Hi Michael, how thoroughly did you delete your Firefox data?

The restoration method mentioned in the earlier post assumed that the original profile folder (each has a unique name) still existed, so it was easy to roll it back. (You can open your profile folder in Finder using the steps in this article: Profiles - Where Firefox stores your bookmarks, passwords and other user data.)

If you completely removed the profile folder, it might still be in Time Machine, but I'm not sure how you will access it.

If we assume you still have the original profile folder:

The file that contains your history and bookmarks combined is called places.sqlite and you should Quit Firefox before overwriting the live file with a backup.

More info on your profile folder contents: Recover important data from an old profile

Thanks much jscher ..I've found many files named places.sqlite they all have dates associated with them. When I brought the first one back from the not so distant past.. a window popped up and said there was no file by that name to replace in "Today's" status of Firefox .. and asked where I should place it .. a location was suggested, so I said OK. However, It didn't have any effect on the present status of the new Firefox install I did earlier.

Time Machine is rather cool .. it makes copy's of every file, and any change to any file.. then logs them by time. so you can select a file as it did exist in the past, and bring it forward and replace the existing file by the same name. In my case... after installing a new Firefox .. there was no file named places.sqlite only files named prefs.js .. there are distant (in time) named places.sqlite from a few days ago .. but none today.

Perhaps you might be able to tell me where to place the old file?

I'll also research your suggestion https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recovering-important-data-from-an-old-profile

thanks... to be continued... :-)

Did you open your currently "live" profile folder? The places.sqlite file in there contains what you currently see in bookmarks and history. If you want to use an older file, that is the one you need to replace (while Firefox is not running, of course).

That's what I been trying to do.. sniff! I can't find the "live" or current places.sqlite ... that's the trick after all... My Time Machine tried to find it and replace it with a slightly older version from the deleted Firefox.

I have no idea how to access the "live" file ... when I search for it, I find it in three folders inside a "Old Firefox Folders" file that Firefox must have made in the past, when new versions were created. So I have three on the desktop going back about 2 years... and many in the "Time Machine" hard drive going back over 10 years .. but, no way either I or Time Machine can find a current "live" file of places.sqlite I know what has to be done ... I do not know how to access that file. SAD  :-) specifically: .. I don't know the "path" to the live file of places.sqlite

Lamboom.ML said

I have no idea how to access the "live" file ... when I search for it, I find it in three folders inside a "Old Firefox Folders" file that Firefox must have made in the past, when new versions were created.

Remember the article I mentioned earlier that has the steps? You use the "Troubleshooting Information" page from inside Firefox to launch Finder pointed at your profile folder.

jscher2000 said

(You can open your profile folder in Finder using the steps in this article: Profiles - Where Firefox stores your bookmarks, passwords and other user data.)

I don't know if that link works in an email notification, you may need to return to this thread to use it.

Thank you jscher... there was a real problem finding the file.. "Finder" couldn't do it... only the the troubleshooting link you sent would display the folder where it was hidden .. all's well now.

Someday I have to figure out why I couldn't set Google as the desired search engine ... I can now! ... :-)

By the way, jscher2000 .. the reason everything went bonkers with Firefox and other browsers i have (Chrome & Safari) Is i made the mistake of down loading MAC NG Player It tried to install many other apps (typically) including Yahoo .. I clicked no for all of then.. but Yahoo latched on to Firefox anyway .. it could not be removed! short of uninstalling Firefox.. I was able to remove it from Safari and Chrome.. just an FYI ... and thanks again for your great help ... I'm glad my wife & I contribute to Firefox ... :-)

Thanks for the follow-up. If something like that appears again, give us a try, as we often know where those things like to hide.