Migrated/copied profiles work in (or open from) profile manager correctly but not from about:profiles
I had to create a new Windows10 user and have copied all my Firefox profiles over.
Now I can open any Firefox profile from the profile manager correctly - that is good.
But when I try to open another profile from about:profiles, this click opens a second instance of the already open profile, not the second profile - that is bad.
Why is this happening?
All Replies (10)
Same error occurs when opening a profile from a desktop shortcut as explained here:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Shortcut_to_a_specific_profile
Click on desktop shortcut with: "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -P "1st Profile" opens "1st Profile" correctly
With "1st Profile" open, click on desktop shortcut with: "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -P "2nd Profile" opens second instance of "1st Profile"
bumping this because it happens again/still
zumaxb said
Same error occurs when opening a profile from a desktop shortcut as explained here: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Shortcut_to_a_specific_profile Click on desktop shortcut with: "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -P "1st Profile" opens "1st Profile" correctly With "1st Profile" open, click on desktop shortcut with: "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -P "2nd Profile" opens second instance of "1st Profile"
The "last modified" date on that mozillaZine KB page is 28 July 2012, long before the about:profiles feature was added to Firefox.
When you are launching Firefox from command line with the -P switch only one Profile will open that way, the 2nd needs to be launched with the -no-remote switch in addition to the -P command.
about:proflies relies upon the Profile Manager, and launching Firefox from command line with the -P switch overrides the the Profile Manager. IOW, you can't use both or a combination of the two; command line or about:profiles .
the-edmeister said
you can't use both or a combination of the two; command line or about:profiles .
Thank you the-edmeister, I appreciate you help tremendously.
Since I am not using command line per se, I assume that one of my actions/settings is deemed to be using command line.
I would like to be able to have multiple profiles open at the same time. So, what should I do and where to make that happen.
Maybe you did explain that in your last answer but I am afraid that I did not get it.
"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -P "1st Profile" and "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -P "2nd Profile"
are command line instructions for open Firefox with different Profiles. You would need to modify the 2nd one as such - "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -P "2nd Profile" -no-remote - to get the "2nd Profile" to open when the "1st Profile" is already running. That -no-remote command tells Firefox to ignore the already running executable & Profile to let Firefox open the other Profile using the same executable file - namely firefox.exe .
And command line instructions don't "mix" with about:profiles usage.
From what I understood, I now did this:
- Go to: C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox
- right click > create shortcut on desktop
- Also go to: C:\Users\XXMY-USERXX\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
- Go to desktop > right click Firefox desktop shortcut
- choose & click "Properties"
- in the previously opened Firefox profiles folder...
- click a profile folder slowly to select the name
- copy that name
- in the previously opened Firefox Shortcut Properties window
- find the line "Target" - where it says: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox"
- add to the end of that line
- space -P
- space "the profile name" as previously copied
- space -no-remote
That has taken me most of the way. Now, whenever I click on the Firefox shortcut that profiles manager window offers me to select the profile I want.
Great!
But it seems a bit redundant that I added just any of my profile names.
Is this correct?
No. The main profile folder is in AppData\Roaming and not in AppData\Local The latter location is used for the disk cache.
You can find all profile names in the profiles.ini file and in the Profile Manager and on the about:profiles page (root location).
You can find the profiles.ini file in this hidden location:
- Windows: %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\
C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\ - Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/
- Linux: ~/.mozilla/firefox/
Note that if you need to open links from external applications in Firefox (default browser) then this only work when -no-remote isn't used. When "-no-remote" is used then this Firefox instance is hidden from the OS and you can't open an external link. So always make sure to start the default profile without using "-no-remote" and only use this switch to start another instance with its own profile.
"Default browser" is not a problem for me. I use Vivaldi as default browser with strong lock-down plugins/extensions.
Because they make it delightfully easy to delete all history.
zumaxb said
That has taken me most of the way. Now, whenever I click on the Firefox shortcut that profiles manager window offers me to select the profile I want. Great! But it seems a bit redundant that I added just any of my profile names. Is this correct?
You don't need to use the Profile Manager at all; it is superfluous, IMO. I don't even use it for creating a new Profile, I do that via command line, too.
Using the target line way of launching Profiles goes back to long before about:profiles was added to Firefox, and for my purposes the target line method works far better than about:profiles works.