeared. Following the instructions on the Mozilla Help Pages to restore bookmarks, I received the following response: "Unable to process the backup file". So how do I restore my bookmarks? I am also unable to add a new bookmark. What is going on? Also, why is History no longer being logged? Clicking on the History tab, no history is displayed.

Modified by tnkkak

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If you use Sync, best is to disconnect Sync temporarily during troubleshooting.

This could be a problem with the places.sqlite and favicons.sqlite files in the Firefox profile folder.

  • use the "Places Database" -> "Verify Integrity" button on the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page

If errors are reported with "Verify Integrity", close and restart Firefox or reboot and retry.

If "Verify Integrity" cannot repair places.sqlite, rename/remove all places.sqlite and favicons.sqlite files in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed. Firefox will rebuild places.sqlite and restore the bookmarks from the most recent JSON backup in the bookmarkbackups folder.

  • keep a backup copy of places.sqlite in case a new places.sqlite database has to be created
  • you lose the history when a new places.sqlite is created

You may have to restore an older bookmarks backup in the bookmarkbackups folder via the Bookmarks Manager (Library).

See also:

You can use the button on the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page (Root directory).