Do you have any idea how that happen?

Open a new tab or window. type about:support in the address box and press enter. Or Press the <Alt> or <F10> key to bring up the tool bar. Then Help > Troubleshooting Information.

Under the page logo on the left side you will see Application Basics. Under this find Profile Folder. To it’s right press the button Show Folder. This will open your file browser to the current Firefox profile. Now Close FireFox.

Enter the bookmarkbackups folder. This is where Firefox makes backups of your bookmarks. Look for the file you want to restore (check the time / date). Right click on that file and select Copy. Now go back to the parent folder where you started. Right click in the folder and select Paste. Rename the file bookmarks.html by adding .old to it. The file you just pasted here, rename it to bookmarks.html. After you are done, restart Firefox.

These can't get your data back, but will help in the future.

These add-ons can be a great help by backing up and restoring Firefox

FEBE (Firefox Environment Backup Extension) {web link} FEBE allows you to quickly and easily backup your Firefox extensions, history, passwords, and more. In fact, it goes beyond just backing up -- It will actually rebuild your saved files individually into installable .xpi files. It will also make backup of files that you choose.

OPIE {web link} Import/Export extension preferences

Problems with bookmarks and history not working properly can be caused by a corrupted places.sqlite database file.

You can check for problems with the places.sqlite database file in the Firefox profile folder.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Bookmarks_history_and_toolbar_buttons_not_working_-_Firefox
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Bookmarks+not+saved#w_fix-the-bookmarks-file

• Places Maintenance https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/places-maintenance/

Thanks, Fred. Your suggestion led me to a solution...couldn't quite get there at first but I continued the path and found what I needed, and finally got it all back. Yay! As for an idea how it happened? Had something to do with icloud, methinks. When I went to my ipad later I noticed that my bookmark files were not only empty, but had changed to the folders I had on Mozilla. After the late night fix-it session, when I got to ipad this morning, the fix had transferred here to the ipad as well...well, it replicated my firefox bookmarks bar, but that's no problem. The weird thing is that I initiated NOTHING, I swear. It was one way then WHAM, file folders empty and ipad synced with firefox. I haven't even done the IOS update yet! Will hold off until I back up :) Love the technology until I don't lol. Thanks again *waving*

Glad it worked out. Those two backup programs I posted above, Use Them ! If something ever effects your system again, these backups will be there to put things right. Plus, by saving these outside of Firefox, they will be safe.

About the sync, I don't use it myself, but check the settings. Make sure it is set to append and not replace anything.

I will!!! And I don't sync either!. I checked the ipad from the apple end and I don't have any setting set for syncing the browser. That's what is so mysterious to me. This came out of nowhere. It only affected the iPad and the pc...the iphone is still showing my old bookmarks (my pc and apple products are "work" and "play" so they are different). Go figure... and it's all good now, thanks to you :D

And thanks cor-el. Saved those for a just-in-case :)

Good luck, and happy computing.

I have the same problem. I just returned from vacation and they are gone. The machine was off. I'm running 30.0. In the suggested remedy I was ok until..."Now go back to the parent folder...". Which one is the 'parent'? Where do I find it?

Folders are really sub-directories on computers. There is only one directory on any computer with all folders / directories going off of it. When anyone talks about the parent folder, they are talking about the folder that stores the folder you are now in. Example;

C:\User\Jenny

C:\ is the top / root directory \User\ is a folder or sub-directory off of the top / root directory \Jenny is a folder or sub-directory off of the \User\ directory