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r Firefox profile cannot be loaded. It may be missing or inaccessible. How do I fix this error?

  • 14 replies
  • 43 have this problem
  • 7 views
  • Last reply by wazap

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Firefox profile cannot be loaded. It may be missing or inaccessible I have a PC and can not seem to fix this issue I have erased Firefox and reloaded yet I keep getting the message.

Firefox profile cannot be loaded. It may be missing or inaccessible I have a PC and can not seem to fix this issue I have erased Firefox and reloaded yet I keep getting the message.

All Replies (14)

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This can be caused by a problem with the profiles.ini file.

Try to create a new profile to check if your current profile is causing the problems.

See "Creating a profile":

If the new profile works then you can transfer some files from an existing profile to the new profile, but be cautious not to copy corrupted files to avoid carrying over the problem.

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Firefox profile cannot be loaded. It may be missing or inaccessible is the pop up box on my computer. I have Windows XP and can't find the Firefox profile. I can't even login in Firefox browser to look up Help or troubleshoot. It is giving me a headache. I am using the Google Chrome for a browser right now.

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Hello Lorene63, go to Start > Run and type in the search box :

%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\

to open the firefox profile folder path, then find the Profiles.ini file and delete it to force firefox to create anew profile, , after that see cor-el's instruction above (transfer data to a new profile).

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

thank you

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Thanks.I got my Firefox back, but not the bookmarks or stored passwords. I tried everything including imporiting by following the instructions. It is not working right. I miss having my bookmarks right now.

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You should be able to restore the bookmarks from a JSON backup in the bookmarkbackups folder of the old profile.

For the passwords you need to copy the two files signons.sqlite and key3.db to the current profile folder.


See also [/questions/972166]

Modified by cor-el

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GRRR!!! I can't get it to work.

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I give up for a while. I can't think straight and try to understand the computer technical words.

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Hello Lorene63, bookmarks is in the places.sqlite file, stored passwords is in the key3.db and signons.sqlite files.

see if it is more easy to create a folder and put inside the folder all useful data, (copy into the folder), see for more info : Transferring useful personal data to a new profile from an old profile that had problems, i think it is easiest !!


thanks again

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hi guys,i have same problem like lorene63 and already read some of the solutions suggest here and already get my firefox back to work...but i have some troubles to restore my bookmark and i have some question regarding that

1. like in ideato's reply, i found places.sqlite to restore my book marks, but after that, what should i do with the file? u said to put it inside folder,but what folder?how do i use this file to restore my bookmarks?can u give me some step by step guide to use this file to restore my bookmarks?

2. ideato give a link to see more info, in there i see how to transfer data from old profile to new profile. but, isnt our old profile supposed to be deleted to force mozilla to make new profile?so, how am i transfer them then?can u give more detailed information regarding this?? so very thank you for the help

Modified by wazap

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You need to copy the file(s) from the previously used profile, assuming that this profile still exist, to the currently used profile while Firefox is closed.

You can use this button to go to the Firefox profile folder:

  • Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Show Folder (Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder)
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alright i'll try that,but i'll also tell u this: my firefox start to have the problem after i accidentally deleting a folder, i forgot what this folder name is,but its inside profiles folder in the system drive.i mean,i delete it from the source itself.

so, assuming that folder is my old profile folder(so ur suggestion above cant be used), is there any other way for me to restore my bookmarks?

edited:

i positively thinking that is my old profile folder.i already try to restore the system back to yesterday date. the folder is back. but when i started my firefox again, the bookmarks still not there....

i'm going crazy because of this

Modified by wazap

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after sometime to think,i decide to give up my bookmarks and try to uninstall firefox completely with my personal data on it too, then i try to do system restore again to 4 days before...

after that the firefox is back, but couldnt work..it says couldnt load xpcom.. i try to uninstall it,but cant. i try to overisntall it,but when i do so, comes pop up tell me to reboot my computer to complete the uninstall i did before...

really need help from heaven or i just give up firefox completely....this is so make me crazy

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Do a clean reinstall and delete the Firefox program folder before (re)installing a fresh copy of the current Firefox release.

Download a fresh Firefox copy and save the file to the desktop.

if possible uninstall your current Firefox version to cleanup the Windows registry and settings in security software.

  • Do NOT remove personal data when you uninstall your current Firefox version, because all profile folders will be removed and you lose personal data like bookmarks and passwords from profiles of other Firefox versions.

Remove the Firefox program folder before installing that newly downloaded copy of the Firefox installer.

  • (32 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\"
  • (64 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\"

Your bookmarks and other personal data are stored in the Firefox profile folder and won't be affected by an uninstall and (re)install, but make sure that "remove personal data" is NOT selected when you uninstall Firefox.

If you keep having problems then also create a new profile.


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yup...i already did that... now its working,but i decide not to use it no more... thank u for the help