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Cannot back up my bookmarks

  • 12 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by katep99

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Hi I cannot back up my bookmarks if I export them to html nothing happens no file is made nothing I have tried xmarks but that cannot back them up for some reason the only way I have found that works is exporting them into chrome and using that to make a html copy but that is such a long way around can someone help me get html export working in firefox

Hi I cannot back up my bookmarks if I export them to html nothing happens no file is made nothing I have tried xmarks but that cannot back them up for some reason the only way I have found that works is exporting them into chrome and using that to make a html copy but that is such a long way around can someone help me get html export working in firefox

All Replies (12)

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Does the screen pop up w/ the name of html file filled in, prompting to save in a specific location?

If not, could be several things, incl. conflicting addons, corrupted program files that handle this function.

Start Fx in safe mode - to rule out all addons & plugins. If fixes it, need to either disable all addons & re-enable them a couple at a time - checking after each.

Or, I suggest just creating new profile, because even "removing" addons sometimes leaves behind changes they made (usually to about:config entries, but not always). In that case, even removing them & reinstalling in same profile may not fix a problem.

If safe mode doesn't fix it, uninstall the Fx program files - using Control Panel. If it shows more than 1 Fx version installed, start uninstalling the latest one, reboot the machine, then uninstall the next (if still present), etc.

Delete any leftover file from program folder. Then install a fresh copy of Fx. If you follow the steps, they're almost sure to fix it.

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yea everything seems to work it opens up the save thing and I click save but after it just does not create the file

not sure it can be an add on as I have just done a reinstall of the pc and the problem carried over

on the making a new profile how do I do that and it will not lose me any bookmarks right

oh and its also not creating new back up files in my profile the last one was from just after the reinstall

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tried the places.sqlite but still not able to do anything with my bookmarks

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Xmarks has mentioned as causing problems with a different Firefox process recently, try disabling the Xmarks add-on and try doing an export in HTML format.

Or try the Firefox SafeMode. Firefox Safe Mode

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Please search for how to create a profile. Mozilla.org & Mozillazine both have KB articles. Respectfully, if you can't follow those instructions, you probably shouldn't try opening / fixing a bookmarks file.

As for, tried the places.sqlite but still not able to do anything with my bookmarks, specifically what did you try?

Did you follow all steps in cor-el's link: https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Bookmarks+not+saved#w_fix-the-bookmarks-file.

WARNING: on any of these methods, make a BU of the file(s) you're working on, to a SAFE place, before you do anything to the files.

Then, did you try the addon that attempts to repair bookmarks?: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/places-maintenance/

As for manually fixing the database, once you open the bookmarkbackups .json file in a text editor, you'll have to scroll through all the lines, looking for entries that don't have the SAME FORMAT as all the rest. This could be 1 or 2 entries, or a bunch.

I've seen bookmark files that had one mistake in an entry about 1/3 through the file. No entries after that would display in the Fx bookmarks library manager. Once I either deleted or fixed the "odd" entries, restored that file to my bookmarks library, it was all good.

But, I STRONGLY WARN: make BUs of the file(s) & using software (addon) to fix it 1st, before doing it manually. If you mess it up, take another copy of the BU & start again.

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going to try the profile now then safe mode on the back ups that is no good as its not making them the last back up was from the day I did my reinstall and its like 3kb in size so not the right size

on places.sqlite I did everything in the link the program ran and when it had finished I tryed to export bookmarks in a html file and nothing happened again

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Katep99, 1)Make backups of your profile (& individual bookmarks file), if not already done. Always name either the BU folder and / or BU file with descriptive name - so later you'll know exactly what they are.

2) ALWAYS - before editing / deleting files in a profile, BACKUP the profile and / or file(s). If the file / profile being edited gets messed up & need to start again, just del the current copy being edited & make another COPY of the original, to start again.

3) do you have any backups of either your bookmarks.json or bookmarks.html file (fairly recent), or a profile? EITHER... a manual BU or one that Fx saved in Bookmarkbackups folder? YES___ NO ___ (check one). If yes, continue w/ # 2).

4) If backups exist, after all the trouble you've been to, the easiest (but not only) way might be to close Fx, then delete the places.sqlite file & places.sqlite-journal (if exists). Note: you'll lose all history when the places file is deleted.

5) Fx will create a new places.sqlite file when restarted. If there are any bookmarks BU files in your profile, in the Bookmarkbackups folder, Fx should import the latest one into the new places file.

6) If no files are in Bookmarkbackups folder or they're older than other manual backups, or the Fx BUs are damaged, after a new places.sqlite file is created, you can import any bookmarks.json or .html file you want.

You will lose an bookmarks added after the date of those backup files were saved, but at least not all bookmarks.

7) To fix this issue, this method of creating new places.sqlite & importing (some) bookmark BU, assumes the problem is corruption in the places.sqlite file.

8) If some of the more recent bookmark BU files are corrupted, you have at least 2 choices:

  • Go farther back, until find an uncorrupted bookmarks file, that can be imported. If they're unacceptably old:
  • Open a bookmarks (.json or html) file in a text editor & follow some instructions on finding & fixing or deleting corrupted entries; then import that, using bookmarks library Import function. (!)

(!) The 2nd option would be my last choice, for those not comfortable in browsing / editing these files. It's not rocket science, but newbies may have problems.

9) If it comes to editing the .json or .html files, there are at least some user posts, giving basic instructions, incl. mine? - which I can try to find, if it comes to this last resort.

Modified by JoeB

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ok I am working my way down the last post but noticed something else funny I went to bookmark a page and got the normal box till I went to folder

I added a pic below normally they should list under bookmark menu but mine don't they are under the choose folder I have to click on that for them to show but in show all bookmarks they are listed under bookmarks menu not sure about that other folder below that is a folder in my bookmarks that I added a few days ago but ones after that have not showed up

could it just be the import put them in the wrong place

Modified by katep99

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Normally when adding a bookmark, click the arrow to the far right of the box that says "bookmarks menu." That opens the entire bookmarks library tree. Does this answer your latest question?

You lost me at, "normally they should list under bookmark menu but mine don't."

BTW, try to use some spaces, capital letters at beginning of sentences & end of sentence punctuation. :)

Modified by JoeB

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Note that you can also click the "Choose" button to open the full folder list. The full folder window has a button to create a "New Folder" (look for a button with "New Folder" or a "+" under the folder list). If folders in the list aren't expanded (i.e. are closed) then look for a, possibly faint, arrow icon to expand (open) the folders.

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well nothing has worked I am going to try and import another copy from chrome see what that does