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

With XP, with three different user accounts, is it possible to download Firefox 4 to one user and retain Firefox 3 on another, for a learning period?

  • 2 majibu
  • 11 wana tatizo hili
  • 30 views
  • Last reply by LindaS

more options

We are running XP, and have 3 different user accounts on one desktop. We are very excited by the Firefox4 features, but one user has much less comfort with changes, and doesn't want to lose browsing comfort in 3 before he has a chance to get used to using 4. May take a while....

Is there any way to download Firefox 4, perhaps into a new location. Or a new user account. And use this as a 'teaching tool' while still retaining 3?

Or can we upgrade to 4, redownload a version of 3, and import that user's previous bookmarks to the new download of 3, until we get him comfortable.

The answer is probably no. But if there is a creative way to do this, without another computer available, that would be great. If not, we upgrade and deal with the frustration and whining here.... 4 is too good to pass up.

Ideas? Linda

We are running XP, and have 3 different user accounts on one desktop. We are very excited by the Firefox4 features, but one user has much less comfort with changes, and doesn't want to lose browsing comfort in 3 before he has a chance to get used to using 4. May take a while.... Is there any way to download Firefox 4, perhaps into a new location. Or a new user account. And use this as a 'teaching tool' while still retaining 3? Or can we upgrade to 4, redownload a version of 3, and import that user's previous bookmarks to the new download of 3, until we get him comfortable. The answer is probably no. But if there is a creative way to do this, without another computer available, that would be great. If not, we upgrade and deal with the frustration and whining here.... 4 is too good to pass up. Ideas? Linda

Chosen solution

When you install Firefox 4, choose the custom installation option and change the location where Firefox is installed. You will then have 2 versions of Firefox installed.

As you have different user accounts, each user will have their own Firefox profile (location where bookmarks, passwords, etc are stored). You should not switch between different versions of Firefox with the same user profile. For those that want to use Firefox 4, just make sure you use a Firefox shortcut that opens Firefox 4, likewise for the person who wants to stay with Firefox 3, just keep their original Firefox shortcut and it should open the old version.

Read this answer in context 👍 2

All Replies (2)

more options

Suluhisho teule

When you install Firefox 4, choose the custom installation option and change the location where Firefox is installed. You will then have 2 versions of Firefox installed.

As you have different user accounts, each user will have their own Firefox profile (location where bookmarks, passwords, etc are stored). You should not switch between different versions of Firefox with the same user profile. For those that want to use Firefox 4, just make sure you use a Firefox shortcut that opens Firefox 4, likewise for the person who wants to stay with Firefox 3, just keep their original Firefox shortcut and it should open the old version.

more options

Thanks, Tony!

This is perfect. We are really looking forward to Firefox 4 and the great changes. And we will get the curmugeon trained and comfy before support goes away for 3.

Thanks again, Linda