Keep add-ons in mozilla firefox after reinstallation. How to save firefox customization theme. How not to lose your browser's individuality: saving Firefox settings. Cleaning Firefox to solve the problem
Sometimes, your Firefox preference settings may not be saved after you change them. For example, you may change a setting in your Firefox Options Preferences , only to have it set back to its previous value the next time you open the Options Preferences panel.
The possible causes and solutions vary depending on whether you are unable to save a few specific preferences or if no preferences are saved at all. This article may also apply if, after updating Firefox, a Firefox Updated tab opens to a page stating You've been updated to the latest version of Firefox every time you start Firefox.
Table of Contents
Refresh Firefox to fix the problem
The easiest way to solve this problem is to restore Firefox to its default state while saving your essential information. Besides resetting all preferences to default values, a Firefox refresh will also fix many other issues, including problems caused by extensions or with data and settings that are stored in other files in your Firefox . If you"d like to try a more precise fix, skip this section and try the solutions below.
Note: When using the refresh feature, your bookmarks, browsing history, open tabs, windows, passwords, cookies and web form auto-fill information will be saved. However, your extensions and themes will be removed and your preferences will be reset. Learn more.
Specific preferences are not saving
If a specific setting in Firefox keeps resetting or you are unable to change a single setting but other settings save correctly, you may have one of the following issues.
Third-party programs changing Firefox settings
Some programs force Firefox to use certain settings. Below is a list of programs known to do this and actions you can take to make them stop forcing Firefox settings:
- Creative ZenCast changes Firefox's user agent, interfering with Java.
- Uninstall the program.
- McAfee Privacy Service turns Firefox's pop-up blocker off.
- Norton 360 includes a "Firefox Privacy Cleanup" feature that, if enabled, overrides your Firefox Privacy settings and prevents you from keeping your Browsing History, Cookies or other private data between sessions.
Some third-party toolbars and add-ons change Firefox's home page and search settings. You can quickly reset these with the SearchReset add-onTo reset these, see Change your default search settings in Firefox and How to set the home page.
- See Remove a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page for more information.
User.js file overriding Firefox settings
If you don"t have any of the above programs installed, or if If you followed the suggestions and certain settings change back each time you start Firefox, you may have to edit Firefox's configuration files yourself. Don't panic, it's pretty easy. Here's how to do it.
You should now be able to change your Firefox settings.
Firefox program file locks or prevents changes to certain settings
Your installation of Firefox may have been customized to add a program configuration file that locks certain settings or prevents certain changes from being saved. Follow the Reinstall Firefox step in the Troubleshoot and diagnose Firefox problems article to remove the Firefox program from your computer and then reinstall a new copy of Firefox. (Reinstalling Firefox this way will not remove your , since those are saved in a separate location from the program files.)
Unable to save any preferences or settings
If none of your settings will save, if you get the Firefox Updated tab every time you start Firefox, or if you have tried the steps above with no effect, the file which Firefox uses to save your preferences may be locked or corrupted.
Locked preferences file
Firefox may be unable to save your settings if the prefs.js file (or the prefs.js.moztmp file, if it exists) is write-protected or there are other prefs backup files.
Corrupt preferences file
The preferences file may be corrupt, preventing Firefox from writing to it. If you delete this file, Firefox will automatically create another one when it needs to. Here's how to delete the prefs.js file.
This will remove all your custom settings and settings for many extensions.
Hello everyone who is reading. In the last post, Mozilla Firefox website viewer, we began to get acquainted with this browser. Let's continue today. And we will talk, as the title suggests, about very important things. It happens that you have to reinstall the operating system, or somehow Mozila was removed from the computer, or other unforeseen things can happen. In general, Mozila was there and disappeared, and that’s it settings and bookmarks favorite sites. Guard, what should we do, look for everything again?! someone will scream, but there is no need to panic, there is an answer...
Saving settings and bookmarks in Mozilla Firefox
This question began to worry me ever since I realized that this browser was just a godsend. At first, I even kept a separate document where I wrote down all the links to plugins and favorite sites. After reinstalling the system, I reinstalled plugins and bookmarked sites. Time was running out. I began to wonder where I could find such a program that could restore all settings in one fell swoop. And such a program was found. It's called MozBackup. It’s also worth mentioning that if you use the Mozilla Thunderbird email client, then using MozBackup you can save the settings of this email client. MozBackup is absolutely free and in Russian. You can download it from the developer’s website or the Russian version here. There is nothing complicated about the installation. Let's start using it.
How to use Mozbackup
Preservation
Here we click on the Browse button and indicate where we will store the file with the saved settings. Then we will make a restoration from it. After you click Next, you will be prompted to protect the file with a password. We can agree.
In this window you can select what we want to save. In general, leave everything as it is by default. Click Next and watch the saving process.
After all these procedures, you can rest assured that the program has saved everything.
Restoring settings
Everything is simple here. Launch the program and select Restore. Then, if you have several save files, click Browse and select the file with the last save. Click next and Voila everything is restored.
This is such a miracle program. In the note, How to save, recover bookmarks and passwords in Mozilla Firefox? Part 2, read about saving bookmarks using the tool Firefox Sync.
When reinstalling the operating system or deleting the browser, you can save the settings you made so that you can later apply them in a new program, thereby reducing the time spent on later changing settings. Saving Firefox settings is done through the Sync plugin.
Instructions
Each user customizes their browsers for themselves. Sometimes it becomes necessary to reinstall the program or the system itself, as well as change the device for work. Obviously, you don't want to do this setup every time. In this case, you need to save your Firefox settings.
Data synchronization
Synchronization usually occurs by creating an account. It collects all the information about the job in the profile. It is stored on the servers of the manufacturer. If you log into your account from a browser on another device, all the data accumulated by the user within the account will appear in the browser. What kind of data is this: passwords, history, cache, settings and much more.
Create a profile and turn on the sync feature. Then the settings will be saved automatically.
Backing up settings using a third-party program
You can make a backup copy of your profile using a third-party utility, for example, MozBackup. This is then used to recover all profile information.
1.Download the program from the official store: http://mozbackup.jasnapaka.com/. Install following the instructions of the simple installer.
2.Close the Mozilla Firefox browser completely.
3.Open the utility. Click on the Next button. Check the Backup a profile option. This means backing up your profile. Select Mozilla and click Next again.
4.Select the profile you want to backup. Click on Browse and specify the path to the folder where the file will be saved. If you have multiple profiles and want to save each one, you will need to make separate files for them.
5.Create a password and write it in two fields. The combinations must match, so enter carefully.
6. Check the boxes to the left of the items that should be placed in the backup file. If the goal is settings, be sure to check the General settings item.
7.Then save the file in a separate place, preferably on an external memory card. You will need it later when reinstalling the system.
To restore previously saved settings, open the same program. Select Restore a profile. Specify the path to the folder with the data backup file.
Problems with saving
What to do if changes are not saved?
The settings file may have failed. In this regard, writing new data to it is simply impossible. In this case, you need to get rid of this file. Don’t worry: after this, the system will automatically create a new one of the same file, but already suitable for work.
- Launch the profile folder through the Firefox menu. Quit your browser.
- Find prefs.js and get rid of it.
- Also remove Invalidprefs.js if it is in the folder.
- Turn Firefox off and on again.
What else can you do? Check the system with an antivirus installed on your PC, as the problem may be due to malware.
There are several ways to save changed browser settings. Also, if any failure occurs, you can always restore them.
Today we’ll look at the MozBackup program, which is useful to EVERYONE. This program will provide an indispensable service to both advanced Internet users and beginners. It’s hard to overestimate MozBackup and its ability to save browser backups: passwords, bookmarks, extensions, etc.
One has only to remember what a headache reinstalling Windows brings, because problems with the Windows operating system are one thing, but the hassle of installing your favorite browser (setting it up) is another! ... full lead: bookmarks, passwords... how much precious time does this take!!??
You can change the action for an existing file type, but you cannot add or remove file types. Entries are automatically added when you upload files and select actions for them. Section Adding download actions. You may be having trouble downloading a file marked as Invalid Internet File Format.
You can't remember your username or password
It is not possible to identify or remove the erroneous entry from the list. This article describes why your passwords are sometimes not saved. If you would like information about the Master Password feature that is used to protect your personal information, you can refer to Protect Passwords Stored Using a Master Password.
Password Manager Settings
Some graphics driver versions may have problems displaying messages.In general, the idea of the MozBackup program (and mine) is this:
...and at the end of the manual, knowledge for, we will figure out what is the difference between the Russian tambourine and the Hindu drum!!
Now, after installing a brand new and clean browser, it will be unnecessary to waste an hour of time setting it up... And that’s all: downloaded; installed; “backed up” - returned your favorite settings and your browser is ready to SURF... and that's it!
Sites prohibit saving passwords
Some websites do not allow you to save passwords for security reasons. If you've followed the steps above and you still aren't prompted to save your password when you sign in to a particular website, it may be because the website has disabled the ability to save your password.
Download your batch file for free in just two clicks. This includes installed extensions, passwords that have been saved, logins, cache and all other user files. There is no need for any program, application or extension, something simple to do manually, although it is very useful to use a batch file for this, which can be downloaded from this same page. These are files from which we can save a safe copy, thus, before any unexpected situation such as installing an operating system, we will only need to install the browser and restore the saved files.
By the way, here are a couple of extensions to which the MozBackup program is also applicable: Mozilla Thunderbird, Netscape, etc. And this is not a complete list.
Well... I won’t list the technical capabilities of MozBackup in detail now, you can figure it out for yourself. And just as the article progresses, I will draw your attention to some features. And if anything is unclear to anyone, there is a video - the link is at the end of the article.
How to specify a different location in a batch file?
We will have a browser that works exactly the same as the last time we used it. To do this, click the Help menu and select Troubleshooting Information. On the page that opens, use the button to the right of the profile directory, called “Open the folder in which it is located.” Some of the extensions have a sequence of numbers instead of names, making them difficult to identify.
From this index you can access any of the sections in particular. They consist of a series of data stored in text format, which includes session variables, page settings, and other data. They are created and stored on our computer web servers in the browser configuration folder. They are also widely used to track how and where we navigate.
Let's start: first, we need to learn how to save a “copy” of the browser.
where to download and how to install the MozBackup program...
To do this, do the following:
From the official website of the program (Russian), you need to download
program installer or archive.
I recommend ARCHIVE: it will be easier to make a portable version so that you can easily store your backup on a flash drive or Yandex Disk cloud, for example, or transfer it from a computer to a laptop... Whatever you want: the main thing is that all your browser settings will be at hand (in case accidents).
How to find them?
They perform their function only during a navigation session. They start with a certain duration or shelf life, at which point they are removed or replaced with a new one. They are blocked by browsers because they will allow traces to be followed regardless of the domain or web page we visit. We can also display saved flash files or selectively reject them. It is, as its name indicates, in binary format. Once this is the place, it is a matter of deleting the files from the operating system and being ready, but be careful because if you usually save web page passwords, they will also be erased at this stage and then re-enter them.
Well, I’ll tell you how to make a copy of Mozilla without garbage.
Download what you have chosen: the installer or the archive (it doesn’t matter, the setup principle is almost the same). We are looking at the archive here.
And while the program archive is downloading, let’s create an empty folder somewhere on the computer and call it, for example, Backup.
We unpack our MozBackup archive into it...
There are other file cleaner programs that perform this task in all browsers at the same time, in addition to cleaning the temporary files of all the programs we use. Use of extensions, plugins or plugins. Sometimes we may need to import and export bookmarks or bookmarks that we have on one computer in order to transfer them to another, be it a change of computer or if we want to transfer those we have on a computer from an office to a home computer, or because We We installed a new browser and want to copy all the Internet addresses that we save in another browser.
We launch the program by clicking on what is underlined... A window will open like in the main photo for this article.
Now pay attention: see? ...options are available - “save” or “restore” - choose, as you understand, “save”
The version of your browser will be highlighted in the lower window.
Decide where to store your browser copy. I suggest specifying the path to the folder with the unpacked archive of the program (to make it easier to transfer it from place to place). Click “Browse” and specify the path (storage location).
It might also be interesting to back up your favorites. Thus, we will have on this second computer our favorites already, but new ones that we copied from the first computer. In the top menu we will open “Bookmarks” - “Show all bookmarks”.
In the window that opens we will see the option “Import and backup”, as well as two options that interest us: import and export. We will mark "Export" and the file will be written. To export bookmarks we will do the following. To import bookmarks we will do the following.
We hope you found this information helpful. You can find this catalog at. The notice tells us to be careful what we do as we may be loading browser settings. In the field where you place "Search" we will write the name of the preference that we want to change. As we write, the list of preferences is filtered.
At this stage, the program will offer to password protect your “archive”. I think this shouldn’t be done: unnecessary complications. However, it's up to you to decide.
I'm skipping this defense.
Next step: select what needs to be added to the browser backup.
Send new articles by email? MIG - RSS!!
I’ll say one thing: it’s better not to save bookmarks in order to avoid confusion. Otherwise, due to an oversight, you may lose those that you added during the subsequent process of using the browser from the backup copy. And, as you understand, BACKUP will only restore those that existed at the time of archiving.
To change the browser language, we have two settings. If this is true, please read and use our operating system language first. . This preference saves the language code that will be used for the browser interface, for example. We can change it and write code for another language in which we have a language pack.
New tab address
At École Polytechnique we used a callable plug, but nowadays we use a plugin. Both allow you to easily change the interface language. This preference allows you to enter a string to specify the address that will be used when opening a new tab.
And there are many other ways to make bookmarks. For example, save an HTML bookmark file using standard Mozilla tools, and this file can be stored in a folder (or subfolder) of our installed program.
For visual bookmarks, you can use the capabilities of ATAVI
In a word, decide...
Well, once you decide what you want to save in backup...
If we want to control the automatic updating of extensions, we have two settings.
- If it is incorrect, it does not check for new versions.
- If it is incorrect, it will not install new versions.
Sites may use local storage to save browsing history, game progress, settings, or computer information. The site can only access previously stored local storage information. If you want to allow any site to save information on your computer without prompting, select this option. Ask me before allowing new sites to store information on this computer. If you want some websites to save information on your computer and want to decide when this happens on each site, select this option. If you select this option, all local storage content on your computer will also be deleted. You will be asked to confirm whether you want to delete existing local storage content and whether you want to block sites from storing information on your computer in the future.
- Allow sites to save information on this computer.
- Block all websites to prevent them from storing information on this computer.
The process of saving Mozilla's reserve will begin (just a minute).
...And... that's it!
Now, as promised, I’ll tell you how the Russian drum differs from the Hindu tambourine: there is no difference! ...except that at the final stage you simply have to click on “Exit” and not look for the usual “Next...” button
And, as soon as the saving process is completed, “Exit” - the file is saved! Now place the main folder with the program and “BACKUP” somewhere securely.
You can allow or block the use of local storage for the listed sites. You can also ask the site to request permission before using local storage. You can also choose which sites to remove from the list. To specify local storage settings for a site you have not yet visited, add the site to the list and specify the local storage configuration.
Learn more about private browsing
To delete all browsing history from your computer, clear your browsing history in the browser you are using. Check this box to delete all local storage, camera, microphone, and peer-to-peer network settings by clicking the "Delete Data" button at the bottom of the panel. If you check this box and click Clear Data, you will delete data for all websites. To keep data from some sites but delete it from others, return to the Storage tab, select Local Storage Settings by Site, and delete only the sites for which you want to delete data. Delete all licensed audio and video files Select this check box to delete all licensed protected content files, such as videos and music, that you have rented or purchased. Remove license files if you plan to sell or give away your equipment and do not want others to play the content. You must obtain new license files from the applicable content providers to be able to reproduce this content. Deleting all site data and settings. . Private browsing allows you to browse the Internet without saving history on your computer.
how to restore a copy of the Mozilla Firefox browser using MozBackup...
Restoring a copy of the browser occurs using the reverse algorithm from the installation.
...and you can also quickly restore the functionality of the browser in another way. There is a link about him below)).
So: to restore the previous settings of your browser using the MozBackup program, return to the beginning of the article (namely, to the place where you need to select “save” or “restore” - and choose, of course, “restore”)…
What is private browsing?
Web browsers usually store a history of sites visited, so it is possible to have a record of sites that have been visited on the Internet. However, there are times when you don't want other users to see your history, and there are many browsers that offer a "private browsing" mode. When you enter private browsing mode, browsers do not save any history and may hide activity from other users who are using the same computer.
How does private browsing work?
When you use private browsing mode, your web browser temporarily stores various types of information. In a normal browsing session, the browser remembers the history even after closing and restarting the browser. Some websites that expect to be able to save data using local storage may experience unexpected behavior during private browsing sessions. However, information stored by site also leaves a trail of previously visited sites that used local storage.
The program itself will find and offer a copy...
...Or decide on the copy you need (when you have a lot of them)) and go ahead...
However, in conclusion, I’ll note: it’s worth forcing yourself to remember that our program restores exactly the version of the Mozilla Firefox browser that we saved.
But browsers are updated periodically, right!?
Manages data in local storage according to private browsing data. When you enter private browsing mode, sites you previously visited do not have access to the information they stored on your computer during regular browsing sessions. This website may retrieve information from local storage the next time you visit the site. They are also available online. What we are going to do in this tutorial is copy the contents of the profile folder and copy it into the new profile folder on the target computer.
Therefore, when you need to restore your browser from backup, you will need to DOWNLOAD exactly the version that was placed in the “archive”.
...so, follow it; in the top horizontal menu, select “Products” - click, you will be taken to a page... on which you need to select (at the top of the central ribbon of the site) just below the description Mozilla Firefox so-and-so died... “Other versions”... Then, on the newly opened - left sidebar - you need to find the heading “Version History”, select “All versions and Russifications of Firefox”. Now all you have to do is go to “Mozilla Firefox Releases” (scroll down the page a little) to find the version you need and download it.
...And in the end, using the procedures described above, “SCREW” your saved backup settings to it.
All! From now on, comrades, reinstalling the Mozilla Ferifox browser is as easy as shelling pears...
And don’t worry that you’ll have to use an outdated version of Ferifox: your “browser installed and restored from a MozBackup backup” will be updated automatically after some time.
And those who are impatient can update it themselves on the main page Mozilla Firefox.
!..by subscribing to site updates -
... let's part with ignorance..!
The free Mozbackup program (Mozilla Backup) allows you to save and restore your Mozilla Firefox browser profile. Using Mozbackup, you can create and restore profiles for the following programs: Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, Netscape, MozSuite/SeaMonkey, Flock, Sunbird, Spicebird, PostBox and Wyzo.
With Mozbackup, you can back up your Firefox browser profile and then restore your Firefox profile from the backup when needed.
What is a browser profile, and why should you back up your browser profile from time to time?
The Mozilla Firefox browser profile stores all your browser settings: passwords, bookmarks, contacts, installed extensions, browsing history, cookies, browser cache, etc.
As you know, nothing lasts forever in our world, and therefore, just in case, you should take precautions to avoid an unpleasant surprise. Sudden failures of equipment and software may occur for various reasons. For example, the hard drive has failed, serious problems have occurred with the operating system, and it needs to be urgently and suddenly reinstalled.
After reinstalling the operating system, or installing it again on your computer, usually one or more browsers are installed, unless, of course, you use only one browser - Internet Explorer, which is preinstalled with the Windows operating system.
The newly installed Mozilla Firefox browser will have default settings and will not contain any add-ons (extensions), it will not contain your passwords, bookmarks and other settings. Therefore, it is necessary to create backup copies of your browser profile from time to time, so that later you can easily return your settings for the Mozilla Firefox browser.
How can you save bookmarks and all other settings of your browser when reinstalling the operating system or reinstalling the browser?
On the pages of my website, I have repeatedly described various ways to save the Mozilla Firefox browser profile. There is perhaps no other browser with so many different ways to save backup settings.
Now it's time to talk about another way to save a profile backup: using the free Mozilla Backup program. This program has a Russian version, and therefore, you will not have any difficulties using it.
You'll learn how to save Firefox settings, as well as how to transfer Firefox settings to a newly installed browser after installing or reinstalling the operating system, or how to transfer a Firefox profile to another computer.
mozbackup download
From the official Russian-language website of the program you can download the program installer or an archive with a portable version of the program.
You will need to install the program or run the portable version of the Mozilla Backup program from the folder.
Now let's move on to the review of the Mozbackup program and learn how to use this program.
How to save Firefox settings in Mozbackup
After installing the Mozbackup program on your computer, you should run it. A program welcome window opens, in which you need to click on the “Next” button.
In the next “Operation Type” window, you must select the action you want to perform - “Save” or “Restore”. The program selects the Mozilla Firefox browser installed on the computer with the build number of the browser version.
To save your browser settings, you need to activate the “Save” radio button, and then click on the “Next” button.
In the Select Profile window, select the profile you want to save. You will then need to select a location to save your profile backup.
To do this, click on the “Browse” button, and then in the Explorer window select a location to save a backup copy of the Mozilla Firefox browser profile. You can create a folder in advance to store backup copies of your browser profile.
It would be better to create such a folder not on the system drive, but on another drive. Because if the operating system is suddenly reinstalled, the backup saved on the system disk will be lost along with all other data.
After selecting the location to save the “backup copy”, you need to click on the “Next” button.
In the “Question” window, it is better to click on the “No” button. If you protect the “backup file” with a password, then if you forget the password, then you will no longer be able to restore your browser profile.
In the “Select Components” window, click on the “Next” button.
In the next “Work in Progress” window, a backup copy of the Firefox browser is created.
The “Report” window opens, in which the program informs that the “backup file” has been created and shows the contents of the backup copy. After creating a backup copy of your profile, you need to click on the “Exit” button.
You can now open the folder and verify that your Mozilla Firefox browser profile has been backed up. On my computer, on the “D:” drive, I created a “Firefox Backup” folder, into which I saved a backup copy of the browser profile.
The name of the backup file indicates the browser version and the date the backup was created. The file has the extension ".pcv", and can be opened using an archiver program, for example, WinRAR or 7-Zip.
For greater reliability, you can copy this backup file to a flash drive or portable hard drive, and also save a copy of the file in some: Yandex.Disk, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.
How to restore Firefox settings in Mozbackup
If you restore your Firefox profile after reinstalling or reinstalling the operating system, you will need to reinstall the Mozilla Firefox browser on your computer. After installation, the browser will not contain your settings and will have default settings.
Attention! Mozbackup will only restore the version of the browser that was backed up. If at the time of restoration there is a newer version of the browser, then you should install exactly the version of the browser with which the profile backup was made.
After restoring the profile, the browser itself will automatically update to the new version.
Where can I find the old version of the browser?
You can find the required browser version on the official website mozilla-russia.org. From the main page of the site you can download the latest version of the browser.
In order to download an old version of Mozilla Firefox to your computer, on the main page of this site you need to click on the “Products” button, then in the next window, under the description of the latest version of the browser, you need to click on the “Other versions...” link.
In the next window, in the right column, you need to find the “Version History” item and click on the link “All versions and Russifications of Firefox”. In a new window, select the desired browser version and download it to your computer. You can see this process visually in the video below this article.
After installing the browser on your computer, you will need to install the Mozilla Backup program if the operating system was reinstalled.
To restore your browser profile, run the Mozbackup program. In the Operation Type window, you must select the action - “Restore”, select the application, and click on the “Next” button.
In the “Select Profile” window, select the profile you want to restore. Then you need to select a file to restore your browser profile. To do this, click on the “Browse” button and find the saved “backup file”.
If you did not reinstall the operating system, then the program itself finds the path to the saved backup copy of the browser profile. After that, click on the “Next” button.
The Mozilla Firefox browser profile is being restored. After restoring your profile, you can launch the browser.
After opening the main window of your browser, you will see that the browser is already working with all your settings. You will have all your add-ons (extensions), passwords, bookmarks and all other settings of your browser restored.
In this way, you can transfer the Firefox profile to a new computer if you have several of them and want to use the Mozilla Firefox browser with your own settings on another computer.
In the video below this article, I create a backup copy of the Mozilla Firefox browser profile, then delete the browser from my computer, and then restore the browser profile from the backup with all my settings.
Conclusion
Using Mozbackup will allow you to save and restore the Mozilla Firefox browser profile on your computer.
