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I updated firefox to version 11 and lost all my bookmark folders and bookmarks, how do I restore them using timemachine?

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  • Last reply by cor-el

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I am using Mac OS X Lion. I use Firefox for my research and have numerous bookmarks organized in folders. All the bookmarks disappeared after I upgraded to version 11. I have tried looking for my profile as suggested in the forums and help documents but I cannot find it. I have Time Machine Backups of my entire system. Could someone please tell me which folders and/or files to restore to get my bookmarks back?

I am using Mac OS X Lion. I use Firefox for my research and have numerous bookmarks organized in folders. All the bookmarks disappeared after I upgraded to version 11. I have tried looking for my profile as suggested in the forums and help documents but I cannot find it. I have Time Machine Backups of my entire system. Could someone please tell me which folders and/or files to restore to get my bookmarks back?

Chosen solution

Hi chrisquek,

This article from Mozillazine might help:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox#Mac

You could probably rescue all of your personal information from your profile backup.

Hopefully this helps!

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Chosen Solution

Hi chrisquek,

This article from Mozillazine might help:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox#Mac

You could probably rescue all of your personal information from your profile backup.

Hopefully this helps!

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Just fell into the Time Machine trap with my bookmarks. The above solution only takes one to the main Library, and to restore the bookmarks from my Time Machine backup I am stumped. Holding option, GO>Library and entering Time machine only opens the main Library in the TM backup and not the user/library where the bookmarks are stored.

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Once I find the profile, what do I do?

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To an_an

Are you on a Mac?

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Yes I have mac with lion on it. Thanks!!

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Which files (settings) do you want to restore?

Did you find the Firefox Profile Folder in the Time Machine?

You can use this button to go to the Firefox profile folder and see the currently used location:

  • Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Open Containing Folder
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For some reasons, I can't find any profile files in my time machine drive... is this mean all my bookmarks are gone? I can only find the profile file on my hard drive...

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I did actually found the profile folder in my time machine and copied over all my files but I still don't see any of my bookmarks... any idea why?

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Are there any JSON backups present in the bookmarkbackups folder that aren't coming from the backup in the TM?

Try to move any newer JSON backups out off the bookmarkbackups folder and delete all places files in the main profile folder to make Firefox rebuild the bookmarks from the most recent JSON backup (so that should be one from the TM backup).

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It actually worked! Thanks for your help!

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You're welcome