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Reinstalled Ubuntu and now my bookmarks and extensions are gone

  • 8 odgovori
  • 1 ima ovaj problem
  • 9 views
  • Posljednji odgovor poslao Nabeel

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I had to reinstall Ubuntu 20.04 because I removed vital Python 2 and 3 and it broke. Before doing this I was logged into my Firefox profile and should have had my bookmarks and extensions synced. I do not see any reason why this would not be the case. However, after my reinstall of Ubuntu and logging into Firefox profile all of my bookmarks and extensions are gone. I tried checking around Firefox and it only shows bookmarks and extensions from after my reinstall. I have not performed a backup since I reinstalled Ubuntu, but those bookmarks are there. So I don't understand why I can't find my old bookmarks and extensions from before my Ubuntu issue, because I was logged into my Firefox account. My Firefox account information should have been saved to my account not my computer anyway. Please help me I had a lot of important bookmarks on there, but can't remember all of them.

I had to reinstall Ubuntu 20.04 because I removed vital Python 2 and 3 and it broke. Before doing this I was logged into my Firefox profile and should have had my bookmarks and extensions synced. I do not see any reason why this would not be the case. However, after my reinstall of Ubuntu and logging into Firefox profile all of my bookmarks and extensions are gone. I tried checking around Firefox and it only shows bookmarks and extensions from after my reinstall. I have not performed a backup since I reinstalled Ubuntu, but those bookmarks are there. So I don't understand why I can't find my old bookmarks and extensions from before my Ubuntu issue, because I was logged into my Firefox account. My Firefox account information should have been saved to my account not my computer anyway. Please help me I had a lot of important bookmarks on there, but can't remember all of them.

Izmjenjeno od strane Scott

All Replies (8)

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Hey Scott,

Since you reinstalled the OS and I would assume that you have already logged into the browser. Now that you've logged into the browser, what you see in Firefox will now unfortunately will sync and replace what you had before the reinstall.

I am not a fan of the way sync works now and think it needs to be changed. When we as users hear sync we thing it's backed up, but that is not really the case.

My issue... https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1312258

The bug I opened and close since they say this is how it's suppose to work... https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1677090

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Hi,

I really hope this is not true and if it is I am really annoyed. I use Firefox for school/study and I use Google Chromium for job stuff.

After I reinstalled Ubuntu, I logged back into Chromium and no issue. All of my bookmarks and extensions were still on my Chromium web browser. So is this a reason for me to delete Firefox from my computer and never use it again, since clearly Google has a better idea of how to protect my stuff?

I don't understand why Mozilla does not have it setup so that you just login and it is attached to your account not your computer or whatever. That is really poor design in my opinion.

Now I have to spend hours trying to figure out what I had, when if I just used Google Chromium from the beginning for everything I would be fine.

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Did you make sure and verify that the initial Sync had finished and that all data was uploaded to the Sync server ?

Note that resetting the password of the Sync account will remove all data on the Sync server.


You can install the About Sync extension in Firefox 72 and newer on desktop to check what data is stored on the Sync server via the about:sync page provided by this extension.

Close and restart Firefox to access the about:sync page added by this extension (see the about:about page for possible about pages).

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What initial sync? I had been running Firefox for months logged into my account before I reinstalled Ubuntu so everything should have been saved to my account.

I have not reset any passwords.

I will try that about:sync, but I just typed in about:sync before I downloaded the extension and all of the dates are from after 12/5/2020, which is after my Ubuntu reinstall.

Edit: I downloaded that extension and checked it out. All the dates are from 12/5/202 or after which is after my bookmarks were already gone.

I don't understand how it is just deleted because I reinstalled Ubuntu. How is there not a safer place for it?

Izmjenjeno od strane Scott

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Yeah, after you reinstalled the OS and logged into the browser with nothing, that synced and now you have nothing. That's why I think there should be some kind of prompt that says something like "You are about to sync with significantly less data than what was previously synced. Proceed with the process?" Yes or No.

I'm not saying move to Chrome, but if you read the info in the pic you'll see how Firefox Sync needs to work.

Izmjenjeno od strane jonzn4SUSE

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I'm going to Google. This is ridiculous. I can't risk losing everything again.

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I just lost all my tabs again a yesterday and opened a bug for this session issue that keeps happening to me every few weeks.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1312258 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1682537

I stopped using Chrome as my daily driver sometime ago. I can't remember even researching this problem in Chrome because I don't think I ever had this issue. The Sync in Chrome works they we users want.

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I also couldn't sync firefox with my account after reinstalling windows. After clicking disconnect in sync settings in firefox and then reconnecting and clicking sync, all bookmarks, passwords, and settings came back.