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FireFox 56.0.1 Install Folder Changed

  • 5 replies
  • 4 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by dubstir

dubstir
dubstir
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I just wiped my laptop and reinstalled a fresh download of FF 56.0.1 and followed the default install settings. I noticed FF installed to C:\Users\Me\AppData\Local\Mozilla Firefox folder instead of the normal C:\Program Files. And it installed 32-bit vs 64-bit. Is this where it installs now or am I an anomaly?

I just wiped my laptop and reinstalled a fresh download of FF 56.0.1 and followed the default install settings. I noticed FF installed to C:\Users\Me\AppData\Local\Mozilla Firefox folder instead of the normal C:\Program Files. And it installed 32-bit vs 64-bit. Is this where it installs now or am I an anomaly?

Modified by dubstir

All Replies (5)

the-edmeister
the-edmeister
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C:\Users\Me\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox is where the Firefox Profile folders are located. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data

As far as getting the 32-bit version of Firefox 56.0.1, that surprises me because a major feature of that #.0.1 version was to switch Windows users over to the 64-bit version automatically. Although that feature might be for updates rather that a fresh installation or maybe the older Windows 7 OS didn't get 'bumped' to 64-bit??

At any rate, right-click the desktop Firefox icon and open Properties, then look at the Target path (or "Start in:" path) to verify where Firefox was actually installed.

dubstir
dubstir Question owner
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The target path on the shortcut icon matches the install path... very odd. It runs just as it should though.

I uninstalled FF and removed all trails within the user folder, including Local, LocalLow, and Roaming. Did a few restarts and installed again from Mozilla's main page, same results. Uninstalled and deleted files again and choose the 64-bit version from Advanced Install options. FF installed in the Program Files location and is working as it should.

It's really odd that the entire FF program installed in the AppData folder and also installed the 32-bit version.

cor-el
cor-el
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  • Top 10 Contributor
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The Firefox installer would use the temp folder to unpack the setup file and this will show as an installation. It sounds that the installer wasn't able to finish and copy/move the files to the program folder, maybe because your security software was interfering.

dubstir
dubstir Question owner
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I reinstalled FF a few times since the original post and each time I could NOT replicate it installing to the AppData folder, but 50% of the time it would install the 32-bit version vs the 64-bit version on my 64-bit Windows 7 machine. Also with that, when clicking the download link on the home page it would sometimes download the full install in MB (32MB I believe) and sometimes download the KB install size.

It seems very random. It was working as it should after specifically downloading the 64-bit from their download repository.

dubstir
dubstir Question owner
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I have just installed FF again on a clean Windows 7 64-bit install. This has happened again. FF installed to AppData and 32-bit. I have attached all the screenshots of the install and both Program Files folders and AppData.

FF runs normal though. I downloaded the normal way through Mozilla's homepage.