Are you using Sync to sync bookmarks?

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

You can check for problems with the places.sqlite database (bookmarks and history) in the Firefox profile folder.

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

See also:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Locked_or_damaged_places.sqlite
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Bookmarks+not+saved#w_fix-the-bookmarks-file

If "Verify Integrity" on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page cannot repair places.sqlite then remove all places.sqlite files in the Firefox profile folder. 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
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_process_the_backup_file_-_Firefox

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.

• Help -> Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Directory:
  Windows: Show Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox

I dn't want to restore my bokmarks to most recent ones, because having previously done that, my browser crashed and I lost over 2000 bookmarks in the process.

since it's been over a month now that I'm trying to figure out how to fix this, and all the pre-crash .json backup files have been overwritten to their reduced state, I'm only left with this .jsonlz4 file which I saved just in case.

so I'll repeat myself again - can I use it to restore my bookmarks!?

Would you please take a look at the Chosen Solution in this thread :

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1212958#answer-1098528

'Hope that answers your question ..... (?)

when I click the link it takes me back to your above post.

removed post.

whatnot said

when I click the link it takes me back to your above post.

Oops - sorry  !

Should have been this link :

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1198515

that jsonlz4 test site kept processing the file for good ten minutes, by which time my CPU went through the roof and I had to force-quit the browser.

In all honesty, this is taking forever and with no clear answer in sight, I'll just let it go.

Please always save bookmarks as HTML and backup your Profile.

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/back-and-restore-information-firefox-profiles
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/export-firefox-bookmarks-to-backup-or-transfer

See also my reply here for a Browser Console solution:

• /questions/1205358#answer-1078508