firefox profile cannot be loaded...With a twist!
Hello
I followed the instructions to "Reset download actions for all file types" from here: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/cant-download-or-save-files#w_reset-download-actions-for-all-file-types. I accidentally renamed the profile folder instead of the json file.
unsurprisingly, i now get the "firefox profile cannot be loaded" message and cannot open firefox.
I uninstalled and reinstalled firefox to no success.
In an attempt to correct this error (that is, to change the renamed folder back to its original name), i tried to follow these instructions: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data#w_finding-your-profile-without-opening-firefox
Under "how do i find my profile?" it reads "Click the Finder icon in the dock. On the menu bar, click the Go menu, hold down the option or alt key and select Library. A window will open containing your Library folder." Well, using the Go tab, there is no Library folder. but I managed to find the folder anyways. but when i do find the folder Library > Application Support, there is no Firefox folder in there!
Please advise how it is that I can find this folder and rename it
THanks
All Replies (6)
You can open the profiles.ini file in a text editor to see what name the profile folder previously had. You can possibly compare this with the profile name in the secondary location.
Location used for the main profile that keeps your personal data (Root Directory on about:profiles).
- ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/<profile>
Location used for the disk cache and other temporary files (Local Directory on about:profiles).
- ~/Library/Caches/Firefox/Profiles/<profile>
See also:
Modified by cor-el
Thanks for your response.
For me, neither ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox or ~/Library/Caches/Firefox exist.
There is not a Firefox folder in either location
Sorry, I forgot to mention that in Mac OS X v10.7 and later, the "~/Library" folder in the Home directory is a hidden folder.
hello bcj,
I am a bit lost with regards what all you have done here.
However, i think what problem you accidentally created was to rename a file in FF. Subsequently FF would no longer function correctly. Then you tried to re-install FF but it still didnt solve the issue.
What may have occurred is that when you re-installed FF, it may have imported the corrupted folder because FF doesnt know the folder should be replaced with a clean one. But this is my opinion for now.
The locations of FIrefox profile folders are located at:
c drive > users > (your pc name) > app data > local > mozilla > firefox > profiles
a) Do you still see files and folders here?
b) try launching / running FireFox -p via windows search feature. then see if the profile manager shows 2 profiles there. If so one of them is corrupted and the other one can be defined as the new profile to launch
c) if the profile folder via the c drive proves to be corrupted, it may have to be entirely deleted in order to get a new FF installed. ( maybe we can trick the computer and install an older version, aka downgrade. But I dont know if this option will prove beneficial. )
Thanks for your replies.
I am running Mac unfortunately. I should have mentioned.
Even when unhiding the library folder, there is no Firefox folder within ~/Library/Application Support/
- (
ok. i have no experience with mc apple :-)
perhaps, i can offer this suggestion:
downgrade to an earlier version of Firefox that functioned for you.