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Ubuntu upgrade failed, too many errors. How do I save my places.sqlite file?

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  • Last reply by cor-el

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My upgrade to Ubunto 16.04 failed with a too many errors message. I want to copy the places.sqlite file so that when I reinstall Ubuntu and it formats the hard drive, I can then us my old places.sqlite file to restore my bookmarks. How can I access it and make a copy of it?

My upgrade to Ubunto 16.04 failed with a too many errors message. I want to copy the places.sqlite file so that when I reinstall Ubuntu and it formats the hard drive, I can then us my old places.sqlite file to restore my bookmarks. How can I access it and make a copy of it?

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Hi

If you type about:support into the address bar and select the button marked "Open Directory" next to Profile Directory, a file manager window should open in your profile, allowing you to take a copy of that file (or move up a level and take a copy of the whole folder).

Before taking any copies from (or of) that folder, make sure that Firefox has completely closed.

This article has more information about moving profile folders, and this article has more information about the files in your profile.

I hope that this helps, but if not, please come back here and we can have a look into a different solution for you.

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Thanks but that won't work. Ubuntu is completely down from a GUI standpoint. I'm at a black and white screen with Ubuntu 16.04.2 at the top and some other things and then tracy@TCannHouse:~$

I've posted this question on Ubuntu's bug reporting website. https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/655738 if you want to see what I've posted there. Tracy

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Maybe include some more files and at least some recent bookmark backups from the bookmarkbackups folder.

You can look at files like these in the current profile folder with Firefox closed to backup specific data.

  • bookmarks and history: places.sqlite
  • bookmark backups: compressed .jsonlz4 backups in the bookmarkbackups folder
  • cookies.sqlite for the cookies
  • formhistory.sqlite for saved form data
  • logins.json and key3.db (decryption key) for Passwords saved in the Password Manager
  • cert8.db and possibly cert_override.txt for (intermediate) certificates stored in the Certificate Manager
  • persdict.dat for words you added to the spelling checker dictionary
  • permissions.sqlite for Permissions and possibly content-prefs.sqlite for other Site Preferences
  • sessionstore.js for open tabs and pinned tabs