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Where does Firefox store the 'session restore' information on my computer (Windows 7)?

  • 3 replies
  • 16 have this problem
  • 6 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

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It seems I became familiar with the following situation:

I would close all windows of Firefox, with the exception of 1. In this remaining Firefox window I would have various tabs open (numerous web pages) that I wished to continue browsing the next time I opened Firefox. I would then click to close that remaining window, whereby a small query window asking me if I wanted to "quit" Firefox, or if I wanted to "save and quit" would pop up. I would choose the 'save and quit' option, at which point the Firefox window would close, and my tab session(s) would be ready and waiting for the next time I opened the Firefox program.

My problem:

I went to close the last Firefox window (the window with the tabs that I wished to continue browsing the next time I opened Firefox)... but the crux of it, is that absolutely NO query window popped up to ask me if I wished to "quit" or if I wanted to "save and quit"!!! The Firefox window (with all its tabs) closed completely, and that was that - NO saved session! I don't know why the query window (giving me options) did not show up!

My 'problem solving' theory:

When Firefox crashes or when you choose to 'quit and save', Firefox must (somewhere) store the information of it's 'saved session' (or, indeed, a 'session prior to a crash'). I thought that perhaps if I could locate this information... thinking along such lines that perhaps it's a file somewhere in the belly of the computer ...that I could initiate this 'file' and get back my lost session.

Question(s):

  • Where can I find this 'file' or information?
  • Is this possible? (Or am I way off base?)

Some basic information: - current Firefox version: 3.5.15 - operating system: Windows 7 - current emotional status: angry and confused!!! Wahhh! (lol)

'''It seems I became familiar with the following situation:''' I would close all windows of Firefox, with the exception of 1. In this remaining Firefox window I would have various tabs open (numerous web pages) that I wished to continue browsing the next time I opened Firefox. I would then click to close that remaining window, whereby a small query window asking me if I wanted to "quit" Firefox, or if I wanted to "save and quit" would pop up. I would choose the 'save and quit' option, at which point the Firefox window would close, and my tab session(s) would be ready and waiting for the next time I opened the Firefox program. '''My problem:''' I went to close the last Firefox window (the window with the tabs that I wished to continue browsing the next time I opened Firefox)... but the crux of it, is that absolutely NO query window popped up to ask me if I wished to "quit" or if I wanted to "save and quit"!!! The Firefox window (with all its tabs) closed completely, and that was that - NO saved session! I don't know why the query window (giving me options) did not show up! '''My 'problem solving' theory:''' When Firefox crashes or when you choose to 'quit and save', Firefox must (somewhere) store the information of it's 'saved session' (or, indeed, a 'session prior to a crash'). I thought that perhaps if I could locate this information... thinking along such lines that perhaps it's a file somewhere in the belly of the computer ...that I could initiate this 'file' and get back my lost session. '''Question(s): * Where can I find this 'file' or information? * Is this possible? (Or am I way off base?) ''' '''Some basic information:''' ''- current Firefox version: 3.5.15 - operating system: Windows 7 - current emotional status: angry and confused!!! Wahhh! (lol)''

All Replies (3)

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I didn't find it in profile files: Recovering important data from an old profile.

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sessionstore.js in your Profile folder.

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In Firefox 3 you do not get the 'Save & Quit' pop-up dialog if you choose Tools > Options > General > Startup: "When Firefox Starts": "Show my windows and tabs from last time".
If that option is selected then your pages will already be reopened the next time.
To get that pop-up dialog you have to select one of the other choices (Show my home page,Show a blank page).

You can reset the warn prefs on the about:config page via the right-click context menu.

See also http://kb.mozillazine.org/Session_Restore

Modified by cor-el