Firefox ESR automatic update makes crucial add-ons incompatible, destroying everything! Please help!
For a long time I have been using FF ESR in order to be able to use crucial add-ons like Tab Groups and Session Manager. But now suddenly FF ESR updated itself automatically to v.60.2.1esr (64-bit) without giving me any warning or choices and thus destroying all my many Tab Groups! I have heard that the add-on Simple Tab Groups can read the data format used by Tab Groups, but when I try to install it, I discover that it needs at least version v.62.0. What do I do now, to get all my tab groups back? This is getting quite overwhelming!
I feel as if Mozilla is trying to destroy my life! If I had known what I know now, then I would very seriously have tried to find an alternative to Firefox!
Addition!: I also have an instance of FF v.62.0 (64-bit) installed... where I use the add-on Panorama View (similar to Tab Groups)!
Modified by Henrik R.
All Replies (7)
I'm sorry that you thought you could continue to use the old version of ESR52 and keep using your legacy add-ons. ESR isn't meant for home use, it is meant for enterprise installations that need to certify updates once a year. As a side effect of that, it was able to run legacy add-ons for a few months after regular Firefox dropped support for them, but that wasn't the purpose of ESR. Because ESR 52 is no longer supported, all installations are being updated to ESR 60, which doesn't support legacy add-ons.
You'll need to find alternatives to your old legacy add-ons, we've created a tool at https://mozilla.github.io/extension-finder/ to help.
For the "Simple Tab Groups" add-on, you'll need to update to use regular Firefox (which, if you are using Firefox at home, you should anyway). You can download it from www.getfirefox.com.
I hope this helps!
Hi Tyler
Thank you for answering!
1. I am quite surprised that you point me to a website called www.getfirefox.com in order to update Firefox. I would go to https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/ or maybe a Ubuntu repository?!
2. Isn't there a more logical way to update FF ESR?
3. And what should I do after updating it, to install Simple Tab Groups and get back all my tab groups?
4. https://mozilla.github.io/extension-finder/ finds 16 add-ons to replace Tab Groups(!) but non of them is Simple Tab Groups(?) and I know of other Tab Groups-substitutes used by others that are not on this list!? So I am quite puzzled!
I am looking forward to hear form you.
Henrik
getfirefox.com is an official Firefox website. It sends you to the Firefox download page.
The Firefox ESR you are running is up to date, but the add-on you want to install won't run on ESR, you need to use the regular Firefox.
The list of replacements isn't complete, but it's a good place to be started.
OK.
Yes - 'getfirefox.com' sends me back to mozilla.org. There I choose the Linux version and open the file with package manager, but I can't find the place in which it is currently installed, and nor can the package manager? So how do I update this "ESR" (which I am currently using)?
PLEASE HELP!! Now Firefox made everything even worse!!:
I have both FF 60 ESR and the newest FF 62. I ran out of RAM, so I had to close FF62, but now I can't open it again. I use Ubuntu, so when I press the Windows-button and type 'fire' I am shown 2 Firefox-icons, but no matter which of them I choose, I get FF60esr...!! I am really starting to believe that Mozilla has decided to destroy my life!
Per your System Details in the initial thread here:
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:60.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/60.0
You are using an Ubuntu Linux build of Firefox, not an official Mozilla built version which is what "we" refer users to installing in this forum. Many Linux distros build their own versions of Firefox from source code, and they do vary somewhat from what Mozilla releases in their official Linux builds which is what their package manager supplies with the OS installation and uses with their updates via the package manager.
As far as RAM issues with the Ubuntu builds, I would suggest seeing the Ubuntu support fora for help with their builds if suggestions from this Firefox support forum don't help you. http://ubuntuforums.org/
Hi Hero27, on the question of your tab groups data, I don't know where the older add-on was storing that data, but most likely in your profile folder. You may want to make a backup of that folder before doing additional changes to your system, particular if you end up needing to removing Firefox to clear up the confusion of having two versions installed.