Deleting the places.sqlite file is not the recommended method of clearing history.

I am not sure I understand whether you are

• trying to delete History and it is not disappearing
• or surprised that your sidebar is now empty

Manually deleting places.sqlite may not give the results you expect, as Firefox is then forced to recreate the file. Places.sqlite is your database of History and Bookmarks.

It may help if you look at the articles

• private browsing
• Delete browsing, search and download history on Firefox_how-do-i-make-firefox-clear-my-history-automatically
  (You may wish to scroll through the entire article)

Try using "Forget about this site" option to completely delete history about a particular site. To do this, open the history window, right click on the desired site and click on "Forget about this site" option.

Thank you for your kind reply. I don't think I've been very clear.

I do not see anything anymore in the Side Bar. I do not want to delete my bookmarks or history: I just want to see them in the side bar. But even though I do have a lot of bookmarks I do not see them appearing in the sidebar when I click on: "View > Sidebar > Bookmarks (Ctrl + B)".

OK so that now we know you wish to keep the bookmarks lets first of all ensure that everything is preserved safely. See

• backing up and restoring bookmarks
• backing up your information

Take care, as restoring bookmarks overwrites and therefore destroys existing bookmarks

Back up your bookmarks and preferably the whole profile including sub folders and files. (Put them somewhere safe, outside the program and profile paths - your Linux Desktop is fine)

Are your bookmarks still showing up in the bookmarks library, but not in the sidebar?

Try Firefox in safe mode and with plugins disabled to see if something is interfering with the sidebar.

Dear John99,

Thank you very much for our helpful reply! I backed up my bookmarks and prifile folder and restarted in Safe Mode. And lo and behold: my sidebar worked again! Restarted in safe mode again but now with only the add ons disabled and still the side barr worked. But if I restart FF in "normal mode" the side bar is empty.

I'll try to determine which add on is the one messing up my side bar! (I'll be back  ;) )

[edit] And I'm back! Appeared to be the Extension "Ad Block2.0.3". Replaced it w/ Ad Block Lite. What an irritating add on, that Ad Block! Worked fine for months and all of a sudden my bookamrks disappeared from the Side Bar.

Try to delete the localstore.rdf file in the Firefox Profile Folder.

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