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Key3.db and signons.sqlite are breaking Firefox.

CyberneticPossumImplants
CyberneticPossumImplants
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Starting earlier today, Firefox (and only FF - IE worked/works fine) would no longer load google or youtube, or a few other sites, but instead of giving that "couldn't load it" screen, it would keep trying to load and would just never got anywhere. The window also wouldn't close in any way except from the task manager. After uninstalling, reinstalling, rebooting, and all the usual mess, I started looking at the profile, and seem to have narrowed the problem down to key3.db and signons.sqlite, or maybe just key3.

Deleting key3 fixes both the loading and closing issues, but the loading issue returns immediately if I save ANY passwords and restart FF. So now I have no idea what to do to get it working again.

Starting earlier today, Firefox (and only FF - IE worked/works fine) would no longer load google or youtube, or a few other sites, but instead of giving that "couldn't load it" screen, it would keep trying to load and would just never got anywhere. The window also wouldn't close in any way except from the task manager. After uninstalling, reinstalling, rebooting, and all the usual mess, I started looking at the profile, and seem to have narrowed the problem down to key3.db and signons.sqlite, or maybe just key3. Deleting key3 fixes both the loading and closing issues, but the loading issue returns immediately if I save ANY passwords and restart FF. So now I have no idea what to do to get it working again.

Chosen solution

You will lose all saved password if you have removed the key3.db file because this file stores the encryption key for the signons.sqlite file. I can hardly imagine that an issue with this file would cause such an issue. It would be best to (re)move the signons.sqlite file as well to avoid problems with the password manager if you are unable to restore the key3.db file.

Did you previously had problems with saving and viewing passwords?

  • Tools > Options > Security: Passwords: "Saved Passwords" > "Show Passwords"

Did you try Safe mode to see if an extension is causing this?

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All Replies (2)

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Chosen Solution

You will lose all saved password if you have removed the key3.db file because this file stores the encryption key for the signons.sqlite file. I can hardly imagine that an issue with this file would cause such an issue. It would be best to (re)move the signons.sqlite file as well to avoid problems with the password manager if you are unable to restore the key3.db file.

Did you previously had problems with saving and viewing passwords?

  • Tools > Options > Security: Passwords: "Saved Passwords" > "Show Passwords"

Did you try Safe mode to see if an extension is causing this?

CyberneticPossumImplants
CyberneticPossumImplants Question owner
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Oh wow, I hadn't even thought to try safe mode. Seems like convergence was the one messing up, 'cause everything seems fine now.

And I wasn't worried about the passwords; I'd backed the entire profile up before messing with it.

Thanks for the help, man.