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OS reinstall on one machine, removed bookmarks from all machines

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by rjt69

pclark36
pclark36
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I re-installed my OS on a machine. Signed into firefox, and all my bookmarks are missing. Look at my other machines, and my phone, and all of their bookmarks are missing.

I did not change my account password. I changed nothing on the other machines, but it synced the new install's blank(well, the Getting started) bookmark set. WTF?! There's 5 years of bookmarks missing now.

I re-installed my OS on a machine. Signed into firefox, and all my bookmarks are missing. Look at my other machines, and my phone, and all of their bookmarks are missing. I did not change my account password. I changed nothing on the other machines, but it synced the new install's blank(well, the Getting started) bookmark set. WTF?! There's 5 years of bookmarks missing now.

Chosen solution

Got on a less used computer to follow rjt69's advice that was signed into sync, and it pushed everything out onto the rest somehow.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (4)

pclark36
pclark36 Question owner
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Also, all my previously installed extensions disappeared as well...

rjt69
rjt69
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Well that stinks, but before things get worse: Go into the profile folder of one of the old machines and copy off bookmarkbackups to someplace safe:

$HOME/.Mozilla/Profiles/RandomString.MyDefaultProfile/BookMarkBackups/

Use About:Profiles to find the exact locations.

pclark36
pclark36 Question owner
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Chosen Solution

Got on a less used computer to follow rjt69's advice that was signed into sync, and it pushed everything out onto the rest somehow.

rjt69
rjt69
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Glad sync worked out for you. For completeness, here is one official way to recover bookmarks when profiles have not changed:

Hello,

Firefox automatically creates backups of your bookmarks, which can be helpful if your bookmarks are lost or missing. To recover them, follow the instructions below.

  1. Click the Library button 57 library icon, then click Bookmarks.
  2. Scroll to the bottom and click Show All Bookmarks.
  3. At the top of the Library window, click on Import and Backup and select Restore.
  4. Click the date of the bookmark backup you want to recover.
  5. In the new window that appears, click OK.

Your bookmarks from the selected date should now be restored.

For more information, see the Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer article. For other solutions, see the Recover lost or missing Bookmarks article.

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