Hello patters,

Would you give this a try please :

When you're in the Library (and chose 'Downloads') click on 'Organize' (upper left corner) => click 'Select All' and then click 'Delete'.

Does that work  ?

Make sure you do not run Firefox in permanent Private Browsing mode (Always use Private Browsing mode; Never Remember History).

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/private-browsing-use-firefox-without-history

• Options/Preferences -> Privacy & Security
  Firefox will: "Use custom settings for history"
• remove checkmark: [ ] "Always use Private Browsing mode"

Firefox manages downloads in the Downloads folder in the Library (History -> Show All History) Downloads are treated as history items: clearing history removes corresponding download items and vice versa.

Do you otherwise have a problem with deleting history?

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

• use "Verify Integrity" button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page
  in case errors are reported close and restart Firefox and retry

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" button 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

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

McCoy said

Hello patters, Would you give this a try please : When you're in the Library (and chose 'Downloads') click on 'Organize' (upper left corner) => click 'Select All' and then click 'Delete'. Does that work  ?

Hi, I cannot find the "organise" command in upper left - only a gear menu which has "new bookmark, new folder....etc Delete" ? Delete does nothing too.

cor-el said

Make sure you do not run Firefox in permanent Private Browsing mode (Always use Private Browsing mode; Never Remember History)..

Well I'm not sure what exactly to do with this info. Nothing worked. When the "places" file was removed and Firefox restarted then everything disappeared, even History. That was NOT what I wanted. Did two downloads, they dont delete still. I dont want to just blanklet reset the app - I want things to do wjhat they say!

When pressing "verify" I get: Task: checkIntegrity - Unable to check favicons.sqlite integrity: Error: Error(s) encountered during statement execution: database disk image is malformed > Task: invalidateCaches - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: checkCoherence - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: expire - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: originFrecencyStats - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: vacuum - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: stats - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: _refreshUI - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task.

Anyway, now everything is deleted which is a bit disappointing. And the fact that it fixed nothing just makes me angry now :(

Hi patters, MyCoy is referring to the window that opens when you click "Show All Downloads" -- that window says Library in the title bar (see attached screenshot).

Oh, can you bring back the old places.sqlite file?

Tried putting the file back, all still gone even though its 39+Mb in size! I am on a Mac - that screen looks like this to me:

patters said

I am on a Mac - that screen looks like this to me:

I didn't know it's different on a Mac .... Your screenshows that you clicked on "History" - what happens when you click on "Downloads"  ? No "Select All" option  ?

patters said

Tried putting the file back, all still gone even though its 39+Mb in size!

Hmm, what steps have you been following? When Firefox has quit fully and finished its shutdown file maintenance. You would

• replace the current places.sqlite file with the old one that has your history
• remove these files if you find them:
  • places.sqlite-shm
  • places.sqlite-wal

When you start up Firefox again, it should use the file you copied into your profile folder.

Unfortunately everything is completely blank now since moving out and then re replacing that 'places' file!

When you click on Downloads you just get only that gear menu.

I just tried to do a Time Machine restore of the containing folder (profile) from two hours ago but the history and downloads are still all gone :(

patters said

I just tried to do a Time Machine restore of the containing folder (profile) from two hours ago but the history and downloads are still all gone :(

I don't know how Time Machine works, but can you shut down and restart your Mac, and then run the restore again without running Firefox, not starting Firefox until after the re-restore?

Yes. I quit Firefox, replaced the entire "profiles" folder from the backup about two hours old and then opened it again.

While the same window/tabs open (but not this particular one with this thread which was not open then) the downloads/history remains blank, even thought the places.sqlite is 32mb in size.

Restarting the Mac made absolutely no difference.

Okay. I went back one more backup and again replaced the "Profiles" folder. Now when I started firefox I have that same list of downloads and my History is back!  :)

BUT the first issue still exists - I cannot delete that list of downloads by pressing the "Clear Downloads" button!

Could you re-run the "Verify Integrity" check?

OK - > Task: checkIntegrity - Unable to check favicons.sqlite integrity: Error: Error(s) encountered during statement execution: > Task: invalidateCaches - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: checkCoherence - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: expire - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: originFrecencyStats - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: vacuum - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: stats - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: _refreshUI - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task.

I don't understand why the report is referring to favicons.sqlite instead of the Places database. What we usually see is:

> Task: checkIntegrity + The places.sqlite database is sane

(etc.)

Maybe someone else has a thought about why Firefox is going there.

Did you try to rename/remove favicons.sqlite to make Firefox create a new file?

Note that both places.sqlite and favicons,sqlite are checked.

• resource://gre/modules/PlacesDBUtils.jsm

• await check("places.sqlite");
• await check("favicons.sqlite");

No, but I just did that and voila it then worked (the "clear downloads" button)! Thanks. I went back to about:support and tried the Verify Intergrity (places) button again to see what was different - but this time it did nothing.

Anyway, that wasn't my issue so I wont pursue that for now.

Otherwise, thanks for the help and suggestions guys, we got there in the end :)

I have been having the same issues, as above, for months now, including a similar message from the "Verify Integrity" execution:

> Task: checkIntegrity - Unable to fix corruption, favicons.sqlite will be replaced on next startup > Task: invalidateCaches - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: checkCoherence - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: expire - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: originFrecencyStats - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: vacuum - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: stats - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: _refreshUI

I have uninstalled FF completely, reinstalled and reconfigured, have done this multiple times based on the recommendations at Mozillazine, followed everything to the letter.

A new installation didn't help, a new profile didn't help, running in safe mode didn't help, nothing works.

BTW, I can't delete any history either, it won't delete even a single entry.

I have tried running FF in private mode, it still keeps my history and downloads.

I tried downloading using a private window for just downloading, still keeps my downloads, still can't delete them.

I have a brand spanking new installation, yet again, as of this past Monday.

I have no new add-ons, made no changes to my system, nothing.

I run Sandboxie, same thing happens when I run FF unsandboxed and with A/V and other security turned off (or uninstalled which I did, as well).

I have the exact same set up on 5 laptops and in Portable FF, I have no issues anywhere else.

Yesterday, for whatever reason, I could finally delete the download list, that lasted 1 day, now it won't work anymore.

I am at my wits end because this is a safety and privacy issue for me - if anybody can get into my system, they can immediately find sensitive business information under my downloads, because the only thing that does work is the ability to open the containing folder.

I don't understand that either.

I gave up on using the FF bookmark management because from v60-63 I couldn't save or delete any bookmarks, that was problematic, as well. I couldn't get favicons to render, I think that was part of the problem.

I gave up, found another way to manage bookmarks.

There is no workaround for this as far as I can see, no third party utility that can serve this function.

I think the entire Library Management functionality has been problematic since FF60, I think all of the bookmark and download issues are related.

I just don't understand the seemingly random occurrences even after a completely fresh installation.

Any last minute ideas before I completely rethink my browser?

As always, thanks in advance...