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.

Avatar for Username

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

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Shared profile between operating systems keeps disabling addons

  • 4 replies
  • 7 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by lazerbrain

lazerbrain
lazerbrain
more options

So recently I setup a profile in a neutral directory to be accessed by both my Ubuntu and my Windows7 Installation (dual boot).

It kind of works, but everytime I start the Browser the addons are disabled.

Is there an explanation for that?

So recently I setup a profile in a neutral directory to be accessed by both my Ubuntu and my Windows7 Installation (dual boot). It kind of works, but everytime I start the Browser the addons are disabled. Is there an explanation for that?

Chosen solution

Well since Firefox sync is a pile of dog excrement I figured out a working solution:

I use a shared profile and run this script on each windows startup and a respective linux variant on Ubuntu startup:

D: cd \AppData\Waterfox\q4805j1x.shared

IF EXIST backup_win\extensions.json (

move extensions.json backup_linux move addonStartup.json.lz4 backup_linux move extension-settings.json backup_linux

move backup_win\extensions.json %cd% move backup_win\addonStartup.json.lz4 %cd% move backup_win\extension-settings.json %cd% )

Read this answer in context 👍 2

All Replies (4)

lazerbrain
lazerbrain Question owner
more options

More accurately: I enable the addons and it's fine until I use the Browser in the other OS.

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

You shouldn't share profiles because there are links to files in files like extensions.json.

Best would be to use Sync to synchronize your profiles.

lazerbrain
lazerbrain Question owner
more options

Ugh, sync, I hate it. When it it supposed to sync it doesn't do anything and another time it adds existing stuff a second time. I mean how does it even know in which direction I want to sync? Can't it just ask? I know you're probably not the person to address, but...

Anyway, thanks for pointing out the issue with the paths. That's the reason the addons are re-installed each time.

lazerbrain
lazerbrain Question owner
more options

Chosen Solution

Well since Firefox sync is a pile of dog excrement I figured out a working solution:

I use a shared profile and run this script on each windows startup and a respective linux variant on Ubuntu startup:

D: cd \AppData\Waterfox\q4805j1x.shared

IF EXIST backup_win\extensions.json (

move extensions.json backup_linux move addonStartup.json.lz4 backup_linux move extension-settings.json backup_linux

move backup_win\extensions.json %cd% move backup_win\addonStartup.json.lz4 %cd% move backup_win\extension-settings.json %cd% )