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Bookmark recovery after window re-installation

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  • Impendulo yokugqibela ngu tankumo

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Hi brothers and sisters, I have a unique problem, a virus attack lead me to window 7 re-installation. The virus disabled my firefox browser, after re-installation my Kaspersky deleted the virus attaching to my old firefox data.

Now everything is clean, I re-install firefox, all my old bookmarks are gone. The window 7 re-installation process kept everything in windows.old folder, which containing old firefox data.

My JSON files that contain old firefox bookmarks are from 2013, I don't have the most recent one, so transferring JSON files works but they are not the latest.

My places.sqlite is the latest, but I don't know how to transfer it, and don't know how to convert it to JSON or HTML. I tried moving places.sqlite a few times but my current firefox browser still does not show my old bookmarks, maybe I am doing it wrong.

I have install mozilla add on SQLite Manager, but don't really know how to use it.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks everyone.

Hi brothers and sisters, I have a unique problem, a virus attack lead me to window 7 re-installation. The virus disabled my firefox browser, after re-installation my Kaspersky deleted the virus attaching to my old firefox data. Now everything is clean, I re-install firefox, all my old bookmarks are gone. The window 7 re-installation process kept everything in windows.old folder, which containing old firefox data. My JSON files that contain old firefox bookmarks are from 2013, I don't have the most recent one, so transferring JSON files works but they are not the latest. My places.sqlite is the latest, but I don't know how to transfer it, and don't know how to convert it to JSON or HTML. I tried moving places.sqlite a few times but my current firefox browser still does not show my old bookmarks, maybe I am doing it wrong. I have install mozilla add on SQLite Manager, but don't really know how to use it. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks everyone.

All Replies (4)

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Hello,

You can simply copy and paste the sqlite files from the profiles in your windows.old folder to your new profile folder. For more information, see Recover important data from an old profile.

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Thank you CoryMH, it didn't work, it didn't show previous old bookmarks.

Is there a way we can somehow extract old bookmark data from old places.sqlite files?

Thanks.

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Try using the Places Maintenance extension to run maintenance on the file after copying it to your new profile.

If copying and pasting the places.sqlite file doesn't import your bookmarks and the Places Maintenance extension doesn't fix it, I don't think you would be able to recover your bookmarks even with the SQLite Manager.

I am also not sure if there is an easy way to convert the SQLite Manager output (CSV) into JSON or HTML (maybe someone else can correct me on that). To export from SQLite Manager (easy way):

  • Go to Tools > SQLite Manager (if your menubar is missing, press Alt to show it)
  • In the window that pops up, click on Connect Database
  • Navigate to your places.sqlite file and open it
  • Expand the Tables tree and select moz_places
  • Under the "Structure" tab click "Export" to open the "Export Wizard" tab
  • Tweak the output settings if you want, then click OK to export the file into a CSV file

If you are familiar with SQL queries then you can write your own query. If you extract just the links, each on a separate line, you could copy and paste into your bookmarks menu and it will convert them into bookmarks (all in the same menu); you would then have to fill the bookmark names yourself after.

Ilungisiwe ngu CoryMH

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Thank you very much, I will try your method.