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cannot copy bookmarks from Firefox to Firefox ESR

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 17 views
  • Last reply by elsonaltoe

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I had to install Firefox ESR on an old Windows XP laptop because the regular Firefox would not update there anymore. I think I did that in 6/2017. Today, I wanted to copy over the bookmarks file, places.sqlite, from my desktop computer (with regular Firefox) to the old laptop with Firefox ESR. It would copy, but when I opened the Firefox ESR, the bookmarks had not updated. I tried exporting them to an HTML file and importing them on the laptop. Then, I see the updated bookmarks in the bookmarks window, but when I close it, it's back to the old ones.

I had to install Firefox ESR on an old Windows XP laptop because the regular Firefox would not update there anymore. I think I did that in 6/2017. Today, I wanted to copy over the bookmarks file, places.sqlite, from my desktop computer (with regular Firefox) to the old laptop with Firefox ESR. It would copy, but when I opened the Firefox ESR, the bookmarks had not updated. I tried exporting them to an HTML file and importing them on the laptop. Then, I see the updated bookmarks in the bookmarks window, but when I close it, it's back to the old ones.

Chosen solution

The places.sqlite database from Firefox 57 is not compatible with earlier versions. The export/import approach was a good workaround. So why are those bookmarks not visible in Firefox...

Are you saying you see an "Imported Bookmarks" folder in the Library window (for example, at the end of the Bookmarks Menu), but at that same moment, when you view the Bookmarks Menu in a regular window, it's not there? That is very difficult to explain, since the Bookmarks Menu should reflect the current list after you make changes in the Library window. ???

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Chosen Solution

The places.sqlite database from Firefox 57 is not compatible with earlier versions. The export/import approach was a good workaround. So why are those bookmarks not visible in Firefox...

Are you saying you see an "Imported Bookmarks" folder in the Library window (for example, at the end of the Bookmarks Menu), but at that same moment, when you view the Bookmarks Menu in a regular window, it's not there? That is very difficult to explain, since the Bookmarks Menu should reflect the current list after you make changes in the Library window. ???

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Ahhh! I guess since I'm used to copying the file and having a complete replacement that I had assumed that it would replace the existing file. However, you are correct -- the imported ones are BELOW the previous ones. I have quite a long list and it goes beyond the screen, so I could not see them. THANKS!

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my version is 52.7.3 esr. I was having the same problem. As I had the not esr version installed earlier I resolved as follows: I uninstalled. I deleted the directory from the profile c: users \ <me> \ appdata \ mozilla. I reinstalled esr and it worked.

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elsonaltoe said

I deleted the directory from the profile c: users \ <me> \ appdata \ mozilla. I reinstalled esr and it worked.

That does remove all the backups, so for anyone else reading, you may wan to rescue the bookmarkbackups folder(s) within the profile folder(s) before removing that directory.

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But I recovered it from my account at the Mozilla. Its better then the other soluctions that not worked here.