This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Porblem migrating the profile file between Windows XP and Windows 7 64 bit

  • 4
  • 2
  • 2 views
  • Nzaghachi ikpeazụ nke cor-el

more options

I have purchased a new Windows 7 64 bit computer. My old computer was a 32 bit Windows XP. I cannot get the new computer's Firefox version 18 to read the profile data from my old XP computer. I have renamed the old profile file to the correct name for the new computer but none of the bookmarks, passwords, add-ons etc. appear in my new computers Firefox. The correct profile file is being accessed by the new computer as I can see the modification time etc is changing when using windows explorer. Is the new computer being a 64 bit the problem or is there some way that I can get the old profile migration to work or do I just have to start again from scratch?

Will I have a similar problem with Thunderbird?

I have purchased a new Windows 7 64 bit computer. My old computer was a 32 bit Windows XP. I cannot get the new computer's Firefox version 18 to read the profile data from my old XP computer. I have renamed the old profile file to the correct name for the new computer but none of the bookmarks, passwords, add-ons etc. appear in my new computers Firefox. The correct profile file is being accessed by the new computer as I can see the modification time etc is changing when using windows explorer. Is the new computer being a 64 bit the problem or is there some way that I can get the old profile migration to work or do I just have to start again from scratch? Will I have a similar problem with Thunderbird?

Edeziri site na Ianola

Asịsa ahọpụtara

This should not normally be a problem. (Or was it an encrypted folder: XP pro, NTFS, EFS, http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308989 ) Was the old profile from a very recent Firefox version 17 or 18 or a very old one (Old ones may be a problem).

Is the old XP still working and running Firefox ?

What you should be doing is copying the contents of the old profile into the new but empty profile location. Firefox and Windows 7 sort out the permissions, location and profile.ini file, you add the copies of the original contents folders and files.

You may need to start again with the migration process, but you should not need to start from a Firefox that does not contain your old profiles passwords, bookmarks and History etc.

Carefully read this article that explains in detail what to do:

Gụọ azịza a na nghọta 👍 1

All Replies (4)

more options

Asịsa Ahọpụtara

This should not normally be a problem. (Or was it an encrypted folder: XP pro, NTFS, EFS, http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308989 ) Was the old profile from a very recent Firefox version 17 or 18 or a very old one (Old ones may be a problem).

Is the old XP still working and running Firefox ?

What you should be doing is copying the contents of the old profile into the new but empty profile location. Firefox and Windows 7 sort out the permissions, location and profile.ini file, you add the copies of the original contents folders and files.

You may need to start again with the migration process, but you should not need to start from a Firefox that does not contain your old profiles passwords, bookmarks and History etc.

Carefully read this article that explains in detail what to do:

more options

It is better to only copy the files that you need from the old profile to the current Firefox Profile Folder to avoid issues and you also need the profiles.ini files in such a case.

more options

Thank you for your replies, much appreciated. Problem was that I was trying to change the profile in the directory train that branched at Local instead of Roaming. The profile file is created in both trains. Thanks again.

more options

You're welcome

The location in Local is used for volatile files like the browsing cache.
The location in Roaming stores you actual personal profile data.