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

Restore lost bookmarks?

  • 2 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

more options

Because FireFox has been running so slowly, a few minutes ago I chose to Refresh FireFox. The web page said bookmarks and other things would be preserved, but after the refresh FireFox has no bookmarks. I have tried the Restore option under Import and Backups on the Library panel and chose the most recent listing (dated today), but FireFox says "Unable to process the backup file". It also can't process any other, earlier, entry listed.

Is there anything I can do to try to get my bookmarks back, or has FireFox totally hosed me?

Thanks,

Tom Halgren xxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx

(email address removed by moderator; please do not post personal information on a public website; Forum rules and guidelines)

Because FireFox has been running so slowly, a few minutes ago I chose to Refresh FireFox. The web page said bookmarks and other things would be preserved, but after the refresh FireFox has no bookmarks. I have tried the Restore option under Import and Backups on the Library panel and chose the most recent listing (dated today), but FireFox says "Unable to process the backup file". It also can't process any other, earlier, entry listed. Is there anything I can do to try to get my bookmarks back, or has FireFox totally hosed me? Thanks, Tom Halgren xxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx <i>(email address removed by moderator; please do not post personal information on a public website; [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/mozilla-support-rules-guidelines Forum rules and guidelines])</i>

Modified by cor-el

All Replies (2)

more options

Look on your desktop. Do you see a folder called; Old Firefox? Look inside. Look for the folder with the latest creation date.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recovering-important-data-from-an-old-profile

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/back-and-restore-information-firefox-profiles

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-run-firefox-when-profile-missing-inaccessible

more options

If you use Sync then best is to disconnect Sync temporarily during troubleshooting.

This can be caused by a problem with the places.sqlite and favicons.sqlite databases in the Firefox profile folder.

  • use "Verify Integrity" button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page

If errors are reported with "Verify Integrity", close and restart Firefox or reboot and retry.

If "Verify Integrity" cannot repair places.sqlite, rename/remove all places.sqlite and favicons.sqlite files in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed. Firefox will rebuild places.sqlite and restore the bookmarks from a recent JSON backup in the bookmarkbackups folder.

  • keep a backup copy of places.sqlite in case a new places.sqlite database has to be created

See also:

You can use the button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page.