Cannot get Firefox sync to run on a user account in Windows 8
I recently installed Windows 8 and installed the most recent version of Firefox, Firefox sync will only work with one of the user accounts. I simply set up sync as usual with one account and everything just worked. On the other account on the PC trying to set up sync doesn't work at all. If I do it the normal way (By typing the code in on another device running Firefox and waiting), nothing happens, even though it says the device was paired on the other device. On the Windows 8 PC the dialog box does nothing, and the next button is greyed out. If I try to sync using username/password/key then a similar thing happens. Typing in these credentials and clicking the next button seems to do nothing, the button is available, but has no affect when clicked.
FYI: I have sysprepped and relocated my Users directory onto a different partition. I've tried unistalling/reinstalling Firefox.
All Replies (11)
Does anything appear in the Error Console?
Yes! Lots....
Starting firefox gives these errors:
Timestamp: 09/11/2012 20:22:09 Warning: XUL box for _moz_generated_content_after element contained an inline #text child, forcing all its children to be wrapped in a block. Source File: chrome://browser/content/browser.xul Line: 0
And:
Timestamp: 09/11/2012 20:22:10
Error: TypeError: this._storage is null Source File: resource:///components/nsLoginManager.js Line: 500
Going to sync and then 'I don't have the device with me' gives this error:
auth.services.mozilla.com : server does not support RFC 5746, see CVE-2009-3555
...quite a few times
And also:
Timestamp: 09/11/2012 20:23:44 Warning: Expected colour but found 'system'. Error in parsing value for 'background-color'. Declaration dropped. Source File: https://auth.services.mozilla.com/misc/1.0/captcha_html Line: 0
And:
Timestamp: 09/11/2012 20:23:47 Error: TypeError: this._storage is null Source File: resource:///components/nsLoginManager.js Line: 500
Clicking the cancel button on the Firefox sync dialog box gives this error:
Timestamp: 09/11/2012 20:21:06 Error: NS_ERROR_XPC_JAVASCRIPT_ERROR_WITH_DETAILS: '[JavaScript Error: "this._storage is null" {file: "resource:///components/nsLoginManager.js" line: 470}]' when calling method: [nsILoginManager::findLogins] Source File: resource://services-sync/identity.js Line: 419
The close cross button will close the dialog, the cancel button won't.
Pretty sure this is a Password Manager issue.
I've filed a bug for this:
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=810538
Feel free to CC yourself on that bug to track the issue.
Thanks for the report!
Can you open Error Console immediately after starting Firefox, see if there's an earlier error?
And if you want to be really thorough:
The error messages I posted above are after a fresh start of the browser. There were none prior to them.
Also, it might be worth mentioning that the windows user account that sync works on is an administrator account and this one that doesn't isn't.
That makes me think it is a permission problem. Perhaps the browser is trying to access the default windows user folder location, rather than the moved one.
I will try debugging the password manager when I get a chance.
Here is a screenshot of all the errors, from browser start up, to sync attempt.
And here is the same process, up to clicking next after filling in sync credentials with debugging turned on for the password manager.
Note: I removed the credentials from the screenshot, the next button does become active after typing them in.
Do you see any saved passwords in the Password Manager?
- Tools > Options > Security: Passwords: "Saved Passwords" > "Show Passwords"
It is possible that there is a problem with the key3.db and signons.sqlite files that store the encrypted names and passwords in Firefox.
Rename the key3.db and signons.sqlite files in the Firefox profile folder.
You can add .old to the file names (key3.db.old and signons.sqlite.old) or move them to another folder to make it possible to undo the action.
You need to set a new Master Password after renaming or deleting key3.db and all currently saved passwords are lost.
If that has worked then you can remove the renamed files that are no longer needed.
See:
- "Troubleshooting" in http://kb.mozillazine.org/Password_Manager
You can use this button to go to the Firefox profile folder:
- Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Show Folder
You can try to reset Firefox.
If you reset Firefox then a new profile is created and some of your data (bookmarks, passwords, cookies, form data) is automatically imported and your current profile will be moved to the desktop (Old Firefox Data).
You can recover more data from the old profile (be cautious with doing that).
I have no saved passwords at all in the password manager, but that is no surprise to me as this is a fresh install of Firefox that hasn't been used, and clearly sync hasn't brought any in.
The files you refer to, key3.db and signons.sqlite, where are they meant to be located? The root of the profile folder? I don't seem to have them, nor do I in the Windows profile that sync is working with.
Just tried a Firefox reset. Made no difference.