Bookmarks toolbar is empty:

1. Get into customize View > Toolbars > Customize
2. If you don't see "Bookmarks Toolbar items" on the bookmarks toolbar, then drag the blue icon marked Bookmarks to the bookmarks toolbar. (it does not have a star on it's icon).

   http://kb.mozillazine.org/Toolbar_customization_-_Firefox

For the most visited, it will look like a bookmark regards to properties

1. Right click on "Most visited"

   Name: Most visited

   Location: place:sort=8&redirectsMode=2&maxResults=10

   Description: Created like a bookmark, Firefox must be restarted then it looks and acts more like a folder.

Hi. Thank you for replying to my query. I'm sorry to say that there was no icon labeled "Bookmarks Toolbar items" and no blue Bookmarks icon, and I'm still stumped.

I assume that you still see the Bookmarks Toolbar with the other bookmarks? View > Toolbars > [X] Bookmarks

A possible cause of bookmarks not working properly is a problem with the file places.sqlite that stores the bookmarks and the history.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Bookmarks_history_and_toolbar_buttons_not_working_-_Firefox

See also:

• https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Restore+the+default+Smart+Bookmarks+Folders

That's right there is no icon labelled "Bookmarks Toolbar Items" because the icon in the Customize Dialog is labeled as "Bookmarks" only once it is on the Bookmarks toolbar during customize will you see "Bookmarks Toolbar Items". There are two icons labelled as Bookmarks in Firefox 3, and three labelled as Bookmarks in Firefox 4 (and above). There are pictures within the text in the Toolbars_customization link but they are from Fx4 (and above). The "Bookmarks" icon you want from the customize dialog does not have a Star on it.

If you can't correct the above or it doesn't stick through sessions, then see the following article, take a picture of your toolbars, because you will have to re-customize after resetting your toolbars.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Corrupt_localstore.rdf

Warning deleting places.sqlite will delete your history that you depend on for Firefox features be very careful and exhaust all other avenues first. I have never had to delete the file. I have had to backup and restore bookmarks though and that is mentioned in the first article mentioned by Cor-el, the real name (current name) of that article is

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Locked_or_damaged_places.sqlite

  as I indicated you would not like the results of losing your history.

I woke up this morning to find the bookmarks restored to my toolbar menu. Did they repopulate overnight? However, now the bookmarked sites open in the sidebar. But it's progress! Thanks for your help.

Changes to "Smart Bookmark Folders" do require restarting Firefox for them to appear similar to and function as folders and you do get a 404 error until then -- actually I did say you had to restart so that part was correct.

Lost your bookmarks toolbar menu, I guess is what is not clear. I guess you were talking about the one that replaces the Bookmarks menu of the menu bar as a button on the Bookmarks Toolbar. I really display text only on the bookmarks toolbar. Changing the folder names may help people to understand what bookmark folders represent to developers, but they sure make describing problems and answering questions almost impossible.

Anyway as I understand it everything is fine now except that you have webpages opening in the sidebar from bookmarks. Developers turn that off and on and still don't allow it in the one place where it would make the most sense. I don't know of any way for you to see which bookmarks are marked to appear in the sidebar except one at a time, other than exporting them and look for WEB_PANEL="true" -- I have a Find All extension so can count from the source code of the generated bookmarks.html, and I have 15.

And speak of the devil, that search on my bookmarks turned up Bug 56030, which is to turn it off again this time on "purpose" well the others were on purpose but that doesn't count.

Firefox updated from 6.0.1 to 6.0.2