OK, I am now relying you through Chrome....after copying 'Jay' folders and moving them to 'magenta' folder.....Firefox won't open in the old icon..and ..I can't find the new 'magenta' icon after closing it ....I did make a duplicate of the:

the fvej358f.JAY folder

I hope that is what you call a backup.....otherwise I just screwed myself I think.

I'm not panicking yet....not yet......or should I be?

No. No panic button.

You need to make a new desktop shortcut for Firefox. Bear with me here - I'm a Windoze user.

Edit the end of the path with a space and then -p This will open the profile manager. Select Magenta from the list.

Found it: In the Terminal application, enter the following: /Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox-bin -P

small window comes up "Profile missing...cannot be loaded ...missing or inaccessible"

Screwed, right?

According to the Profile Manager article:

The Firefox Profile Manager (Choose User Profile) window should open.

If the Profile Manager window does not open, Firefox may have been running in the background, even though it was not visible. Close all instances of Firefox or restart the computer and then try again.

You are not screwed. You made a copy of Jay. Worst case, we're back where we started.

OK, thanks for the "You are not screwed."...comment....

I will shut down the computer, restart and see what/where I am at and get back to you.....luckily that you are 3hrs behind me here on the East Coast.....

Jay

Hey all, this --

lazjay said

small window comes up "Profile missing...cannot be loaded ...missing or inaccessible"

-- means the folder of the default profile (or maybe its contents?) must have been moved rather than copy/pasted. Is it possible to move it back to its previous location or restore its contents?

Hi jscher2000, The duplicate could be copied/moved to where it is missing from. I'm not sure yet what is going on.

Hi jscher2000....thanks for jumping into my tar pit here....

I was thinking about that....and not being really anything but a laymen regarding tech....I will carefully retrace my moving (original) profile folders....I thought I had "duplicated" them and moved them into my new profile folder.....

I did shut down my system and re-started with the same "profile missing" results so now I'll attempt to return the folders.....

Thanks so much for the input....

Ok....I (think) I moved back the folders....but....restarted system and same "no profile" result......

So, I'm kinds burnt out for the evening guys....seems like my general non-tech brain has mixed up some steps or ...I'm not following directions correctly....

So: 1) What if I just give up on this and install a new version of Firefox and retrace my bookmarks?...which I might find easier than this process for my old Firefox files. 2) Install a new version of Firefox and "import" bookmarks, etc from Chrome which are generally the same? That should be possible, right? 3) ...a blank here...maybe you have a No.3.

I'll check back in the morning for any answers.....and wouldn't blame you for losing my messages...just saying. Many, many thanks guys...... Jay

You still have the duplicate of Jay, so, you haven't lost anything. Sleep on it, and get back with us when you're ready.

OK....calming effect.....will do. Good evening... Jay

OK guys....I found the simplest solution....

I installed a new version of Firefox and imported all of my saved sites, etc. from Chrome...which were exactly the same as I had on my original Firefox...and have been happily using it for days now....no problems at all on any sign-ins including eBay....the new Firefox in the Finder is labeled "Firefox.2app"....while the original, (messed up one) is in the Finder as just "Firefox.app".

So, I thank you for all of your patience and advice, instructions and restraint from giving up on me.

And now....how do I uninstall the original Firefox...or do I need to do that? Many thanks...again... Jay