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Tranfering password: copying key3.db ang logins.json doesn't work

  • 4 replies
  • 6 have this problem
  • 83 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

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I have 2 profiles and I wish to transfer my saved passwords from one to another. As far I see the procedure documented is to copy both key3.db and logins.json to the profile I wish to transfer my saved passwords on. However, once I launch Firefox nothing shows up in the password manager.

Could it be linked to the use of a master password ? Could Sync somehow mess this up even if it's not configured to sync passwords ? (I notice that is the new profiles sometimes sync id shows up, but not after copying the files) I saw something about signon.importedFromSqlite but it seems to always set itself to true.

I do know the quickfix is using an extension to export and then import the passwords, however I don't believe it to be an acceptable solution for something as sensitive as passwords.

I'm using 59.0b4 for both profiles (that are after copying the files supposed to have the same password manager related files, the old one works perfectly, not the new one).

I have 2 profiles and I wish to transfer my saved passwords from one to another. As far I see the procedure documented is to copy both key3.db and logins.json to the profile I wish to transfer my saved passwords on. However, once I launch Firefox nothing shows up in the password manager. Could it be linked to the use of a master password ? Could Sync somehow mess this up even if it's not configured to sync passwords ? (I notice that is the new profiles sometimes sync id shows up, but not after copying the files) I saw something about signon.importedFromSqlite but it seems to always set itself to true. I do know the quickfix is using an extension to export and then import the passwords, however I don't believe it to be an acceptable solution for something as sensitive as passwords. I'm using 59.0b4 for both profiles (that are after copying the files supposed to have the same password manager related files, the old one works perfectly, not the new one).

Modified by flofl0

Chosen solution

Solution found: the right file is now key4.db !

This does mean that this page: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recovering-important-data-from-an-old-profile#w_passwords is not at all up to date (since to default to key4.db apparently occured in v58) Apparently this is is pending review https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/forums/knowledge-base-articles/712877

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Chosen Solution

Solution found: the right file is now key4.db !

This does mean that this page: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recovering-important-data-from-an-old-profile#w_passwords is not at all up to date (since to default to key4.db apparently occured in v58) Apparently this is is pending review https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/forums/knowledge-base-articles/712877

Modified by flofl0

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Firefox should fallback to key3.db if you remove an existing key4.db SQLite database.

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cor-el said

Firefox should fallback to key3.db if you remove an existing key4.db SQLite database.

Indeed (I didn't test it but it's also my understanding), but since I saw no instruction to do so, I thought it was related to something else and not the password manager.

Modified by flofl0

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See also this thread: